UK-based Hydrologiq, together with its project partners Motive Fuels and Reynolds Logistics, has won a grant competition to develop a digital testbed for the hydrogen supply chain to be used in hydrogen-powered generator applications.
The testbed, which will be built with funding from Digital Catapult’s Digital Supply Chain Hub testbed competition, aims to increase business resilience and supply sustainability. Hydrologiq, as part of the UK national testbeds, will work with hydrogen suppliers and end-users to gather data and build the digital platform that can be used to measure supply chain emissions, optimise inventory management, or test the impact of supply chain changes.
The grant competition was set up to support the UK’s transition to a net-zero carbon economy, and the project aims to help facilitate this transition by reducing emissions in off-grid applications and developing strategies for supply chain integration. Hydrologiq has said that the project will involve the participation of various companies, including gas provider BOC, rental businesses Speedy Services and Renewable Generation Limited, and hydrogen-powered generator manufacturer EODev.
The testbed will allow new technologies and strategies to be tested on replica supply chains without impacting everyday operations, thereby increasing efficiency and sustainability while reducing risk. This is especially important in light of the challenges facing UK manufacturing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the threats of the climate crisis. However, adoption of digital technologies in the industry has been difficult due to the lack of an environment where their value can be tested without impacting the actual supply chain. The testbed aims to address this issue and create a digital environment where technologies can be developed and trialled to build more efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.
The project will be co-funded by Digital Catapult, with each partner expected to receive up to £1.5m ($1.88m) in co-investment. The testbed is expected to have a significant impact on the hydrogen supply chain in the UK and help facilitate the country’s transition to a net-zero carbon economy.
