Planes, trains, automobiles and buses riding high on gas

Buses and Coaches

For travellers in the city or the country, the local bus service is the most common and popular form of public transport in the UK. Carrying many thousands of passengers every day to work, school, hospitals, gyms and shopping centres from early morning to late at night. While buses run on local routes, coach travel operates on an intercity network that connects the country’s largest towns and cities.

The bus and coach industry continues to develop, as a sector driven by exacting standards of service, comfort and safety, customer demands are now driving change. Many operators have already implemented upgrades to the fleet to attract new passengers and make the experience of bus travel more appealing, such as air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, CCTV and USB charging points. However, as concerns for climate change rise, the general public are seeking eco-friendly alternatives in all aspects of their life, including how they travel.

Partnerships are pivotal to the progression of public transport networks, between bus and coach operators, service providers and local authorities, forming the foundation on which a new successful passenger travel strategy will be developed to include alternative energies such as electric and gas.

Trains, Trams and Metro

The UK has a rich heritage in train travel as they have existed, in one form or another, since the early 1800s. The rail network is very well established and extensive, making trains the easiest and fastest way to explore England, Scotland and Wales. It is also recognised as the most environmentally friendly form of public transport, with many electrified routes. However, there are still 29% of UK trains running on diesel fuel and in order to become truly carbon neutral, they will ultimately be withdrawn from service and replaced or converted – but will it be electric or hydrogen?

The first hydrogen powered concept passenger train, HydroFLEX, was introduced in June of 2019, and is seen as a landmark in the race toward decarbonisation of the railways. With a range of 300 miles and the ability to travel at speeds of up to 100 mph, this train can run using hydrogen, electric or battery power producing only water as waste.

Until such a time as HydroFLEX becomes a viable alternative to the diesel train, a new type of train has stepped into the breach – HybridFLEX. In February 2022, a 20 year old diesel train retrofitted with a Rolls-Royce powerpack went in regular service. This two-carriage train is the first 100mph capable battery-diesel hybrid train to operate on the UK’s national rail network. While capable of travelling 300 miles plus, it currently runs between Aylesbury and London. The addition of the powerful battery means quieter, quicker and more fuel efficient journeys, significantly cuts emissions and air pollution, and allows the train to run solely on battery power when departing and arriving at stations.

Taxis

Taxis are commonplace across the UK, including the famous black cab taxi ranks which are particularly synonymous with the capital city. Many taxi operators have embraced the electric revolution and now successfully and profitably run a fleet of all-electric vehicles. However, some have thought outside the box and switched to hydrogen. The vehicles use hydrogen fuel cell technology to deliver a range of 300 miles from a three-minute refuelling time, which is proving to be far more lucrative than having cabs out of service whilst they recharge.

Ferries

The first UK hydrogen-powered passenger ferries are currently operating in the Scottish Orkney Islands, acting as a proving ground for the development of hydrogen as a dual fuel in the marine sector. This trial tests the ferry’s performance under seasonal operating conditions to enable environmental and economic benchmarking against conventional diesel-powered vessels. Beyond that, work will continue on establishing hydrogen as a commercially viable alternative to fossil fuel, including the generation of hydrogen fuel from local renewable energy projects such as wind, solar, water power and waste recycling.

While hydrogen fuel cells are not yet suitable for large, long-distance ships, these ferries provide the technological blueprint for bigger and better things to come.

TSG Gas is here to help

TSG has been prominent in the retail fuel industry for over 30 years, however, TSG is now establishing itself in the new energy sector, by supplying, installing and maintaining the requisite equipment to assist the public transport fleets to switch to greener energies.   This includes hydrogen compressors, electrolysers and the associated dispensers, together with a comprehensive electric charge point installation service.

TSG is now recognised as the UK’s first-choice engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for all new energies (including electricity and solar), delivering all works within a predefined timescale and budget for any application.

Furthermore, TSG employs a team of highly skilled technical engineers to provide a supreme aftercare service that operates seven days a week.

Providing a vast array of products and advanced solutions, TSG can assist transport managers to maximise the potential of the site, streamline processes and increase cost efficiency.

Electric vehicle (EV) charge point installation

TSG UK offers a wide range of charging hardware and software to site owners, creating an infrastructure to support the growth of EV charge points as demand increases.