On 30th September 2020, the Transport Secretary announced plans for Tees Valley to become the first Hydrogen Transport Hub in the UK.
As we recover from coronavirus, we have a once in a generation opportunity to build back greener by truly embedding change in the way we travel.
As well as starting trials of the UK’s first-ever hydrogen-powered train, we will also work to create a Hydrogen Transport Hub in Tees Valley, bringing new jobs and opportunities to the area as we work to become a global leader in the green hydrogen sector.
The Hub will bring together representatives from academia, industry and government to drive forward the UK’s plans to embrace the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. It could create hundreds of jobs while seeing the region become a global leader in the green hydrogen sector.
Trials of the train, known as HydroFLEX, have been supported with a £750,000 grant from the Government. Unlike diesel trains, hydrogen-powered trains do not emit harmful gases, instead using hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, water and heat. The ground-breaking technology behind the trains will also be available by 2023 to retrofit current in-service trains to hydrogen.
The Government is also providing £23 million to support the Hydrogen for Transport Programme. This includes £6.3 million for a green hydrogen refuelling station and 19 hydrogen-powered refuse vehicles in Glasgow, a world-first for the size of the fleet. This will give a post-coronavirus boost to local economies through the creation of green jobs while also decarbonising the transport network.
This Government was elected to level up the whole country and by embracing technologies like hydrogen, we can deliver on that promise, creating new jobs and spreading prosperity to regions across the UK.