A hydrogen production facility, that will deliver low carbon energy in the heart of Bradford, has won government funding to take the project forward.
Clean energy pioneers Hygen and N-Gen are working in partnership to deliver the Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen (BLCH) production facility, which could achieve the decarbonisation equivalent of removing 800 diesel-fuelled buses a day from West Yorkshire roads.
The development will be built on the Northern Gas Network (NGN) Birkshall gas storage site in Bradford. It will deliver one of the UK’s largest low carbon hydrogen production facilities with the aim of using renewable energy to produce hydrogen.
Businesses and other users in West Yorkshire will be able to use the refuelling facilities, with distribution experts Ryze delivering hydrogen to industrial users across the region.
The project has been awarded money under the Hydrogen Production Business Model / Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.
Jamie Burns, Director of 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.”
Gareth Mills, Managing Director at N-Gen, said: “This is an important and exciting project, not just for Bradford, but also for the wider area and the community that lives here, so we are delighted to now have financial backing from government to allow us to start work on the site.
“Bradford Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and we believe this facility will play an important role in helping the area deliver on its climate change ambitions.
“We know hydrogen can support decarbonising all energy types including transport, and producing green hydrogen is central to this, so we’re really excited to work with Hygen to deliver this development.”
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, said: “It’s exciting to see Bradford at the forefront of embracing new energy solutions. Bradford has always been an innovator and we are delighted that we are now being recognised nationally in this space with Government investment in the scheme.”
This project is significant for Bradford’s future economic growth plans. It could be worth £900 million and create over 9,000 high-quality jobs by 2030.
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.”
