Funding has been secured for the UK’s largest hydrogen production facility in Bradford, as announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
The Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen project, situated at the historic Birkshall gas storage site, is among 11 green hydrogen initiatives receiving part of a £2 billion government fund aimed at boosting green hydrogen production and demand.
With planning permission already granted, the Bradford project is expected to inject £120 million into the local economy and create up to 125 new jobs. It will produce 12.5 tonnes of hydrogen daily, potentially removing the equivalent of 800 diesel buses from West Yorkshire roads.
Joint venture partners N-Gen and Hygen, along with Bradford Council support, are spearheading the project. This development secures the future of the Birkshall site, which has a legacy of almost 100 years in gas production.
The site will feature facilities for hydrogen production, storage, dispensing, and refueling. The hydrogen will be produced using electrolysis, a process that employs low-carbon electricity to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. As hydrogen combustion does not emit carbon, it supports the decarbonization of sectors such as heavy transport and industrial processes.
