Protium and ULEMCo team up to drive hydrogen transport in Wales and Southern England
ULEMCo and Protium have signed a new agreement to scale up hydrogen-powered transport across the UK – starting with a focused push in Wales and southern England.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed this month, aims to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and non-road mobile machinery by linking ULEMCo’s vehicle technology with green hydrogen from Protium’s Pioneer 1 production site in South Wales.
Under the partnership, the two companies will jointly explore opportunities to:
- Supply green hydrogen to local depots and transport operators
- Integrate hydrogen combustion and fuel cell systems into trucks and off-road machinery
- Deploy live demonstration projects in real-world settings
- Engage with government to support infrastructure rollout and policy frameworks
Dual-fuel tech meets real hydrogen supply
The collaboration combines Protium’s role as a green hydrogen producer with ULEMCo’s retrofit and integration capabilities for both hydrogen combustion and fuel cell drivetrains.
It’s a pairing that could help unlock practical decarbonisation for vehicle operators today – without waiting for factory-built hydrogen trucks to arrive.
Jon Constable, Chief Operating Officer at Protium, said the agreement marked “a major step forward in building a clean, hydrogen-powered transport ecosystem for Wales and South England,” adding that the company’s green hydrogen would “help decarbonise transport, support local industry, and contribute to net zero goals.”
ULEMCo’s Commercial Manager, Jordon Cullen, said the partnership demonstrated a shared commitment to delivering “achievable and affordable solutions” for operators whose vehicles can’t easily switch to battery power. “Hydrogen is essential for decarbonising sectors where electrification is not practical,” he said.
Focus on heavy-duty and specialist vehicles
ULEMCo, based in Liverpool, has spent the past decade building a name for itself by converting everything from road sweepers and gritters to bin lorries and HGVs to run on hydrogen – either in dual-fuel or full-hydrogen configurations.
With nearly half a million heavy-duty trucks still running on diesel in the UK, the firm says hydrogen remains the most viable route to fast refuelling, long-range zero-emission operation for large fleets.
This latest agreement will prioritise commercial applications where infrastructure can be co-located with depot-based vehicles – an approach that suits both hydrogen combustion and localised green hydrogen supply.
South Wales: a hydrogen launchpad?
Protium’s Pioneer 1 facility is already up and running in South Wales, with more production projects in development.
That positions the region as a natural testbed for early hydrogen mobility deployments – and the Welsh Government has stated its ambition to become a hub for low-carbon innovation.
Together, Protium and ULEMCo will now aim to turn that policy vision into boots-on-the-ground deployment.
