Aegis Energy has received £100 million in funding from Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, which it will use to develop a network of clean, multi-energy refuelling hubs for commercial vehicles across the UK.
The Wakefield-based firm said that the hubs will meet the needs of all truck and van operators transitioning to cleaner fuels, including electric, HVO, hydrogen and bio-CNG, and meet a key industry need in terms of providing essential infrastructure.
Transport emissions
Transport accounts for 29% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, with commercial vehicles contributing 10%. While sales bans on non-zero emission vans and trucks will come in from 2035 to 2040, increased customer and stakeholder pressure is making the transition to sustainable transport a key strategic priority for logistics operators.
The investment will fund the construction of an initial network of five hubs across the UK by the end of 2027, in Sheffield, Immingham, Warrington, Corby and Towcester, with the first station scheduled to open in early 2026.
Each hub will offer multiple clean energy options, including electric charging, hydrogen, bio-CNG, and HVO, with the capacity to simultaneously serve over 40 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and 25 vans. As well as offering refuelling services, the hubs will provide safe and secure truck parking and facilities such as clean showers, toilets, and rest areas.
As Aegis Energy noted, each hub is expected to lower carbon equivalent emissions by approximately 14,300 tonnes annually. The company plans to expand its network to 30 hubs by the end of the decade.
‘A business necessity’
“There is growing pressure from regulators and consumers for commercial vehicles to decarbonise, making it a necessity for winning new business and maintaining customer loyalty,” commented Christopher Thorneycroft-Smith, co-founder at Aegis Energy. “Yet the lack of appropriate infrastructure is typically #1 or #2 on the list of barriers for fleet operators.
“Building depot infrastructure can be complex and grid connections are not easy, or cheap, to secure. Not only this, but long-haul operations require a top-up charge, and for van drivers, when at-home charging isn’t a practical solution, they lose time waiting to charge elsewhere. Our hubs will typically have capacity to charge/fuel 40+ HGVs and 25+ vans simultaneously. The transition will take time and play out differently for each fleet, but by providing public hubs with multiple clean energy charging and refuelling options, we’re supporting operators to choose how they want to make the transition.” Read more here.
