Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 5, 2024) - First Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: FHYD) (OTC Pink: FHYDF) (FSE: FIT) ("FIRST HYDROGEN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of month-long vehicle trials with gas distribution network, Wales & West Utilities (WWU). First Hydrogen's hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle (FCEV) has been designed to meet the needs of fleet operators such as WWU, who are seeking a zero emissions vehicle that can manage long distances, carry heavy payloads and tow, with fast refuelling. First Hydrogen's FCEV achieves more than 630km or 400 miles on a single refuelling.
WWU operates 24 hours a day, year-round to deliver vital gas network services. The First Hydrogen trials are taking place during winter, WWU's busiest period for emergency call-outs. Typically, cold temperatures can reduce the range for battery electric vehicles (BEVs), affecting fleet operators' reliability. The trials could also generate data to indicate the FCEV's advantage over BEVs in lower temperatures depending on the weather over the next month.
WWU supplies gas to more than 7.5 million customers across Wales and the south west of England. The trials commenced with training for WWU's drivers, enabling them to safely operate the vehicle and understand its technical differences. While completing First Hydrogen's Driver Training accreditation scheme, WWU's drivers performed manoeuvres with the vehicle and even completed a call out to a WWU customer's residence. Importantly, the drivers also practised refuelling the vehicle with green hydrogen, supplied by Protium Green Solutions, at Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions' refuelling unit. Both organizations have helped to develop a hydrogen ecosystem to support First Hydrogen's trial with WWU.
Steve Gill, Executive Director Automotive at First Hydrogen, comments: "It is great to see Wales & West Utilities' enthusiasm to start trials and we are eager for them to test the vehicle within routine fleet operations. Our FCEV has clear benefits for utility businesses, such as WWU, and we're keen to generate performance data during the trial that will further demonstrate how our vehicles can help decarbonize similar fleets while meeting everyday operational demands.
"This trial also pilots a hydrogen-as-a-service model to show operators how practically we can support the transition to FCEV fleets. With the support of Protium and Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions, we are building a green hydrogen fuel ecosystem for WWU, who are based in an area without access to refuelling infrastructure."
Stephen Offley, Transport Manager at Wales & West Utilities, says: "We are excited to begin testing First Hydrogen's vehicle and to experience the benefits of a hydrogen-powered vehicle within our fleet.
"The current light commercial electric vehicle market does not offer a full solution for the operational needs of WWU and similar businesses. Current battery electric vehicles do not provide the range, fast recharging time, payload capacity and towing ability we require. They are also unsuitable for the installation of 'on board power' to power tools and equipment on site, which is critical for the operation of our network. Lack of suitable recharging infrastructure also poses a challenge. We see hydrogen-powered vehicles, such as First Hydrogen's FCEV as the potential zero emission solution that will meet our fleet's future needs."
Jon Constable, COO of Protium, says: "Completing driver training and getting the First Hydrogen vehicle on the road is an exciting time for the Wales & West Utilities team and the wider collaboration. Demonstrating FCEVs in roles to which they are well suited, like fleet operations, is a key part of how we accelerate hydrogen deployment to meet our zero emission targets. It is always exciting to see our green hydrogen, produced by electrolysis using renewable electricity, in use in the field. The next month will generate some fantastic data and we hope it will inspire other fleet operators to consider hydrogen."
Chris Foxall, CEO at Hyppo Hydrogen Solution, comments: "From my perspective this trial is not only demonstrating the readiness level of the hydrogen technology available today, but also how we're leveraging so many companies to deliver a bespoke solution which can be scaled and repeated."
About First Hydrogen Corp. (FirstHydrogen.com)
First Hydrogen Corp. is a Vancouver, Montreal and London UK-based company focused on zero-emission vehicles, green hydrogen production and distribution. The Company has designed and built hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered light commercial vehicles ("FCEV") in partnership with AVL Powertrain and Ballard Power Systems Inc. The FCEV has a range of 630+ kilometres. These vehicles are being trialled with fleet operators in the United Kingdom. First Hydrogen is also developing a 35MW green hydrogen production facility and vehicle assembly factory in Shawinigan, Quebec.
About Wales & West Utilities (WWUtilities.co.uk)
Wales & West Utilities is investing £400m between 2021 and 2026 in the gas network, supporting the journey to Net Zero. By 2035, we aim to deliver a Net Zero ready network to the areas most likely to convert to hydrogen, transforming our entire network by 2040.
The company is also committed to playing its part in getting to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It has 54 power stations connected to its network to support renewables like wind and solar power, while 21 green gas sites have capacity to inject enough decarbonised green gas to meet the demand of around 151,000 homes. Our network supplies bus garages in three locations across the south west of England, fuelling CNG buses that improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions from public transport.
About Protium Green Solutions (Protium.Green)
Protium is a UK-based hydrogen solutions provider for project operators, developers, and investors. Founded in 2019, Protium develops projects through their full lifecycle to support the deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Through Protium's operational assets, companies can access electrolytic hydrogen powered by renewables today.
About Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions (Hyppo.co.uk)
Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions is a services-based company that is stimulating the green hydrogen economy by creating demand within local communities. It sees a future where clean hydrogen is powering every part of transportation needs, from cars, vans, buses and coaches to trucks, trains, ferries and aircraft. Clean hydrogen can also have a significant positive impact on power, heating and energy storage needs, helping to decarbonise the planet so that people and nature can thrive.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
FIRST HYDROGEN CORP.
"Balraj Mann"
Chairman & Group CEO
Contact:
Balraj Mann
First Hydrogen Corp.
604-601-2018
investors@firsthydrogen.com
不列顛哥倫比亞省溫哥華--（Newsfile Corp.，2024年2月5日）——第一氫能公司（TSXV：FHYD）（場外交易價格：FHYD）（FHYD）（FSE：FIT）（”第一氫氣“或者”公司“）很高興地宣佈，開始與天然氣配送網絡、威爾士和西部公用事業公司（WWU）進行爲期一個月的車輛試驗。First Hydrogen的氫燃料電池動力汽車（FCEV）旨在滿足WWU等車隊運營商的需求，他們正在尋找一種能夠管理長距離、運載重型有效載荷和拖車以及快速加油的零排放車輛。First Hydrogen的燃料電池單次加油可行駛超過630公里或400英里。
WWU 全年全天候運營，提供重要的天然氣網絡服務。首次氫氣試驗在冬季進行，這是WWU最繁忙的緊急呼叫時期。通常，低溫會縮短電池電動汽車（BEV）的續航里程，從而影響車隊運營商的可靠性。這些試驗還可能生成數據，表明FCEV在較低溫度下比電動汽車更具優勢，具體取決於下個月的天氣。
WWU向威爾士和英格蘭西南部的750多萬客戶提供天然氣。試驗從培訓WWU的駕駛員開始，使他們能夠安全地操作車輛並了解其技術差異。在完成First Hydrogen的駕駛員培訓認證計劃時，WWU的司機對車輛進行了演習，甚至完成了對WWU客戶住所的呼叫。重要的是，司機們還在Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions的加油單位練習使用Protium Green Solutions提供的綠色氫氣爲車輛加油。這兩個組織都幫助開發了氫生態系統，以支持First Hydrogen與WWU的試驗。
First Hydrogen 汽車執行董事史蒂夫·吉爾評論說： “很高興看到威爾士和西部公用事業公司熱情開始試驗，我們渴望他們在常規車隊運營中測試該車輛。我們的FCEV爲WWU等公用事業企業帶來了明顯的好處，我們渴望在試驗期間生成性能數據，這將進一步證明我們的車輛如何幫助類似車隊脫碳，同時滿足日常運營需求。
“該試驗還試點了一種氫即服務模式，向運營商展示我們可以如何實際支持向燃料電動汽車車隊的過渡。在Protium和Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions的支持下，我們正在爲WWU建立一個綠色氫燃料生態系統，WWU的總部位於沒有加油基礎設施的地區。”
威爾士和西部公用事業公司運輸經理斯蒂芬·奧夫利， 說：“我們很高興開始測試First Hydrogen的車輛，並在我們的車隊中體驗氫動力汽車的好處。
“當前的輕型商用電動汽車市場並不能爲WWU和類似企業的運營需求提供完整的解決方案。當前的電池電動汽車無法提供我們所需的續航里程、快速充電時間、有效載荷能力和牽引能力。它們也不適合爲現場的電動工具和設備安裝 “機載電源”，這對於我們的網絡運行至關重要。缺乏合適的充電基礎設施也構成了挑戰。我們將氫動力汽車，例如First Hydrogen的FCEV，視爲潛在的零排放解決方案，將滿足我們車隊的未來需求。”
Protium 首席運營官喬恩·康斯特布爾說： “對於威爾士和西部公用事業團隊以及更廣泛的合作而言，完成駕駛員培訓並讓第一輛氫燃料汽車上路是一個激動人心的時刻。演示 FCEV 扮演其非常適合的角色，例如車隊運營，是我們加快氫氣部署以實現零排放目標的關鍵部分。看到我們的綠色氫氣在現場使用通過可再生電力進行電解產生，總是令人興奮的。下個月將產生一些出色的數據，我們希望它能激勵其他船隊運營商考慮使用氫氣。”
Hyppo Hydrogen Solution首席執行官克里斯·福克斯爾評論說： “從我的角度來看，這項試驗不僅證明了當今可用的氫氣技術的就緒水平，還展示了我們如何利用這麼多公司來提供可以擴展和重複的定製解決方案。”
關於第一氫能公司（FirstHydrogen.com）
First Hydrogen Corp. 是一家總部位於英國溫哥華、蒙特利爾和倫敦的公司，專注於零排放汽車、綠色氫的生產和分配。該公司與 AVL 動力總成和巴拉德動力系統公司合作設計和製造了氫燃料電池驅動的輕型商用車（“FCEV”）。FCEV 的續航里程超過 630 公里。這些車輛正在英國的車隊運營商處試用。First Hydrogen還在魁北克沙威尼根開發35兆瓦的綠色氫氣生產設施和汽車裝配工廠。
關於威爾士和西部公用事業 (wwutilities.co.uk))
威爾士和西部公用事業公司將在2021年至2026年間向天然氣網絡投資4億英鎊，爲實現淨零排放提供支持。到2035年，我們的目標是向最有可能轉化爲氫氣的地區提供一個淨零就緒網絡，到2040年實現整個網絡的轉型。
該公司還致力於在到2050年實現淨零碳排放方面發揮自己的作用。它有54個發電站連接到其網絡，以支持風能和太陽能等可再生能源，而21個綠色天然氣基地有能力注入足夠的脫碳綠色氣體，以滿足約15.1萬戶家庭的需求。我們的網絡在英格蘭西南部的三個地點提供公交車庫，爲壓縮天然氣巴士提供燃料，從而改善空氣質量並減少公共交通的碳排放。
關於 Protium 綠色解決方案 (Protium.Green)
Protium 是一家總部位於英國的氫氣解決方案提供商，爲項目運營商、開發商和投資者提供服務。Protium 成立於 2019 年，在其整個生命週期中開發項目，以支持氫和燃料電池技術的部署。通過Protium的運營資產，公司如今可以獲得由可再生能源提供動力的電解氫氣。
關於 Hyppo 氫能解決方案 (Hyppo.co.uk)
Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions是一家以服務爲基礎的公司，通過在當地社區創造需求來刺激綠色氫經濟。它預見未來，清潔氫氣將爲交通需求的各個部分提供動力，從汽車、貨車、公共汽車和長途汽車到卡車、火車、渡輪和飛機。清潔氫氣還可以對電力、供暖和儲能需求產生重大的積極影響，幫助地球脫碳，使人類和自然能夠蓬勃發展。
代表董事會
第一氫氣公司
“Balraj Mann”
董事長兼集團首席執行官
聯繫人：
Balraj Mann
第一氫公司
604-601-2018
investors@firsthydrogen.com
