British Army Trials Hydrogen Power Supply

The British Army has been experimenting with using hydrogen as a power source to charge its electric vehicles.

As per a recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) press release, the move was part of a collaborative exercise across all branches of the defence sector to investigate and develop the adoption of sustainable energy sources for the armed forces' future power needs.

The trials started at five sites across the U.K. last month: Merville Barracks in Colchester, RAF Leeming and Northolt, and Devonport Naval Base and HMS Excellent, Portsmouth. They were deemed a success and as a result, further similar initiatives are planned to develop the technology further.

The project was a joint initiative between Defence Support within Strategic Command (StratCom), the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and Front Line Commands (FLC), alongside industry experts GeoPura. Using hydrogen generators can help provide resilience and mobility in off-grid and compromised locations.

Hydrogen Power Units (HPUs) supplied by GeoPura were used to convert hydrogen into electricity transferred to electric vehicles via fast-charging ports. The process produces no harmful emissions and also bypasses grid capacity constraints, providing a plentiful supply of power in areas where on-grid charging is unavailable. 

During the trial, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Support Operations), Air Vice-Marshal Rich Pratley said:  "This trial has demonstrated the potential of hydrogen as a key enabler of our transition to zero-emissions energy, while also addressing the current challenges posed by our expanding electric vehicle fleet."

GeoPura’s Chief Hydrogen Business Officer, Matt Barney, said: "GeoPura HPUs and supply of green hydrogen provide a seamless solution to these challenges." He added: "This not only facilitates the widespread adoption of EVs but also contributes to a cleaner and more sustainable future."

You can read more details about the trial on the MoD website