The M4 in South Wales will soon become known as a ‘hydrogen highway’ with work beginning on a network of alternative fuelling stops that will be stretched out between Swansea, Cardiff, and Newport.
Under the new scheme, the region will be one of the first to premier a greener way to travel by vehicle. The idea behind the transportation concept is to have only hydrogen fuel powered cars on the M4 by the close of 2015, which will only emit water vapour instead of carbon emissions.
In fact, Wales has already been chosen as a LCEA or Low Carbon Economic Area for low-carbon fuel and hydrogen technologies that are under development, such as bio-methane and natural gas.
Soon with the new link, South Wales will bring alternative fuel to many other routes that are among some of the most driven in the UK, such as Swindon, the Midlands, Bristol, and London. Along the routes will be hydrogen, bio-methane, and compressed natural gas filling points, as well as plenty of electric plug in facilities.
The reason for this is because while hydrogen is the most available element in the atmosphere, in order to propel an engine, electricity must be used to separate it from other elements like oxygen.
Cardiff director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, Gordon James stated that the scheme is a wonderful idea, but that only renewable energy should be converted into hydrogen fuel.
Wales Assembly Environment Secretary, Jane Davidson, stated that Wales will be the trailblazer in propelling the use of hydrogen technology.
