Hydrogen technology specialist ITM Power has agreed a deal to dispose of its stake in its refuelling station joint venture. The Sheffield-based firm told investors it has negotiated heads of terms for Motive Fuels, in a move it said would free up resources to refocus on its core business of manufacturing electrolysers which split water into hydrogen and oxygen. Motive was set up last year and had operated 12 green hydrogen refuelling stations, and had a pipeline of others to be built, but has subsequently closed sites in London due to lack of demand. Together with joint venture partner Vitol Holdings SARL, the companies committed £30m each as seed funding for the business, which employs about 13 people. However, having announced a review of its business in January, ITM says it is now focussed on increased cost and capital discipline. The firm now plans to redirect £28m of pre-committed cash to its core business, and to focus on becoming a volume manufacturer of electrolysers. Andy Allen, CFO of ITM Power, said: "The sale of Motive will allow us to devote our time, attention and capital resources on our core competencies, to ready the business for scaling up to capture the significant growth opportunities that lie ahead of us. Motive has been an important part of ITM's journey, and it is important to us that the business will be left in capable and ambitious hands." Last month ITM announced a research and development collaboration with materials science company W. L. Gore & Associates - a bid to further its understanding of proton exchange membrane water electrolysis. The proton exchange membrane is a key function within ITM's technology and it said the link-up would allow it to make rapid progress in the area.