Anglian Water will begin selling hydrogen produced from an electrolyser built into its Cambridge sewage plant next month.
Following the introduction of the system into the treatment plant, hydrogen will be produced from wastewater, with the fuel then being sold to partner Element 2 to fuel vehicles.
Around 91 kilogrammes of fuel cell grade hydrogen will be produced at the plant each day starting in July, Element 2 anticipated.
This fuel will then be used in the development of hydrogen-powered engines and for Element 2’s growing UK network of refuelling stations.
“This partnership is a significant milestone for the production of hydrogen using water in the UK and will help accelerate the decarbonisation of trucks and commercial vehicles,” technology chief Brendan Bilton commented.
Using funding from regulator Ofwat, the project is part of a bid to reduce carbon emissions from the process of recycling water.
“Using a process by–product to aid the decarbonisation of vehicles has real synergy with the objectives of [Ofgem’s] Triple Carbon Reduction project,” Anglian Water innovation head Giulia Pizzagalli added.
The project will be the first of its kind to use wastewater to produce hydrogen for powering vehicles in the UK.