Businesses in Scotland will receive a share of £720,000 to support the decarbonisation of heavy duty vehicles.
The Can Do Zero Emissions Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) challenge is run by Transport Scotland and Scottish Enterprise.
It aims to help businesses develop innovative solutions to decarbonise transport and aid Scotland’s green recovery.
Ideas cover a range of projects from hydrogen forecourts, charging, battery innovation, as well as logistics and a project to charge vehicles using trams.
Heavy duty vehicles decarbonisation funding
Among the successful firms are Arcola Energy and Swarco Charging Solutions, both based at MSIP in Dundee.
Arcola is targeting wholesale logistics to look at hydrogen powered solutions for large vehicles such as trucks for the food and drink logistics sector.
Swarco will develop its fleet app and depot manger tools for use more flexibly across UK-wide depots.
Meanwhile Thurso-based battery innovator Amte Power will take forward a project around lithium-ion cells. It is developing a modular design that can provide system voltage and capacity.
Energy Mutual, based in Fort William, will look at making use of the unused electrical power capacity on existing, private electrical networks that supply light rail transit systems such as Edinburgh trams.
Other successful firms were Stortera, HVS, Logan Energy (two projects), Industrial Systems and Control, Airtech Ventures, Flexergy, Boyd Brothers, Alexander Dennis, Fluxart and Orion Research.
Innovation and net zero aims
Head of low carbon transition for Scottish Enterprise Andy McDonald said the funding will allow businesses to innovate and help meet net zero targets.
He said: “I’m impressed by the range of projects, both from established companies and start-ups.
“They set out to solve key challenges for large vehicles from buses to bin lorries and all the technology in between addressing charging, batteries, logistics and storage.
“We really are on a route to net zero with these projects.”
Angus South MSP and minister for transport Graeme Dey said: “We’re absolutely committed to making travel in Scotland clean and green and supporting innovation.
“Further steps forward in technology to accelerate the roll out of zero emission heavy duty vehicles is an important part of that work.
“Partnership working like this is crucial if we are to achieve our world-leading climate goals and is key to pushing the international decarbonisation effort further and faster too.”