A handful of green hydrogen production projects across the North have secured a share of £2bn government funding over the next 15 years.
Schemes totalling about 50.7MW of production across the North East, Yorkshire and North West have been selected in the first Hydrogen Production Allocation Round, which will give them access to the revenue support money once operational. Among the projects are: Hygen and N-Gen's Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen on the former Northern Gas Network storage site in Birkshall; Carlton Power's plans in Barrow-in-Furness for Barrow Green Hydrogen and the Tees Green Hydrogen scheme led by EDF Renewables and Hynamics.
They are among 11 projects across the UK to be provided with contracts, with the first expected to be operational from 2025. A second Hydrogen Production Allocation Round has since been launched with the aim to support up to 875MW of capacity, and working towards the Government's wider target of 1GW electrolytic hydrogen in construction or operation by the end of 2025.
Jamie Burns, director at Hygen, said: "We are delighted that this project has been selected for Government funding to take it to the next phase of development. This project will not just produce low carbon hydrogen for Bradford and the surrounding area, but will also provide a blueprint for how complex projects like this can be delivered, boosting the hydrogen and green economies of the UK. We very much hope that this project will be replicated in other cities across the UK to provide low carbon energy for generations to come.”
Keith Clarke, the founder and chief Executive of Carlton Power, said: "We are supporting UK industry to decarbonise their operations, supporting the UK’s efforts to reach net zero and we are a catalyst for green investment and jobs into the UK regions. Working with our financial partners, Schroders Greencoat, we can now work towards final investment decisions for each scheme in the early part of next year and thereafter work to have the three enter commercial operation within two years."
Tristan Zipfel, director of strategy and analysis at EDF Renewables UK, said: "Today’s announcement is a huge leap forward for green hydrogen innovation which has the capacity to guarantee the long-term sustainability of industry in the North East. We are delighted that the government has given this vote of confidence in both EDF Renewables UK, Hynamics and the capacity of the region to be a world-leader in green technology and innovation."
Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: "Hydrogen presents a massive economic opportunity for the UK, unlocking over 12,000 jobs and up to £11 billion of investment by 2030. Today’s announcement represents the largest number of commercial scale green hydrogen production projects announced at once anywhere in Europe.
"These 11 major new hydrogen projects across the UK will create over 700 jobs and deliver new opportunities from Plymouth in England to Cromarty in Scotland."
