The government has unveiled £54mn in funding for innovative green projects to create the next generation of electric trucks and hydrogen-powered buses.
On 22 March, BEIS announced funding for three projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland that, combined, could secure almost 10,000 jobs and save 45mn tonnes of CO2. Investment is being made in new technologies that can support the UK’s green recovery from COVID-19 while meeting its climate objectives, including hydrogen fuel cells, with Wrightbus in Ballymena, Northern Ireland awarded £11.2mn. This will support it in developing and manufacturing low-cost hydrogen fuel cell technology for buses and creating a hydrogen centre of excellence.
Elsewhere, £31.9mn has been awarded to a project in Cwmbran in Wales to develop propulsion systems for heavy goods vehicles, while £11.3mn will fund the development and manufacturing of energy saving technology from motorsport for use in cars and vans from a centre in Warwickshire.