CO2 Reduction through Emission Optimisation (CREO)

A diesel engine’s exhaust pipe is being turned into a miniature hydrogen factory to cut CO₂ emissions from heavy goods vehicles. Current engine and exhaust systems are designed separately, which limits how efficiently they can clean up emissions and reduce fuel use. CREO treats the engine and its after-treatment—the catalytic converters and filters that scrub exhaust gases—as a single, integrated system. The team will develop new after-treatment materials and a device that generates hydrogen on board the vehicle from a small amount of diesel or exhaust gas. That hydrogen is then injected into the exhaust stream to help the catalysts work more effectively at lower temperatures, burning off pollutants while the engine itself can be tuned to run leaner and produce less CO₂. If successful, the approach could lower CO₂ output from a typical heavy goods lorry by several percentage points without requiring a new engine design or expensive infrastructure. The same system would also reduce nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Because the hydrogen is made and used instantly on the vehicle, there is no need for hydrogen storage or refuelling stations. The project is applied engineering—it aims directly at meeting upcoming UK and EU emissions regulations while keeping trucks on the road and affordable for operators.