The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) – champion of UK automotive innovation and technology development – is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
The APC was established to generate networks across industry, academia, and government and in doing so support the growth of sustainable, domestic supply chain’s focused on developing net-zero technology.
At the 2023 Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle (LCV) and Connected Automated Mobility (CAM) event the APC were celebrating 10 years of innovation support by recognising the latest cohort of UK innovators to benefit from their Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator 2 funding (ARMD2).
£21.2 million is being invested in 11 fast-start projects for the accelerated development of automotive products with a potential route to market. With £11 million in Government support through the APC matched by industry funding, successful applicants will complete and deliver a product, system, or vehicle within 12 months. (1)
ARMD2 recognises the development of technologies for vehicles including:
- electric first responder motorcycles for the emergency services,
- EV delivery vans,
- fuel cell technology,
- electric drives and motors,
- and tractors and composite materials.
Dolphin N2 were amongst a wealth of other UK technology innovators who were successful in their application to receive funding and support through the ARMD2 competition.
The ARMD2 funding will now support Dolphin N2 to focus on preparations for them to install a hydrogen engine into a tractor to be displayed at Cenex Expo 2024 (formerly LCV)
The funding will support HYCULTURE – Hydrogen Combustion for Ultra Low Tractor Real-world Emissions enabling Dolphin N2 and partners to demonstrate a farm tractor with a clean, efficient hydrogen fuelled engine, with hydrogen being produced on farms from renewables (1)
It therefore seemed fitting that LCV 2023 highlighted the changes needed to decarbonise the farming and agriculture sectors. LCV featured a wealth of farming innovations this year including the New Holland T6 methane tractors.
However, one of the key changes to fuelling systems for the future of farming is how hydrogen can play a role in decarbonising the sector. During the seminars at LCV it was keenly recognised how hydrogen can play its part, but that there is still some way to go to establish a relevant infrastructure for hydrogen.
LCV recognised that generally the majority of the emissions focus for farming and agriculture are dictated by the outcomes of soil, crops, the food supply chain and cattle/dairy farming.
With 90-95% of methane from cattle farming being emitted through a cow’s burps and only 5-10% from flatulence, it poses challenges in how to reduce these emissions alongside the considerations for the farm machinery as well.
Steve Carroll – Head of Transport at Cenex – recognised that there is a real need for transferable technology in the farming and agriculture sectors to drive the innovations in the supply chains and in the transport options.
Therefore, with this in mind the Dolphin N2 ARMD2 HYCULTURE funding will give farming transport some much needed input and identify opportunities for efficient engine designs fuelled by hydrogen.
Eminox – in partnership with Dolphin N2, CNH Industrial and Engas Global Ltd – therefore have the opportunity to demonstrate a farm tractor with a clean efficient engine fuelled by hydrogen made on the farm from renewables.
Alongside the other ARMD2 partners, Dolphin N2’s recuperated split cycle hydrogen engine technology can deliver clean power while retaining simple, robust fuel injection. The low NOx emissions inherent in lean-burn will be further abated by advanced emission control by Eminox, targeting emissions towards “zero impact”. (2)
The engine will be integrated into a tractor by CNH Industrial, using a production methane-powered tractor as a starting point. By using green Hydrogen from Engas, HYCULTURE will showcase a circular economy of locally generated hydrogen suitable for farms, construction sites, and wider distributed production that avoids dependency on large grid connection. (2)
With continued funding from the APC, UK innovators and technology developers can continue to showcase the wealth of outstanding opportunities in UK R&D, all driving towards lowering emissions and aiming for net zero.
Written and cited by Katy Mason for and on behalf of Dolphin N2
