First Hydrogen applies for UK government net zero funding

First Hydrogen Limited, a subsidiary of First Hydrogen Corp., has submitted two Green Hydrogen production projects for the first round of funding through the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF) Strand 1 program.

The Ministry of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) funds the program with £240 million. The NZHF is part of the UK government’s efforts to promote the production of green hydrogen and is a way of meeting the ambitious target of 10 GW of domestic production by 2030, of which ‘at least’ 5 GW must come from electrolytic sources.

The two projects of the company will each have an initial capacity of 40 MW and will be located in Carrington, Greater Manchester, and the Thames Estuary region. The sites are located in two regions with hydrogen growth strategies, and letters of support for both projects have been received from important critical players and landowners in these regions.

The Thames Estuary Growth Board (TEGB) issued a letter in support of our application for Strand 1 funding, citing the Estuary’s regional demand for green hydrogen as outlined in the TEGB Hydrogen Route Map. First Hydrogen has also received a letter of support for its projects from INOVYN, a subsidiary of INEOS and one of the EU’s most important hydrogen producers.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority has approved and adopted a regional Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Strategy in pursuit of net-zero emissions by 2038. With support from Manchester Metropolitan University and the Fuel Cell Innovation Centre, a Greater Manchester Hydrogen Partnership has been established.

These Strand 1 submissions are the initial step in seeking financial support from the United Kingdom government, giving grant cash for Front-End Engineering and Design work, planning, and advancing the projects to the pre-construction phase. Additional Strands will offer construction and business model assistance.

Once operational, the two projects in Carrington and the Thames Estuary will provide the Company’s automotive customers with a substantial portion of the green hydrogen required to operate their fleets of First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Light Commercial Vehicles, and will produce more than 7,100 tons of green hydrogen annually.

Nicholas Wrigley, Chairman of First Hydrogen Limited, stated: “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. First Hydrogen recognizes 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.”