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UK in hydrogen breakthrough as new £26m deal with Japan to help tackle energy crisis
The local council of Bridgend in Wales has signed a memorandum of understanding with Marubeni, a Japanese green energy specialist company. The agreement sets out proposals to develop a new 5MW-class green hydrogen initiative after the company decided to pick Wales as the preferred UK location for a green hydrogen demonstrator project. This initiative aims to create a green hydrogen energy plant that is capable of generating and balancing the supply and storage of low-cost green energy.
Hydrogen has also been proposed as a fuel for heavy-duty, long-distance transportation – as well as a way to store electricity produced by intermittent renewable energy sources like solar and wind power.
Through this deal, the Welsh Government hopes that the project would generate clean fuel for fleet vehicles ranging from council gritters to recycling and refuse collection lorries.
The company is also trying to figure out how hydrogen fuel might be used to heat buildings such as schools, residential homes, and local swimming pools.
Julie James, Minister for Climate Change, added: “This is an exciting and ambitious project that has the potential to contribute to our net zero ambitions, and we are delighted to witness this memorandum of understanding between Marubeni and Bridgend County Borough Council.
“The impact of recent rises in energy costs has underlined the importance of developing indigenous, cleaner, greener energy sources.
“Initiatives like the hydrogen demonstrator project are important in providing evidence of a clean energy for Bridgend County Borough Council and for Wales, and I am pleased that the council is working on this alongside a leading expert in renewable energy.”
The UK has been making large strides in developing hydrogen vehicle technologies after the startup Tevva unveiled the first hydrogen fuel cell-supported heavy goods vehicle (HGV) that is set to be completely manufactured, designed and mass-produced in the UK.
The company, which has so far raised £140million, has added a hydrogen fuel cell system to its current battery-electric HGV design.
The hydrogen systems will provide a boost to the existing electric batteries, allowing the truck to carry heavier loads for far greater distances.
According to the company, these HGVs weigh 7.5 tonnes and can travel for up to 310 miles, using a design they believe can work for the “overwhelming majority of fleet operators across a range of industries and sectors.”
Aside from having zero emissions, hydrogen cells also have a higher energy density than both lithium-ion electric batteries and diesel engines.
The firm’s chief executive and founder Asher Bennett told the PA news agency: “We believe that Tevva’s hydrogen-electric truck will be a popular choice for fleet operators across the UK, Europe and eventually North America.”
According to Tevva, one advantage of using hydrogen fuel cells to boost the range, rather than act as a primary source, is that it allows the truck to be equipped with “smaller, cheaper and lighter fuel cells and operate these at the highest possible efficiency.”
Yeah to park in Mansfield in town on the pedestrian bit you need a sap, mein runout when it was lockdown and the shops was closed, so seemed no point renewing it then, plus you can only use it sun to weds. I hardly go into town now so ain’t bothered with it. Last time we got our passport photos done at asda.
Virgin for the internet. Don’t think we could go back to sky as a family without feeling it as we get 0ver 400 Mbps.
I recently left the scheme kezo and bought a new car. A few reasons are that the high ap’s make’s buying now more viable to me and leasing less attractive, especally now I am doing half the mileage I was in the past 11 years of being on the scheme.
Another is the the 2030 ban and what car makers will do before hand and the effect it will have on the scheme. Currently an ev won’t work for us
Plus i will have an asset worth something and can decide what’s best for me.
I may keep this car a lot longer, who knows. Considering the carbon footprint of making new cars is so high, changing it every 3 years etc ain’t so green and keeping a car for as long as you can is better imo for the planet.
If i keep this car for 10 years i might only do 50k at my current annual mileage, on the scheme i would of had 3/4 cars in that time and have nothing to show for it, but a new car sitting outside the house.
What about the footprint of getting a new car every 3 years on the scheme, or the government’s policies of scrapping cars or encouraging drivers to replace them with newer ones.
Some say we should be driving the cars for as long as possible as the footprint of making a new car is very high and thus bad for the planet even ev’s, but the model we using is good for sales and those making the new cars and to push the agenda.
It’s not just car’s it the whole mindset we in that needs to change and I actually see older cars as better for the planet as to replace them with a new one adds a whole lot more than what comesout of the tail pipe especially on the more modern cars, they alot cleaner now than in the past.
Feel for you Dean, and those who don’t have a car and are waiting and waiting for one on the scheme. Maybe getting something is better than nothing and what’s to say November comes and still nothing.
Guess you could try and find something that’s available sooner or failing that buy a used car.
Plus if you were to buy a fossil fuel car now or next year and kept it for the average 3 to 5 years, will it have any value by 2028 ?
Replacing all the fossil cars ain’t going to happen before 2030 and infact some say, it would be better for the planet if we kept stuff for longer rather than the mode goverments and climmite activists are pushing right now. One where we scrap cars and make new ones.. Good for those making and selling the cars but not so good for the environment as the footprint is huge.
Policy could change people’s view like with ulez and many having to swap to one to afford the fees for driving in london etc but what it did was increase prices of those used cars as there was a demand and bev’s ain’t going to work for everyone.
The one thing I do agree may be a positive for Motability customers, is inflation and cost of living. They’ll almost certainly be less retail customers with people feeling the pinch. Will this mean manufacturers flood back to Motability, hopefully!
Plans are to make less cars and more premium one’s.
So the average person cannot afford to buy a car anyway. They are actively discouraging car ownership even ev’s and wanting people to walk and cycle more. Trials sponsored by the UN in cities around the world are going on with everthing you need within 15 mins walk of your home.
Whenever I have bought an in stock, brand new car. I have driven it away in around 2 hours so how come you sa you could of had it in 2 weeks if they was in stock. Is that as it takes mbo two weeks to process and allow the order.
We all pretty much know, (as with the 4 cars i’ve had on the scheme from 4 different dealerships) you need to see the Motability salesperson and not just any retail sales person at the dealership to order a car on the scheme.
So imo basically pretending to be a retail customer rather than a mobility scheme customer is the real issue, as your not the one buying the car. A third party is and then they are leasing that car to you and the dealer acts as a broker in that deal between you and mb and then mb and the manufacturer (who set the price of the car)
As you point out, the dealership get a fee for that and the sales persons gets commission and if you was actually buying a car retail yourself and take out finance they’d get a cut of that also.
I don’t see how it’s discrimination, not allowing you to place a factory order on a car would be discrimination. Just as you don’t like the situtaion doesn’t imo mean it is discrimination. The truth is your not buying the car, so they cannot be discriminating against you the scheme user at all.. This is why Mb do nothing and don’t care. If a dealer refused to place a factory order (which would never happen) They would care.
None have said you cannot order a car, when you have called and asked for a car via the scheme. It is the case though that cars they’ve ordered themselves to make profit’s on, they will only sell retail and are not prepared to sell those to third parties for reduced amounts, as they may of done before and might do if it suits them to do so, like offering cash back or reduced ap’s. That’s up to them not just as one demands it.
I was driving from home to my kids school the other day, a journey i make daily all inside a 30mph zone and the car was displaying the national speed limit sign when i went road the corner into the 20 zone.
My issue is with this the same as using eco mode that you need to push the pedal down futher at certain times and for us with limit mobility, driving in sport mode is alot easier as you need to press the peddle down less to make the car move.
Same with this in an emergency flooring it ain’t going to be easy for many. So glad i bought my new car and left the scheme just before this came in.. Might keep this car now for eternity, how long till eu put in the breathalyzers and you’ll have to blow when you leave the car for 15 mins. I don’t even drink as it says on my meds not to, so why are we all being made to do stuff for a few that drive crazy. I tell you why to make driving less fun and more stressful and less appealing so you stop driving.
I’d be intrested to see who’s on the boards etc and payroll of those charities and the ones setup that recieve funds or the companies that get contracts and money from mbo. I would hazard a guess the sames names will crop up often or someones wife or family member etc etc..
It’s hard to believe the banks run mbo for nothing at all, infact that might not be the case at all.. just well hidden or an admin fee that’s a % of profits etc. Like banks can be trusted?
Maybe it needs looking into deeper than the parliamentary inquiry did.
1 billion in profit’s in the last 12 months and what that’s being used for not to help user’s of the scheme much but pretty much like at my son’s old school that got extra money to help the kids that was not so privileged and what did the school use the money for, to provide broadband at the school for all pupils.
So profits from the mb scheme are being used to benefit a whole host of other things. while a few months ago the ceo says we are sorry but ap’s will rise and you’ll have to wait longer for the new car and we’ll profit hugely from that from the increased used cars re-sale values and you’ll see none of it, except for a token gesture a one off payment of £250. The next 6 month report will be even more profits than the last one.
I now have left the scheme as it’s just not as viable for me as it was to lease with such high ap’s which is another thing we get nothing back for at the end of the lease, just like with added extra’s.
Just the times we are in I guess and it seems right now the fact that the dealers act as a broker of a third party deal. So cars they have ordered themselve’s, are not available to scheme users and you have to place a factory order and wait, is because they’re selling less cars than before but making huge profits right now on private car sales.
They don’t make huge profits providing scheme cars which they get a set fee for, which is ?. So those cars that in the past they might allow you to have on the scheme or offer discounts on the ap to get shot of are not avaibale right now.
They have ordered or bought the cars coming off the production line to fill it and that are not orders placed by customers and they have no real problem selling them right now for top $$$
I recently left the scheme got my car in 4 weeks and it would be alot longer for one on the scheme. I had been on the scheme for 11 years not really had issues you’ve have had with problems that occured, except for at Citroën. Luckily it was near the end of the 3 years and I’d never get another.
@Dragonfly and @kezo https://www.motabilityoperations.co.uk/Motability_Operations_2022_HYR_WEB.pdf
Financial performance
Revenue in the six months to March 2022
increased 6.7% to £2,313.9m (2021: £2,169.0m).
Within this:
• Rental income increased 4.3% reflecting
higher average customer numbers (with an
incremental 9,800 joining the scheme) and
the effect of the 0.5% uplift in mobility
allowances effective from April 2021. Rental
income in the year to March 2021 was also
net of £32m of insurance related rental
rebates, which distorts the year-on-year
comparison.
• Notwithstanding a lower volume of vehicles
sold – down 30,000 units compared with 2021
(a consequence of an increasing volume of
lease extensions for existing customers
pending the delivery of their new vehicles)
the proceeds from the disposal of operating
lease assets saw a 8.4% increase in the six
months to March 2022 compared with prior
year, reflecting the elevated sales values
achieved in the used-car market.
Profit for the period was £598.7m, representing
a 10.3% return on assets (above our long-term
target of 1.5%). This above target result is
primarily driven by two effects:
• A gain of £403.9m from vehicle sales (2021:
£78.4m), reflecting the buoyant used-car
market referenced above. The strength of
the used-car market can be directly linked
to the new-vehicle supply-side challenges
faced globally. This has resulted in significant
switching of demand to used cars. Our vehicle
remarketing operation has been able to
effectively capitalise on the conducive
demand conditions in the used-car market,
with average sales values of £15.5k (up 50%)
on prior year not only driving increased
revenue, but leading to crystallised profits
versus the net book value. Whilst this upside
is in part a result of used-car values
exceeding our previous forecast expectations,
this also reflects the realisation of a
proportion of the blocked appreciation which
was carried through the September 2021 year-
end (as signalled in the 2021 Annual Report
and Accounts).
• A £311.4m depreciation credit reflecting the
output of the March 2022 fleet revaluation
exercise outlined below.
The result for the first six months of trading
takes restricted reserves on the balance sheet
to £3,480.1m (March 2021: £2,444.7m) providing
headroom above our target position.indeed they are mike, plus also from people extending and staying in cars longer.. They giving the money to other causes, rather to us on the scheme, with the huge sums involved think profit in last 6 months audit was around 550m.
I tend not to fill the car up unless I’m doing a long journey as it’s just extra weight I’m pulling around when just in town with lots of stop /start and doing mainly short journey’s and the school run everyday, where the car don’t really get hot either, burns the most fuel.
On average i’d say maybe £20 a week. had the new car almost a month is a vitara 1.4 turbo mild hybrid only done 265 miles so far. Off to the beach tomorrow as daughter has inset day and my brothers this weekend a 380 mile round trip so guess I’ll know more then on the true mpg right now is around 30mpg.
Aviation is looking to hydrogen and obviously synthetic fuels. As for cars who knows but it does seem those who for ev’s are against any other technology and i wonder why that is?
Any technology only last so long until it is superseded by totally different technology, due to it’s limitations.
Then it will be onto the next crisis. The Planet is now cooling? or what we do will make no difference at all.
Co2 levels have been higher in the past and the planet has been hotter, sea levels have been higher than now also.
Somethings are on a bigger cycle than humans been around or can comprehend or have been keeping records for. But as long as we’ve been around we’ve control and manipulated and suppressed the people for resourses and profit and ego and then it’s all fell apart or made to fail apart so a new system can be brought in, build back better?
History tells us alot but they like to erase it so you can never learn from it and the same tricks can be used again on the next generation and the disciples lap it up and assists in spreading the doctrines of another.
I just did that kezo, almost a month now since I left the scheme, handed my car back early and got the ap I paid back pro-rata.
Overall I am not paying much more a month than I was being on the scheme at current ap’s on cars that I would probally pick as my next on the scheme. Considering that when my HP term ends, I’ll have an asset worth 50% of the cars new price value.
Yes I will have to pay for servicing etc but i have worked it out and the options it gives me moving forward into the unknown and the 2030 ban and alot of makers before i think going fully ev are worth the extra i will pay. The time for me was now..
What really pushed me to jump now was the 0% apr deal on the suzuki Vitara and it having lots of driving aids I like and now really need, compared to others that i could afford and didn’t have the aids etc..
All variants actually went up £500 on the Vitara this 1/4 on the scheme.
Probally would not of looked at it on the scheme but ticked all my boxes and the few it didn’t ain’t no biggies for me, like having a handbrake or autohold, pretty much they cause the car to restart the stop/start when stationary. Is a hybid and has regeneration and gives it a boost.
Were as on the scheme i’d have nothing, especilly with higher and higher ap’s it’s just not as attractive for me and also the way the scheme is going to have to go.
Regarding offerings. 517 cars only 273 are fully automatics. Sure also they have reclassified what large is.. As for the huge profits it’s no surprise at all and my real issue is they give away profits made from us to causes of their choice and not back into the scheme or what is given to us is all but a token gestures to say they doing somthing.
An ev or phev ain’t really practical for us right now and how would I drive to visit and see my younger brother’s this sunday for a barbecue that’s is a minimum 382 mile round trip, that will take at least 7 hours driving. No charge points nearby and he don’t have a driveway and neither do we. So it leaves you little options but to drive somewhere and charge or stop at expensive chargepoints at motorway services you stuck at till you charged(which is a big problem for me and my condition) if they actually work or ain’t already occupied. That I wouldn’t stop at to refuel now at as they just so expensive, compared to supermarket fuel.
So for me there’s so many reason’s now why the scheme ain’t what it was.
Indeed vinny, Lets also not forget the market rigging they do and the small fines they get in comparison to the profits they’ve made. It’s alot more complex this than the goverments or main stream media are saying and if the truth be told many would say it’s a conspiracy theory but is it..
Fact are the policies of sanctions are driving the markets and who benefits from it all, those in prime position. Will the oil for example last forever, no is the answer and how long before they actually ban it or the sale of it.
I’d say once their reserves are unprofitable and they’ve moved onto the next cash cow to fleece us the consumer. Will they allow the other side to sell the product then? just like they won’t allow the sael of oil not in dollars and what do libya, iraq, iran & syria etc all have in common their leaders wanted to sell oil not in dollars, as do Russia and china and the brics nations.
It’s pretty much a war of the two systems like beta max and vhs and is coming to a head and only bad stuff for us the masses will happen moving forward.
The biggest problem are imo that the allowance ain’t keeping up with the rises in the price of new cars and that is something I don’t see changing and i do believe a tipping point will soon be reached, were many won’t be able to justify the large ap’s to lease a car on the scheme, thats suitable for their needs.
I don’t see the goverment giving out more towards the allowance as cars have risen in price some are up 26% in the last couple of years, well over the rate of inflation and with energy cost rising and rising car cost will rise further as will everything else. One part of that is they use a different rate to calculate benefit rises than the actual rate of inflation, which is always higher than the rise in benefits. The gap grows year on year.
Many in the industry believe this is the new model and rather like it as they are making more profits and selling less cars to do so and not having them sitting round for however long as was the case in the past.
Infact there will be less cars on the road as goverment and local powers want us all to walk, cycle and use public transport more. Which is all good if your able to, but us who get the higher rate of mobility allowance cannot and not much thought is being given to us at all and how will they do it? and achieve those goals set out.
They will make driving a car like smoking, expensive to discourage it’s usage and frowned upon so people change their attitudes towards personal owership of cars. You will rent everything and be happy.
The same will happen to meat it will rise in price to stop us buying it or as much of it… it is their go to tool right now, like the sugar tax. Now in kfc you can only get artificial sugar soft drinks. There’s already many less drinks with just sugar in them,in supermarkets and as the artifical variant is cheaper, many will buy that instead and less and less sales of sugary drinks will mean they’re dropped altogether at some point.
That’s what they want and is the goal and it’s the same with cars, they want less congestion but then create more congestion as a result of their actions. So then they can rollout more restrictions to meet the global targets they have setout and the revenue they have lost in doing so will have to be clawed back.
What impact doe’s the weapons we supplying ukraine or used in other regions have on the planet or those that set the agenda flying about. No it’s us that should flyless, driveless and eat less the main tool they using is making it unaffordable for the masses and the same will be done with cars.
They are creating the situations and use crisis’s to implement the pre-planned policies. Driving is becoming more and more a stress many are quiting also. No one can say driving is as enjoyable as it was in the past. It’s by design it’s that way. The car drivers must pay for the demise of the car.
With more tech being added to cars they cost more, never mind electric ones. So that will limit the scheme imo unless you can afford to pay huge ap’s to get something bigger and more expensive than ever before, you’ll have to pick something either not really suitable for your needs or consider other options.
When that is for you depends on affordability and what you can afford to do. Moving forward i see less and less cars being affordable to the masses, like how it was many years ago. 2, 3 or 4 car families will be a thing of the past, they’ll be lucky if they can afford one between them all. That’s if there even allowed, as i do believe those days will come and it will be for our own good, to save us from ourselves and the evidence is irrefutable, only they won’t provide any at all..
I have just recently left the scheme as it’s right for me and i see many more having to do so as it’s what’s right for them. Personally i hope i am wrong but thats what i’ve been seeing for quite a few years now, the scheme is not as viable as it was and the main reason is the price of cars and i don’t see prices dropping or affordable cars being a thing, as they will be to small for many and whatever the car is fueled by it causes congestion, just like how the climate changes and has done forever.
There not there making profits due toi the high resale prices of used cars and alot of cars have risen as much as 26% in the last couple of years. prices will rise again soon as it’s costing them more in energy costs also, than it was before. So they selling/making less cars but making more profits. plus there’s not the huge amount of cars sitting around as before and vertu group ceo said recently thats the new model and they don’t plan to go back to how it was before.
https://www.motabilityoperations.co.uk/Motability_Operations_2022_HYR_WEB.pdf
Half Year Report 2022
Yep they sure are it’s run like the lottery and then they give away the excess made to good cause of a disabilty nature and not really back to those on the scheme. That’s another reason i left the scheme recently after 11 years and 4 cars on the scheme. My milage has also dropped alot and only doing 5/6 a year half of what i was doing. so they get a car back with well less than the 60k allowance they provide and what do you get back nothing..you add extras and pay an ap what do you get back after they make more from the sale than a standrad car.. nothing.
With rising ap’s the car i recent bought has risen another £500 which was an increase of 50% this 1/4 and i only see it getting worse. mb the charity is giving away 50m to good causes. we get a one off £250 towards your next car imo it’s an insult.
Cancel the order now and walk away then, or purchase a private plate then no one will know what yea/plate it is, if it bothers you that much. Clearly it must do.
After all your leasing a car not buying one, if you do buy it at any point from mbo then that will be reflected in the book price you will pay..
Each manufacturer would have to setup some charity to run that scheme and it’s just not viable. Plus how else will MBO have a monopoly, so they can raise slush funds to donate to other causes outside the scheme, from the profit they make from the scheme and us..
Meinwhile the ceo of mbo said they sorry but ap’s will have to rise going forward..
I left the scheme a few weeks ago and bought a new car as i don’t see leasing being as good an option as it was for me in the past. All things considered, alot is to do with the high ap’s, lack of choice, huge waits for cars and the profits they are making from us that are not really being handed back down. It is a shame there is no other alternative to vat free disabled motoring.
