The company behind plans for the world’s first liquid hydrogen bunkering facility for fuelling zero-emission ships is in the running to be named ‘Clean Energy Start-Up Champion’ ahead of the UN’s landmark climate conference, COP26.
Clean energy solutions provider Unitrove is one of a number of companies from around the world battling out for the title in an event organised by the Net Zero Technology Centre.

The Clean Energy Start-up Pitch Battle will showcase more than 25 tech start-ups from around the world, each with technology solutions that can help accelerate the transition to a net zero energy industry.

Each of the participating start-ups’ pitches is being hosted on the Net Zero Technology Centre’s website, open for a global public vote. The top five from the public vote, and the top five from a judges’ vote, will pitch at the final in Glasgow during COP26 on 2 November 2021, where a panel of judges will select the winner.

The Pitch Battle is hosted by the Centre’s TechX team and is supported by its partners: bp Ventures, Greenbackers Investment Capital, Hydrogen Accelerator, ion Houston, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Repsol and Scottish Development International. The battle forms part of the Net Zero Technology Centre’s COP26 programme, Road to Glasgow: Destination Net Zero.

Unitrove is launching a campaign to clean up the global maritime sector by delivering the world’s first liquid hydrogen bunkering facility for fuelling zero-emission ships.

Having already successfully delivered the UK’s first liquefied natural gas bunkering facility at Teesport in May 2015, Steven Lua, CEO of Unitrove (pictured) now wants to enable clean, affordable, reliable, and sustainable fuelling options for ships at every port in the world.
“Around one billion tonnes of greenhouse gases are emitted each year by an industry that thrives on heavy fuel oil,” said Mr Lua.

“We can no longer deny that our world is in danger. To stop further catastrophe, shipping must radically transform. Every single ship will need clean fuel and that is what we at Unitrove deliver.”

Mr Lua said he was aware that his ambition would be met with challenges, including the fact that green hydrogen needed to be brought to a level where it was economically viable.

He said: “With governments on our side, we can and will revolutionise the industry. We can take shipping to where it needs to be.

“The Net Zero Technology Centre Pitch Battle presents a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our technology and we are delighted to be a part of it.”