June NUI Galway Host Webinar to Display Pathway to Decarbonisation of Heavy Vehicles

NUI Galway, within the frame of the Hydrogen Utilization and Green Energy (HUGE) project, will host a webinar entitled ‘Hydrogen Trucks: An Opportunity for Heavy Vehicles Decarbonisation’ on Tuesday, 22 June, from 11am-1pm CEST (10am-12pm Irish time).

NUI Galway, as part of the HUGE project, oversees the transfer of hydrogen knowledge to a wide audience, including industry stakeholders, end-users and government agencies from a vast area in Europe, especially in Northwest Europe, Atlantic Area and Northern Periphery and Arctic regions.

The webinar will feature a number of recognised specialists, including Alan Nolan, Coordinating Director with Hydrogen Mobility Ireland, and Mark Freymüller, CEO Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG, who will discuss the current situation of the decarbonisation of heavy vehicles in Europe, and presentations will focus on the present and future of hydrogen in the mobility sector.

The webinar will share development plans for hydrogen trucks and their infrastructure in the partners’ regions in Ireland, Hydrogen Mobility Ireland, and Iceland, Icelandic New Energy, and will give an overview of the implemented hydrogen trucks project in Switzerland, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, with emphasis on the challenges and opportunities, as well as the level of involvement of the Swiss government. Representatives from truck manufacturers Hyzon Motors and Volvo Trucks will also share the recent developments on the construction and delivery of hydrogen trucks on the road and the market opportunities they envisage.

Webinar organiser, Dr Pau Farras Costa of NUI Galway’s School of Chemistry and deputy lead of the Energy Research Centre of the Ryan Institute, said: “Decarbonising road transport is an easier task than most people may think. The technology is available through either battery electric for small or fuel cell electric for small to large vehicles. To achieve the climate change targets for 2030 there is an urgency to put in place solutions that can impact on national carbon footprint in the short term. In this webinar, we aim to demonstrate that decarbonising the heavy vehicle sector is feasible if the necessary support is achieved.”

Dr James Carton, Chair of Hydrogen Ireland, said: "Transport in Ireland represents an energy sector that must decarbonise not only to reduce climate changing emissions but also to enable breathable cities. Passenger car owners have seen a growth of suitable battery electric vehicles, as well as greater options for commuting such as walking and cycling; however trucking has few options to decarbonise.

“Heavy duty vehicles account for only around 5% of vehicles on EU roads but they are responsible for 25% of all EU road transport emissions. Now we have a solution: hydrogen from renewables can be used to decarbonise trucks, buses and trains in Ireland. A survey conducted by Dublin City University revealed that if hydrogen trucks and hydrogen refuelling stations were available at similar costs to the incumbent, most truck fleet operators surveyed would invest in hydrogen vehicles, seeing them as future proof, zero emission vehicles. What Ireland needs now is our government to support the rollout of a national hydrogen refuelling infrastructure."

To register for the webinar, or for more information visit Eventbrite at  https://bit.ly/2SGfbDV.

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