When Extreme H makes its debut later in 2025, the series hopes to use a new hydrogen unit that can provide power to all race operations. Known as the “next-generation Hydrogen Power Unit” or HPU2, it is a hydrogen fuel cell system developed by GeoPura with integration from Power Logistics.

The HPU2 completed its first test on Wednesday.

“Extreme H will be famous for its hydrogen fuel cell racing cars, but they are only half of the story as we are also trialing hydrogen technologies across the whole event site in an effort to become the first sport to run entirely on zero emission hydrogen,” explained series global hydrogen development manager Andy Welch. “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.”

The Hydrogen Power unit is decribed by GeoPura as a “self-charging battery system powered by green hydrogen.” The HPU2 is a successor to the HPU, designed to be more compact and lighter yet having increased power density. It is also capable of being powered by an external battery whereas the HPU can only use the integrated one. The battery comes from Greener Power Solutions.

At scale capacity, it can produce up to 50 megawatts at a time, with each unit providing 500 kW of clean electricity (five times more than its predecessor). If used continuously for 24 hours, it can power 1,200 homes in the United Kingdom for the same length.

The HPU2 also relies on green hydrogen, which is produced using renewable energy like water, as opposed to the fossil-based turquoise, blue, and gray hydrogen. Green and turquoise hydrogen, the latter using natural gases like methane, along with those produced with nuclear power both have the smallest greenhouse gas footprint for hydrogen production. In layman’s terms, it means zero emissions during use and production.

“HPU2 represents a major leap forward in clean, scalable power,” added GeoPura CTO Theo Elmer. “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.”

Featured image credit: Extreme H