Extreme H Tests Pioneering New Hydrogen Event Power Solution

Extreme H, the world’s first hydrogen racing championship, marked its latest major technical milestone today, with the successful first test of its groundbreaking new hydrogen power solution which has five times the power capability of the previously used Extreme E system.

The test, which took place at Siemens Energy’s UK facility in Newcastle, centred around the next-generation Hydrogen Power Unit (HPU2), developed by GeoPura, and included system integration with the series’ long-term sustainable power supplier, Power Logistics.

Andy Welch, Extreme H’s Global Hydrogen Development Manager, said: “Extreme H will be famous for its hydrogen fuel cell racing cars, but they are only half of the story as we are also trialling hydrogen technologies across the whole event site in an effort to become the first sport to run entirely on zero emission hydrogen.

“We are immensely proud to be working alongside clean power pioneers GeoPura and Power Logistics as we continue to scale our capabilities and showcase hydrogen’s potential.

“Witnessing the successful test of GeoPura’s HPU2 hydrogen fuel cell prototype today marks a major step forward, not just for our series, but for the broader live events industry. Extreme H is an important global test bed for real-world hydrogen solutions, proving what’s possible and accelerating the transition toward cleaner, more sustainable events worldwide.”

With a more compact footprint than its HPU1 predecessor, reduced weight, and significantly higher power density, the HPU2 delivers scalable, quiet, zero-emission power – up to 50 MW when deployed at scale. Each unit generates 500 kW of clean electricity, five times the prime output of HPU1. Operated continuously over 24 hours, a single HPU2 could provide enough energy to power the equivalent of 1,200 average UK homes for a day.

With these advancements reducing deployment costs, zero-emission energy systems are becoming increasingly accessible not only across motorsport but also for other energy-intensive and time-sensitive applications such as music festivals, remote broadcast centres, and construction sites.

A defining feature of the HPU2 system’s environmental performance is its exclusive use of green hydrogen, which will be supplied by the championship’s Green Hydrogen Partner, ENOWA. Green hydrogen is produced using exclusively renewable energy sources, ensuring zero emissions not only during use, but also throughout the production process. This enables Extreme H’s ambition to set a new benchmark by powering their races, with power needs including live broadcast, race control and operations, team garages, catering and more, with fully emission-free power, whilst supporting ENOWA’s mission to accelerate hydrogen’s role in the global energy transition.

By utilising the system in a live event environment, Extreme H is not only preparing for the future of zero-emission racing but also laying the groundwork for the broader industrial adoption of green hydrogen technologies.

The collaboration between GeoPura and Power Logistics, strengthened through this initiative, highlights the importance of technical partnerships in delivering real-world energy transitions that are set to transform wider industries, including live sporting and music events, remote broadcast, construction and many more. The only emission from the HPU2 system is water.

Compared to its predecessor, the HPU1, which had an integrated battery system, the HPU2 introduces a modular configuration with an external battery.

This new setup enables greater flexibility, allowing the system to operate either as a standalone generator or in a hybrid format with supplementary battery support. The battery and distribution technology is key to this adaptability, ensuring that the system can meet diverse energy demands across complex environments.

Theo Elmer, GeoPura’s Chief Technical Officer, said: “HPU2 represents a major leap forward in clean, scalable power. It’s lighter, more powerful, and more flexible than anything we’ve built before – designed specifically to deliver in high-demand, high-performance environments like Extreme H. We’re proud to be working closely with Power Logistics and Extreme H to show what’s possible with hydrogen technology. Together, we’re proving that zero-emission power can meet the demands of live motorsport and beyond and helping accelerate the wider transition away from fossil fuels.”

Extreme H will provide a valuable proving ground for both GeoPura and Power Logistics, providing performance and operational insights that will guide deployments across industries seeking to reduce reliance on fossil-fuel-based generators, without compromising on reliability or output.

The upgraded battery, created by Greener Power Solutions, fits Power Logistics’ specification and design recommendation and provides significantly upgraded features to further enable the use of the GeoPura fuel cell system. This includes dealing with increased fluctuating and sustained higher loads, multi-battery synchronisation and the ability to work with larger sources of renewable energy generation. This is crucial given the power plan which also involves greater quantities of solar deployment.

Craig Hardeman, Power Logistics’ Innovation and Sustainability Development Manager, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our constantly evolving relationship with Extreme H, having been involved with Extreme E from the outset.

“We’ve come a long way from the initial design and implementation of a bespoke Energy Management Solution that incorporated an electrical package built specifically to its power requirements whilst achieving its sustainability goals. By effectively gathering and analysing data and incorporating new technologies such as solar and hydrogen power we’ve been able to make energy and carbon emission savings race on race. We’re excited to be involved in the next chapter.”

Extreme H is proud to be a test bed for innovation and validate a new standard in event power for solutions that extend far beyond the racetrack, driving progress for global decarbonisation efforts through innovation, integration and action. This collaboration stands to highlight how motorsport can drive meaningful progress in sustainable energy innovation.

Julia Wall-Clarke, Director of Communications and Impact
Julia@fiaextremeh.com / +44 7389 727708

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the FIA Extreme H World Cup

The FIA Extreme H World Cup, starting in 2025, will be the first hydrogen-powered racing series, utilising cutting-edge fuel cell technology to demonstrate the viability and potential of hydrogen as a zero-emission energy source. The championship, which is an evolution of the Extreme E series, will set a new benchmark for the automotive industry and racing sector, underlining motorsport’s vital role as a testbed for clean energy solutions.

In addition to its technological advancements, the FIA Extreme H World Cup is committed to driving gender parity in motorsport, with all teams featuring an equal number of male and female drivers. This inclusive approach provides a level playing ground for talent to excel, enhancing opportunities for female drivers and inspiring a new generation of racers and fans to motorsport. By championing gender equality and environmental responsibility, the FIA Extreme H World Cup supports shared core values and vision for the future of motorsport.

About PIF
PIF is one of the largest and most impactful sovereign wealth funds in the world. Since 2015, when the board was reconstituted and oversight transferred to the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, PIF’s board of directors has been chaired by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Prime Minister, Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, and Chairman of PIF. PIF plays a leading role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation and diversification, as well as contributing to shaping the future of the global economy.

Since 2017, PIF has established 94 companies. PIF is building a diversified portfolio by entering into attractive and long-term investment opportunities in 13 strategic sectors in Saudi Arabia and globally. PIF’s strategy, as set out in the PIF Program 2021-2025 – one of the Vision 2030 realization programs – aims to enable many promising sectors and contribute to increasing local content by creating partnerships with the private sector, in addition to injecting at least SAR150 billion annually into the local economy. PIF works to transfer technologies and localize knowledge to build a prosperous and sustainable economy domestically. As the investment arm of Saudi Arabia, PIF looks to make unique investments, and is building strategic alliances and partnerships with significant international institutions and organizations, which contribute to achieving real long-term value for Saudi Arabia, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030. PIF has also created an operational governance model that reflects its main tasks and objectives, in line with best international practices. Applying this model of governance enhances the level of transparency and effectiveness in decision-making and future progress.

About ENOWA: Official Green Hydrogen Partner ENOWA is a world-class energy and water company founded in NEOM, Saudi Arabia. ENOWA produces and delivers clean and sustainable resources for industrial and commercial applications using a smart and connected system designed to be circular and takes advantage of NEOM’s optimal solar and wind energy profile. ENOWA benefits from NEOM’s greenfield site, which has no legacy infrastructure, to advance Energy, Water and Hydrogen innovation. ENOWA will act as a catalyst and incubator for developing new, sustainable energy and water businesses while creating a robust economic sector regionally. Through its commitment to renewable energy and efficient water management, ENOWA seeks to become a global reference for industry leaders and setting a benchmark for sustainable circular economic systems around the world.

About Vodafone Business: Official Technology Communications Partner With expertise in connectivity, global scale and the leading IoT platform, Vodafone Business is a leading technology communications company helping organisations succeed in a digital world and keeping society connected. Vodafone’s purpose is to connect for a better future, enabling an inclusive and sustainable digital society, and many of its solutions have sustainability and inclusivity embedded.

Vodafone is a leading European and African telecoms company. We provide mobile and fixed services to over 330 million customers in 15 countries (excludes Italy which is held as a discontinued operation under Vodafone Group), partner with mobile networks in 45 more and have one of the world’s largest IoT platforms. In Africa, our financial technology businesses serve almost 79 million customers across seven countries – managing more transactions than any other provider.

This collaboration will see Vodafone Business leading innovations and capabilities such as 5G, MPN, IOT and MEC, integrated into Extreme E’s global operations and will include full involvement in the purpose- driven elements of the series, with special prominence on Extreme E’s Legacy Programmes and the Science Laboratory on board the St Helena. Through its IOT solutions, Vodafone Business is helping sustainability efforts, including agriculture, forestation and decarbonisation of energy grids.

About EY: Official Sustainability Partner EY is a global leader in assurance, consulting, strategy, transactions and tax services, and already plays a significant role in working with Extreme E. Originally announcing its collaboration with the championship back in 2020, EY came on board to help Extreme E achieve its commitment to minimising its overall footprint whilst creating a positive legacy.

Whilst Extreme E strives ‘to race without a trace’, the framework provided by EY has helped the series to minimize its environmental impact across each of its remote race locations. Both prior and post-racing impact assessments have supported Extreme E to strategically plan their actions within these areas.

EY and Extreme E will work closely together to promote the five pillars of Extreme E (or “Five Es”) through the adoption of ‘XE Talks’. These informative presentations, facilitated by Extreme E’s Scientific Committee, will shed light on the Five Es, showcasing the joint commitment of EY and Extreme E.

About Symbio: Official Hydrogen Fuel Cell Provider Symbio is a leading technology and industrial partner for sustainable mobility pioneers. A front-runner in zero-emission hydrogen mobility, Symbio combines industrial leadership, breakthrough innovation, and entrepreneurial agility to create tailor-made solutions and support its clients in the deployment of their clean mobility roadmaps. Symbio designs and manufactures a wide range of StackPacks (pre-integrated and pre-validated fuel cell systems) that meet all power, durability, and autonomy needs of on-road and off-road hydrogen mobility.

In 2023, Symbio inaugurated SymphonHy, the largest integrated fuel cells Gigafactory in Europe, with a capacity of 50,000 fuel cell systems per year. The Group ambitions to manufacture 200,000 StackPacks annually by 2030 to accelerate the deployment of clean mobility that is respectful of both the environment and health.

An equally-owned joint venture between Forvia, Michelin, and Stellantis, Symbio combines 30 years’ experience, and has a track record of more than 8 million kilometers driven by its solutions. To learn more, visit www.symbio.one

About Kaizen Clean Energy: Official Clean Energy Technology Provider Kaizen Clean Energy (KCE), a manufacturer of hydrogen generators, is developing integrated solutions for electric vehicle (EV) charging, hydrogen fuelling, and distributed power for the grid and critical assets.

KCE offers its mobile microgrid to customers through an Energy as a Service contract, which eliminates large capital expenses and provides customers with the flexibility to scale with energy needs over time.

Kaizen Clean Energy will support ENOWA – NEOM’s energy, water, and hydrogen subsidiary and Green Hydrogen Power Partner to Extreme E – in delivering a pioneering hydrogen microgrid solution to the championship.

Find out more on: www.kaizencleanenergy.com

About ALLCOT: Official Environmental Contribution Partner
Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, ALLCOT works together with communities, organizations, and governments worldwide in climate actions, to accelerate the transition to Net Zero.  ALLCOT develops Climate action through projects and solutions with triple impact: environmental, social, and economic; using four strategies:

Sustainability strategies: Innovative, comprehensive, and tailored solutions for businesses to reduce and compensate greenhouse gas emissions and measures the socio-economic co-benefits through the SDGs.

Project development and implementation: Implementation of carbon projects in developing countries, rooted in community engagement, environmental stewardship, and economic viability, driven by integrity, equity, and transparency.

Capacity building: Providing individuals and communities with practical skills and knowledge, possible to apply in their daily lives.

Advocacy: Creating systemic change to work closely with policymakers and stakeholders to promote sustainable policies and practices at the local, national, and international levels.