Export deal sees Hackney engineers take hydrogen tech to South Sumatra

An engineering company in London has secured an export deal to bring its hydrogen fuel technology to Indonesia.

Ecubes Arcola, based in Hackney, signed a contract with the South Sumatran Government to supply its hydrogen refuelling equipment and two hydrogen-powered cars for this year’s Asian Games.

The firm secured the work with support from the Department for International Trade.

The cars, two Renault Kangoo ZE H2 light commercial vehicles, have landed in Jakarta and will tour Indonesia as part of a showcase coinciding with the 2018 Asian Games – the world’s second largest multi-sport event after the Olympics.

As part of the agreement, Ecubes Arcola will run a three-week education roadshow to provide hands-on tech workshops for more than 1,000 young people in South Sumatra and Java.

It will also run open-access displays for visitors to Jakabaring Sport City, home to many of the venues being used for the Games.

The deal marks the first phase of a 25-year partnership with the South Sumatran Government, through which it will deliver hydrogen-enabled clean energy infrastructure across the province.

Ecubes Arcola is a joint venture between Arcola Energy, headed up by Dr Ben Todd, and Slovenia-based Ecubes Technologies, which is led by Aleksander Gerbec.

Dr Ben Todd said: “The work we are doing with the Government of South Sumatra in Indonesia gives Ecubes Arcola a priceless opportunity to build our brand and establish links with customers in government and business in Asia and beyond.”

“We are becoming recognised as a key player for delivering clean energy, which can bring huge benefits to congested megacities like Jakarta.”

He continued: “We’re getting enquiries about supplying hundreds of vehicles, along with networks of hydrogen filling stations. It’s a massive opportunity for us and for our supply chain partners across the UK, helping them access new markets that couldn’t otherwise be reached.”

Ecubes Arcola operates from the Arcola Theatre art & science innovation campus in Hackney.