Clean transport leads off-takers among UK Net Zero Hydrogen Fund winners
Clean transport will be the main use of the hydrogen produced by the winners of grants from the UK’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, as well as industrial applications including a first-of-its-kind chemicals project.
Nine of the 15 projects awarded a total of £37.9m from the £240 million government fund explicitly mention transport, including Ballymena Hydrogen, the production facility being built by Hygen and Wrightbus in Northern Ireland to support the rollout of zero-emission hydrogen buses.
The project at Wrightbus aims to address the lack of local hydrogen production in Northern Ireland by installing and operating a multi-megawatt low carbon hydrogen production and distribution system at the factory in Ballymena that will have the capability of meeting the total hydrogen demand of more than 250 buses. The hydrogen produced will be distributed in the area by Ryze Hydrogen.
In Wales, the Trecwn Green Energy Hub will host a 15MW electrolyser, producing clean hydrogen to help decarbonise local industry and transport, potentially including a spur from the Fishguard to Swansea rail line. Easy access to nearby ports and harbours on the Welsh coast also creates a possible market for maritime offtakers.
Subject to planning a production facility is being built by Hygen and Wrightbus in Northern Ireland (at Wrightbus HQ) to support the rollout of zero-emission hydrogen buses. The hydrogen produced will be distributed across the region by Ryze Hydrogen.
Conrad Energy Hydrogen in Lowestoft has identified operators of marine vessels serving offshore wind turbines as potential buyers of its output. It also sees the hydrogen it produces being used as a fuel for industry, buses, refuse trucks or grid injection.
The Inverness Green Hydrogen Hub is expected to house between 6 MW and 24 MW of electrolyser capacity and foresees major users of its output coming from rail, road transport, fuel distribution, freight, retail, and industry.
Mannok Green Hydrogen Valley is another Northern Ireland-based project. It aims to enable the decarbonisation of Mannok’s extensive fleet of heavy goods vehicles and transition to zero emission truck technologies, including hydrogen. The project plans to utilise curtailed or unused wind energy that cannot be accepted onto the grid and will also make use of the oxygen produced from the electrolysis of water to significantly improve the efficiency of its industrial processes.
Ryze Hydrogen and British Gas have received funding to demonstrate the use of mobile compressed refuelling units (MCRUs), initially on British Gas’ fleet of vans in the UK. The project will showcase the benefits of MCRUs, which combine storage, compression and dispensers all on one chassis, taking up minimal land space for designated periods of time in a constrained environment.
Ryze will be the offtaker for the project, supplying British Gas vehicles and potentially Centrica’s wider fleet. Once demonstrated, the MCRU concept can be rolled out to supply hydrogen for vehicle refuelling to other customers.
Lanarkshire Green Hydrogen will combine 15 MW of electrolysis capacity with an onshore windfarm for the first time in the UK, producing 3.5 tonnes a day of green hydrogen. The output from the project, which is being developed by Octopus Energy, will be used to replace high carbon fuels, such as diesel, helping to decarbonise sectors such as commercial transport.
Also in Scotland, The Knockshinnoch Green Hydrogen Hub Project will connect 4 MW of wind power to 2.5 MW of electrolysers to produce hydrogen through an entirely off-grid system. The hydrogen will be compressed and stored in modular units, enabling the rapid filling of mobile trailers which will move the hydrogen to power the region’s zero emission bus and truck fleets.
The hydrogen production project at Wrightbus aims to address the lack of local hydrogen production in Northern Ireland by installing and operating a multi-megawatt low carbon hydrogen production and distribution system at the factory in Ballymena, that will have the capability of meeting the total hydrogen demand of more than 250 buses.
Port of Felixstowe Green Hydrogen Project will allow Hutchison Ports switch machinery, including terminal tractors, cranes and rail shunters, as well as on-site vehicles, from diesel to clean hydrogen.
Decarbonising transport that cannot be electrified via batteries is a key goal for the UK as it aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The sector is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the UK, accounting for 24% of emissions.
While the majority of passenger cars will use batteries, many larger vehicles, buses, commercial vehicles and long-distance transport will likely turn to hydrogen as it enables longer journeys, faster refuelling and greater geographical flexibility.
As well as addressing decarbonisation of the transport sector, recipients of grants from the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund were also focused on hard-to-decarbonise industrial sectors.
Maybe the most interesting of these projects is a joint venture by Progressive Energy, Statkraft, and Foresight Group, which plans to deploy green hydrogen production at TATA Chemical Europe’s Winnington and Middlewich sites in Cheshire. Hydrogen will be used as a replacement for natural gas to fuel steam-raising boilers.
Port of Felixstowe Green Hydrogen Project will allow Hutchison Ports switch machinery, including terminal tractors, cranes and rail shunters, as well as on-site vehicles, from diesel to clean hydrogen.
This use of green hydrogen as a fuel in the chemicals industry will arguably be a world-first. The combination of green hydrogen production and chemicals manufacturing represents significant levels of innovation, particularly in respect of systems and controls integration.
Elsewhere, the same consortium of Progressive Energy, Statkraft, and Foresight Group are planning to build a green hydrogen production plant at Pilkington UK Limited’s Greengate Works in St. Helen’s. The clean hydrogen will replace natural gas in the main float glass furnace, dramatically reducing carbon emissions.
The range of innovative projects being supported by the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund reflects the breadth of talent in the UK’s engineering and manufacturing base.
We look forward to seeing these projects coming to fruition.
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