Funding bid to develop green hydrogen automotive fuel site in Greater Manchester

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A funding bid for a green hydrogen production project in Carrington, Greater Manchester, has been submitted by energy and automotive brand, First Hydrogen.

It made the approach for the initial round of funding through the UK Government’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF) Strand 1 programme, funded by the Ministry of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) for £240m.

The NZHF is part of the Government’s initiatives to promote the production of home-grown green hydrogen and is a means to achieving the ambitious 10 GW of domestic production by 2030, of which “at least” 5GW will need to be from electrolytic sources.

First Hydrogen is focusing on two projects, in Carrington and the Thames Estuary area, which will have an initial capacity of 40 MW each. The sites are in two regions with hydrogen growth strategies, with letters of support received for both projects from leading strategic stakeholders and the landowners for the projects in the regions.

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has approved and adopted a regional Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Strategy in the pursuit of net-zero by 2038, supported by Manchester Metropolitan University and the Fuel Cell Innovation Centre, creating a Greater Manchester Hydrogen Partnership.

These initial submissions are the first stage in obtaining financial support from the Government, providing grant funding to undertake front end engineering and design work, and planning, and will progress the projects to the pre-construction phase. Additional rounds will provide support for construction and business model support.

The two projects will, once operational, provide the company’s automotive customers with a substantial part of their green hydrogen needs to operate their fleets of First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Light Commercial Vehicles, and in combination will produce an excess of 7,100 tonnes of green hydrogen per year.

Nicholas Wrigley, executive chairman at First Hydrogen Group, said: “Having received support from respected economic and energy authorities for our projects, we are hopeful that our applications will secure funding to finance our first green hydrogen production sites.

“These sites will ultimately supply our automotive customers with a guaranteed supply of green hydrogen, which is critical to the adoption of hydrogen mobility and creating a zero emission transport sector.”

He added: “First Hydrogen recognises the role it will play in achieving these targets and meeting fleet demand and building upon the first submission, is working to identify additional production sites for future funding rounds.”

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