Wales & West Utilities tests hydrogen vehicles

The project by the gas emergency and pipeline service looks to find solutions for parts of its vehicle fleet where low carbon options are currently limited. In collaboration with Ford, WWU is running the 12-week vehicle trial of a prototype Ford Transit light commercial vehicle. Built with a fuel cell, which runs on hydrogen gas, the vehicle trial is supported by specialists in hydrogen technologies. The hydrogen is being produced and delivered by Protium Green Solutions, with the vehicle being refuelled at a facility supported by Fuel Cell Systems at the Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions site in Swansea.

During the trial, WWU operational colleagues will use the vehicle on a daily basis, driving around the wider Swansea and West Wales area to understand the benefits to the business of using this green technology.

Whilst electric vehicles are an option for part of WWU’s fleet requirements, they cannot do everything needed: there are currently challenges with payload, range and towing capacities, as well as recharging. In addition, the UK public charging network is not yet suitable to support WWU’s entire fleet.

Exploring the possibility of hydrogen powered vehicles allows WWU to look at the practicality and deliverability of alternative solutions. Refuelling with hydrogen at 700 bar allows WWU to maximise the potential of a zero-emission light commercial vehicle.

Testing the full capability of the vehicle is essential to understanding how much it might cost to operate hydrogen fuelled vehicles as part of a low carbon fleet in a real world, operational setting. The project team will also assess the vehicle’s potential range, refuelling needs, and payload during a typical working day.

This work, which builds on a previous hydrogen vehicle trial, aims to show how hydrogen fuel cell technology can meet the operational demands of light commercial vehicles, for example, in utility and construction environments. Offering a zero-emission alternative to diesel is critical to fleet operators that require power and range in daily operations.

The project supports the wider UK challenge of decarbonising fleets, particularly goods vehicle operators using heavily loaded HGVs or light commercial vehicles which cover long distances or require significant towing capacity.

Stephen Offley, Transport Lead for WWU’s Net Zero & Sustainability team, commented: “We currently operate a fleet of around 1300 vehicles across Wales and the south west of England, which represents a significant part of our carbon footprint. Our fleet covered over 15 million miles in 2025 alone, using 4.3 million litres of diesel fuel. This is clearly an area where we can make huge carbon savings with the right technology.

“This trial demonstrates our commitment to finding the most operationally effective low-carbon solutions for our fleet and whilst we continue to provide the reliable and efficient services our customers expect.

“We are confident that hydrogen will have an important role to play in the decarbonisation of road transport as we move away from fossil fuels. We hope that our vehicle trials will inspire other organisations to consider hydrogen as a zero-emission solution. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to all of the partners and organisations involved in this trial and for their hard work and dedication in making it happen.”

Stelios Karagiorgis, Innovation Project Lead at Ford, added: “We are proud to be working with Wales & West Utilities on this important project. By combining Ford’s engineering expertise with cutting-edge hydrogen fuel cell technology, this trial demonstrates how zero-emission vehicles can meet the real-world demands of everyday fleet operations.”

David Muckle, Chief Operating Officer of Protium, said: "Green hydrogen provides a practical solution for light commercial vehicles where duty cycle, payload, range, and rapid refuelling are critical. Protium is proud to supply the hydrogen for this long-term trial, showcasing how regional hydrogen ecosystems can decarbonise essential commercial fleets with front line response."

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/03092026/wales-west-utilities-tests-hydrogen-vehicles/