Hydrogen automaker Riversimple awarded grants worth £325,000 – development of flax bio-carbon and potential for 7,000 new jobs

Riversimple— developers of the Rasa, a vehicle that gives off just a spoonful of water– has been awarded 2 grants worth an overall of $429,932 which might lead to the development of 7,000 jobs in the United Kingdom. The grants were revealed the other day (Wednesday, September 14) at the UK’s premiere low carbon vehicle occasion, LCV2016, in association with Cenex, held at Millbrook, Milton Keynes.

A grant of ₤ 200,000 ($264,574), to operate in partnership with engineering business Presreg and the University of South Wales, will be used to make a hydrogen container manifold and regulators for use in niche hydrogen fuel cell automobiles. This means that hydrogen components can be made in the UK, helping to create jobs and set up a national supply chain.

Photos from Anthony Dawton

The innovative automobile maker is also part of a consortium with NetComposites and KS Composites that has been awarded funding worth ₤ 125,000 ($165,358) to develop a bio-carbon fiber made from flax, helping to decrease noise vibration and expense. If embraced by niche and mainstream automakers this new technology might result in the production of 7,000 jobs and produce incomes of ₤ 520 million (nearly $688 million) a year.