AFC Energy signs hydrogen fuel cell agreement with Ricardo

AFC Energy has signed its first engineering collaboration agreement with Ricardo - and second strategic tie up in two months - to develop hydrogen fuel cell products and services, initially focusing on marine, rail and stationary power generation. 

The collaboration will directly support global efforts to decarbonise transport, energy and critical national infrastructure.      

The collaboration will create opportunities for AFC Energy to grow the number of products that utilise the company’s fuel cell and validate its technical and commercial viability in the growing global market for hydrogen fuelled power and propulsion systems.     

Both parties will consider the benefits achieved through the use of low cost, readily available, and high energy dense green ammonia fuel (rather than hydrogen gas) as a fuel of choice in off-grid or remote power needs, including international shipping and distributed power generation.      

Adam Bond, Chief Executive of AFC Energy plc, said: "We are delighted to be collaborating with one of the world’s leading engineering houses in Ricardo to fully explore new and innovative ways in which our alkaline fuel cell system can be deployed across a range of industries where traditional reliance on combustion of fossil fuels is no longer seen as a viable or acceptable means of remote power generation."

Mike Bell, Group Strategy and Transformation Director at Ricardo, said it is working with many leading Original Equipment Manufacturers and industrial partners in pursuit of engineering solutions that support Net Zero aspirations. 

"We also recognise AFC Energy’s specialist expertise in alkaline fuel cell technology, which has highlighted the potential for low cost, high efficiency alkaline systems in off-grid and remote power environments," he said.

The two companies have already jointly submitted proposals to Ricardo clients, addressing particular client needs pertinent to grid instability and need for zero emission alternative power. Further collaborative opportunities will be identified in 2021 across key markets.

Last month AFC Energy signed a strategic partnership with ABB to develop the next generation of high power electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure (click here).