Bradford takes a step towards a hydrogen future
Industry leaders, council officials, stakeholders and climate experts have been in Bradford to discuss how the city’s landmark hydrogen project can be central to the region’s low-carbon future.
With figures showing the state-of-the-art hydrogen production facility on the old Birkshall Gas works could generate £120 million to the Bradford economy and create up to 125 jobs, more than 100 people attended summit talks and presentations at the City Hall on Friday.
Left to right: Ben Madden, Hycap Chief Technology Officer and company director of Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen, Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council, Tracy Brabin, West Yorkshire Mayor, Mark Horsley, Chief Executive Officer of N-Gen Energy
The flagship Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen project is a partnership between N-Gen Energy and clean energy pioneer Hygen. It was the largest project in the Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round 1, a scheme designed to stimulate hydrogen production, and will be able to produce 12.5 tonnes of hydrogen per day, enough to power 800 buses.
Bradford Council supports the project and believes, as West Yorkshire’s only planned hydrogen production plant, it will play an important role in helping the area deliver on its climate change ambitions. Leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe said: “Tackling air pollution and addressing climate change is important to Bradford. We’re demonstrating that you can do this at the same time as building a sustainable and prosperous economy that works in the interests of everyone.
“Seeing leaders from all over the UK come to Bradford to map out not only the project but to define a low-carbon future for the region has been particularly inspiring. This is a significant step forward for Bradford’s economic growth plans and will provide enormous benefits to the people of this city and beyond.”
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “We’ve declared a climate emergency in West Yorkshire, and we’re committed to net zero by 2038, so I’m delighted that one of the UK’s biggest hydrogen production facilities is right here in Bradford. This new investment will play a vital role in helping us achieve our ambitions of a greener, more secure region, with higher paid jobs and lower energy bills for future generations.”
Hydrogen production secures the future of the Birkshall site, which has a rich heritage stretching back almost 100 years. It was previously home to three of Bradford’s oldest gas holders with the site producing and storing gas for use by the city’s homes and businesses.
The site will comprise hydrogen production, storage, dispensing and refuelling facilities, produced through a process known as electrolysis which uses renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Mark Horsley, Chief Executive Officer of N-Gen Energy, said: “We’re delighted to be repurposing an old gas site in Bradford to produce hydrogen, creating a viable route to decarbonisation for many carbon intensive industries and operators of heavy vehicles. It was great to see the enthusiasm for the job and investment opportunities this generates for Bradford and the wider Yorkshire region at this event.”
Ben Madden, Hycap Chief Technology Officer and company director of Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen, added: “Everyone here is committed to reducing emissions and ensuring the vision of a net-zero future becomes reality.”
Hydrogen is a multi-purpose fuel which can be used as a replacement for natural gas in heating and industrial processes, and for replacing diesel in heavy goods vehicles including buses, trains and lorries.
The Government believes that hydrogen presents a massive economic opportunity for the UK, with the potential to be worth £900 million and create over 9,000 high-quality jobs by 2030, potentially rising to 100,000 jobs and worth up to £13 billion by 2050.
Site construction will be completed by the end of 2026, with hydrogen being produced in 2027.