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Home Environment Tees Valley Hydrogen Hub boosted by £20 million competition

Tees Valley Hydrogen Hub boosted by £20 million competition

Innovation from the transport industry is at the heart of a new competition launched by the Tees Valley Hydrogen Hub, who are looking to discover how hydrogen can be used for a cleaner and more efficient transport sector.

Successful bidders for the £20 million ‘prize pot’ will be encouraged to push the boundaries of alternative fuels, in a bid to develop hydrogen solutions.

The competition aims to harness the power of hydrogen in new transport projects, eventually helping clean air in our cities and lower carbon emissions on a wide range of transport, from buses to HGVs, as well as providing energy security.

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As part of the competition, run by Innovate UK, businesses and research groups will be encouraged to collaborate to discover how hydrogen can be used as a reliable fuel source. From lowering carbon emissions on plant deliveries to a rail work site, to making the air in cities cleaner, this significant investment in tomorrow’s fuel opens up the opportunity to revolutionise how people live, work and breathe across the country.

Challenges such as refuelling on a large scale (particularly pertinent for the rail sector) and turning the supply chain green with hydrogen-fuelled HGVs are high on the agenda.

An additional £300,000 has been put forward to support upskilling the local workforce and foster a specialised skills base and pipeline of talent, further cementing Tees Valley’s status as the home of hydrogen.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Transport Secretary said: “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges this generation faces, and with transport contributing 24% to the UK’s CO2 levels, we are working hard to change things now and for the future.

“Tees Valley continues to be the beacon for hydrogen technologies and will be further supported by £20 million going to the best and the brightest ideas that will create a world-leading industry with more skilled jobs in the heart of the north of England.”

Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor said: “With ever-increasing global energy prices, a looming net zero deadline but a real chance to grab the emerging opportunity with both hands, now more than ever, we must be looking to the cleaner, safer and healthier industries of the future, such as hydrogen.

“The first phase of our Hydrogen Transport Hub pilot, at sites including Teesside Airport, has already proved a great success, showing how these vehicles can be used safely, effectively and cleanly in a whole range of ways.

“Now, thanks to this competition, our brilliant innovative businesses can go further to unlock the potential of hydrogen to transform our transport system and undertake vital research that – alongside plans by BP, Kellas Midstream, Northern Gas Networks and others – will cement our area as a hydrogen powerhouse.

“With this new funding, the Hydrogen Transport Hub, a testing ground of hydrogen-focused businesses and expertise, will see its largest competition launch.

“The previous competition earlier this year saw over £2.6 million awarded to various winners to develop 21 vehicles. That included Toyota, which provided hydrogen vehicles for local police forces and HVS trucks which developed a hydrogen-powered van for large supermarkets to deliver largescale groceries, to offer a solution for when batteries cannot. Setting a good foundation, these examples are just the touchpaper to set alight the imagination of British businesses when building a greener economy, helping consumers seamlessly transition to a lower carbon lifestyle.

“As a result, the UK is one step closer to solving one of the biggest challenges to reaching net zero in seeing larger vehicles utilising hydrogen across the transport network beyond battery power, with the winning bids aiming to display their final products from Spring 2023.”

Indro Mukerjee, CEO of Innovate UK said:

“Hydrogen innovation will play a key part in the UK’s net zero ambitions and Innovate UK is ready to work with the most innovative businesses in this field.

“We are pleased to partner with the Department for Transport and Tees Valley to help deliver a cleaner, greener future economy for the region and the UK.

“Today’s funding will further bolster an area that has seen renewed private investment in the last few years with fuel companies like BP, which is due to build a large-scale hydrogen production facility in Teesside.”

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