A new electric vehicle charging facility powered by hydrogen has gone live at Cairn Lodge Services on the M74 in Lanarkshire, averting pressure on the grid.

EV drivers visiting Cairn Lodge Services now have access to six ultra-rapid EV chargers from Swarco Smart Charging that are powered by green hydrogen until a suitable electrical grid connection is established.

It marks the first-of-its-kind deployment of a hydrogen-powered generator connected to EV chargers at a UK service station to accelerate the rollout of EV charging infrastructure.

Cairn Lodge Services, a family-run motorway services business and part of the Westmorland Family, said it had taken a proactive step to bridge the energy grid gap by using hydrogen power.

Its EV chargers, provided by Swarco, are now connected to a hydrogen power unit (HPU) from GeoPura, which supplements the current grid supply and provides suitable electricity for EV charging at the service station.

This solution offers scalability for off-grid EV charging in various applications, even in areas where grid upgrades are delayed or not feasible.

It also means Cairn Lodge Services will now be able to meet the demands of the holiday season and the expected surge in EV charging requests throughout the Christmas period.

Nabil Subuh, CEO of Westmorland Family, said: “The rapid growth of the EV market has underscored the pressing need for accessible and reliable charging facilities. As EV adoption soars, the pressure on the electrical grid has become increasingly evident, leaving businesses like Westmorland to look for creative, sustainable alternatives until there is sufficient grid capacity. We want to be at the forefront of this sustainable and eco-friendly EV charging revolution, providing a convenient, green charging to our customers.”

He stressed that the charging experience for the customer was no different to a grid-connected charger.

Subuh added: “By utilising this new technology we can provide much-needed EV charging facilities sooner, meeting the growing demand without having a negative impact on the environment.”

Andrew Cunningham, CEO of GeoPura, commented: “If we can charge our EVs from the grid, where in the UK 50% of the energy is renewable that is by far the best option, however our existing distribution grid wasn’t designed to provide the energy required for an electrified transportation network. This means that many locations, where we need to charge our cars don’t have sufficient power available to give the service that their owners require.

“Westmorland Family are to be congratulated for seeking innovative solutions to this challenge and implementing a combination of battery and renewable hydrogen fuel to enable them to augment their electricity grid connection and provide all the power their customers need during peak times.

“GeoPura’s HPU EV charging solution presents a game-changing approach to maximise electrical grid capacity and ensure seamless and sustainable charging for EVs, today!”

Meanwhile, Swarco Smart Charging called for action to tackle the ongoing issue of securing grid connections.

Anne Buckingham, managing director, said: “It is a challenge we see across many of our EV charging projects, so we are delighted to collaborate on this innovative project. The introduction of hydrogen power is a novel solution to accelerating the roll-out of EV charging infrastructure until the distribution of electricity can catch up with the demand from new EV charging sites.”

In the 2023 Autumn Statement, the Government pledged to support grid reforms to cut connection waiting times.

The Chancellor announced work to reform the planning system to speed up approvals and set out a plan to reduce the time it takes for new projects to connect to the grid.

The Government said it would look to remove unnecessary planning constraints by accelerating the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and will consult on amending the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure the planning system prioritises the rollout of EV charge points, including EV charging hubs.