Introduction

Hygen and N-Gen are delighted to be working together to deliver a state-of-the-art low carbon hydrogen production facility in east Bradford, off Bowling Back Lane. The development will be built on the Northern Gas Network (NGN) Birkshall gas storage site in Bradford. It will deliver one of the UK’s largest low carbon hydrogen production facilities with the aim of using renewable energy to produce hydrogen.

Once built, the facility will include a production facility to generate hydrogen from low carbon energy sources and a hydrogen refuelling station for local industry, buses and public and private sector fleets. The site could achieve the decarbonisation equivalent of removing 800 diesel-fuelled buses a day from the roads in West Yorkshire.

The refuelling facility will benefit the people of Bradford and the wider community with lower carbon emissions in the area contributing towards improving the air quality and contributing towards UK’s carbon reduction commitments made at COP26.

The project is significant for Bradford’s future economic growth plans, which could end up being worth £900m and create over 9,000 high-quality jobs by 2030.

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Hygen Energy Ltd is part of HydraB,  the group holding company of a number of ‘Road to Zero’ companies inspired by Jo Bamford. These include: Wrightbus (world’s first Hydrogen powered double decker bus and world’s most efficient double decker battery electric bus); Ryze Hydrogen which distributes hydrogen to fleet users and industrial customers, and Fuze Finance which offers innovative leasing/TCO contracts for zero-emission vehicle fleets.

Hygen is a company focused on the building of low-carbon hydrogen production sites. It is targeting more than 500MW of low-carbon hydrogen production projects across the UK. All of the projects Hygen delivers have an identified customer for a significant percentage of the hydrogen produced.

  • An opportunity to share the latest proposals with the community
  • Gather community feedback and comments, including on future consultation and early project proposals
  • Consult with you prior to submission of the formal planning application
  • Answer your questions and identify issues most important to you
  • Discuss the project benefits and potential community investment fund

We intend to submit a planning application for the green hydrogen production facility in 2023.

NGen-logo-colour

N-Gen is an energy developer committed to working with clients to identify and provide end-to-end energy solutions required for decarbonisation. Working across the upstream and midstream sectors, it aims to produce 75MW of green and low carbon hydrogen by 2025, along with all supporting infrastructure.

Quick Facts

9000 jobs

Up to 9000 jobs created during construction

~35,000 CO2

Saved annually per year compared to typical bus operation over the same distance

800 buses

Generate enough hydrogen every day to power all the buses in Bradford. The equivalent of removing 800 buses a day from West Yorkshire roads

£900 million

A UK-wide hydrogen economy could be worth £900 million and create over 9,000 high-quality jobs by 2030

10GW

UK gov will work with industry to meet its ambition for 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030

The site today

The two-hectare site is the former Northern Gas Networks gas holder site on Peace Street, adjacent to Bowling Back Lane. The gas holders have been decommissioned and this development offers the potential to bring the brownfield land on site back into use for the long term. The site is also close to two bus depots where Bowling Back Lane meets Wakefield Road. A hydrogen facility could support future bus fleets that operate from these locations.

The site is brownfield and mostly surrounded by other industrial development. There are some small areas of residential homes in the area and the team has given careful consideration to designing a scheme which is sensitive to where people live locally.

A comprehensive redevelopment is needed to bring this site back to use for the long term, maximising value to the area.

Hydrogen Production Business Model Funding

The Net Zero Hydrogen Fund is a subsidy provided by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero which aims to support with the production cost difference between producing low carbon hydrogen compared to fossil fuels.

The purpose of the funding is to help kick start the hydrogen economy getting cost competitive supplies of hydrogen into the market.

The funding works as a subsidy on the hydrogen sold to customers to allow them to purchase hydrogen at the same price as natural gas. This will remove the economic decision between the cheapest option and the low carbon option.

 

Proposed Development

The proposal comprises two key elements.

A hydrogen production facility:

  • This will be located to the west of the site in an area that will be secured by fencing and monitored by CCTV.
  • It may include a hydrogen gas turbine to provide power to the local grid in times of high demand.
  • It is likely that production would be 24 hours a day and the facility will have capacity to generate approximately 16 tonnes of hydrogen per day – enough to power all the buses in Bradford.

A hydrogen and electric vehicle refuelling/recharge station:

  • This facility will have a retail forecourt for motorists to refill their Hydrogen Electric powered vehicles.
  • It gives motorists in Bradford another choice of zero emission tech car – a hydrogen fuel cell car which on average take 8 minutes to refuel and potentially with 30%-50% more range than the average BEV car.
  • This area will be located at the east of the site and can serve multiple hydrogen vehicles at any one time.
  • Entry to the site will be from Peace Street and the exit will be at Planetrees Road.
  • The refuelling facility would be operational 24/7 though bus refuelling will happen overnight.

The hydrogen production facility will be made up of a series of equipment including:

  • Electrolysers, in which the water is split into oxygen and hydrogen
  • Compressors, to take the low-pressure hydrogen produced and compress into a higher-pressure gas for use in the fuel cell electric buses and other uses
  • Filling stations where hydrogen tube trailers can be filled with compressed hydrogen gas to transport to different locations
  • Electrical equipment including transformers and switchboards to power the equipment
  • Remaining balance of plant required for safety and operations such as water management units, processing of the hydrogen into a usable form.

How it will look?

The site will incorporate a series of equipment to produce low carbon hydrogen, and will include:

  • Electrolysers, in which the water is split into oxygen and hydrogen
  • Compressors, to take the low-pressure hydrogen produced and compress into a higher-pressure gas for use in the fuel cell electric buses and other uses
  • Filling stations where hydrogen tube trailers can be filled with compressed hydrogen gas to transport to different locations
  • Electrical equipment including transformers and switchboards to power the equipment
  • Remaining balance of plant required for safety and operations such as water management units, processing of the hydrogen into a usable form.

When the planning application for the project is submitted to Bradford Council, the Council’s planning department will thoroughly consider all aspects of the proposal and supporting information provided to ensure it complies with safety and policy requirements. Statutory bodies will also be consulted as part of the planning process on topics such as noise, traffic and environmental health. All necessary permits for the processes on site will be acquired alongside the planning consent.

Project timeline

01

Consultation

September 2023

02

Planning Submission

November 2023

03

Anticipated Decision

Spring 2024

04

Construction Begins

Autumn 2024

05

Operational

2025

Dates are estimates as of September 2023 and may change.

Hydrogen

In June 2019 the Government raised the UK’s ambition on tackling climate change by legislating for a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target for the whole economy by 2050. Decarbonising the energy sector is integral to achieving this goal and requires major investment in a variety of technologies, including hydrogen. The UK government has committed to a target of 10GW of low carbon hydrogen by 2030 to which this project will contribute.

Hydrogen is made from the splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen. It can be used as a method of utilising low carbon energy at times where generation is high but demand in the area is low, maximising the use of energy.

Hydrogen can also be used to replace carbon emitting fuels such a diesel and natural gas. Low carbon hydrogen, such as the type that will be produced at the Bradford Hydrogen Production Facility, can be used in the transport industry, for example to support vehicles undertaking longer routes, that can’t be easily supported using batteries. The waste product from the use of hydrogen is water meaning in residential areas emissions will be lower than the existing diesel buses on the road.

Why it is needed in Bradford

Bradford Council declared a climate emergency in January 2019 and are committed to becoming a net zero organisation by 2038, working with partners to reduce the District’s green house gas emissions.

In March 2020 Bradford Council published their Sustainable Development Action Plan which commits to embracing the opportunities offered by hydrogen, among many other plans to improve the green infrastructure in the city.

The Bradford Hydrogen Production Facility is close to two bus depots where Bowling Back Lane meets Wakefield Road. A hydrogen facility could support future bus fleets that operate from these locations and help Bradford’s local transport be as green as possible.

The measures Bradford is putting in place are in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and will cut carbon and costs, help to generate new jobs and sustainable economic growth through investment in a green economy. Research undertaken by Leeds City Region suggests that clean growth could add £11bn to the city region economy and create 100,000 extra skilled jobs for local people.

FAQs

What is the national need for hydrogen?

Government analysis suggests that 20-35% of the UK’s energy consumption by 2050 could be hydrogen-based, supporting the country to meet its targets of net zero emissions by 2050 and cutting emissions by 78% by 2035 – a view endorsed by the UK’s independent Climate Change Committee *. Hydrogen will significantly assist by:

  1. Decarbonising transport sector such as buses and possibly HGVs.
  2. Decarbonising the heating system with blending on the network.
  3. Maximising the use of renewables so there is no curtailed output, and all renewables are converted into energy that can be used to decarbonise the UK.

*www.gov.uk

What are the economic benefits of the hydrogen economy?

The hydrogen revolution brings with it significant supply chain and employment benefits throughout the whole planning, development, construction and operational cycle of a project’s life. In 2021 the UK Government announced plans to kick start world-leading hydrogen economy, supporting over 9,000 UK jobs and unlocking £4 billion investment by 2030.

Is hydrogen dangerous?

Hydrogen is a class 3 gas and does have an explosion risk. However, it has been handled and produced for many years and there are numerous safety measures put in place to ensure that any risk is low and if any failures do occur that all locals and personnel are kept safe.

Why hydrogen rather than electricity?

  1. Hydrogen allows you to maximise the use of electricity, renewables are intermittent and do not tend to line up with the time where demand is highest. Hydrogen allows renewables to be used and then the power used later – it’s a way of storing electricity.
  2. There are some use cases where batteries are not ideal – these tend to be long distance journeys and where there is not time for long recharging. Examples of these are buses and machines on construction sites or quarries so hydrogen is a good use case here.
  3. Hydrogen can also be transported around to be used in areas where there is not a large capacity for new electricity connection which would make batteries hard to recharge.

Does hydrogen pose a health risk?

Hydrogen is a non-toxic fuel and does not pose a health risk. The by-product in the production of hydrogen is oxygen which is released to atmosphere and wastewater that is not used in the process which can be returned to the local wastewater system. When used as a fuel the cell releases water which is a reduction in harmful emissions compared to a diesel bus.

Are hydrogen plants noisy?

Hydrogen plants have some noisy equipment such as transformers and noisy compressors however they will not exceed noise level restrictions. Any equipment that could affect residents will be protected with acoustic barriers to limit noise levels in the surrounding area.

Get in touch

For any feedback or questions please email: info@hygenenergy.com

info@hygenenergy.com

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Introduction

Hygen are delighted to be working with Wrightbus to deliver a state of the art green hydrogen production facility in Ballymena. Once built the facility will generate clean green energy that can be deployed at a commercial scale to power Wrightbus’ fleet of hydrogen buses across the island of Ireland.

Our relationship with Wrightbus

Wrightbus has been at the forefront of transport innovation since 1946, relentlessly pushing the boundaries with its commitment to quality, style and safety. This includes pioneering the world’s first double decker hydrogen bus. Wrightbus were named winners of the responsible product/service award at the Business in the Community 2022 Responsible Business Awards for their innovation with the hydrogen bus in helping combat climate change.

Wrightbus employs 1017 people at its Ballymena headquarters to support its thriving public transport business which produced 430 buses last year with ambitions to grow this further in 2023.

Working with Wrightbus, local planning consultants Neo-environmental, and development partner Renewable Connections, Hygen will submit a planning application for a commercial scale electrolyser and all of the required balance of plant, at the Wrightbus Ballymena site.

Quick Facts

~35,000 CO2

Saved annually per year compared to typical bus operation over the same distance

16.8 million

Enough production to power 16.8 million miles of bus travel a year

58,250 buses

Equivalent to refuelling 58,250 buses a year which would make up 10% of Northern Ireland bus fleet

£900 million

A UK-wide hydrogen economy could be worth £900 million and create over 9,000 high-quality jobs by 2030

10GW

UK gov will work with industry to meet its ambition for 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030

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Our proposals

The proposed Hygen Ballymena site comprises of approximately 2.5 acres of land at the Wrightbus Ballymena factory.

The proposed development will make use of an existing building at the factory located at the North West of the site. The majority of the equipment is to be installed inside the existing red brick building with some balance of plant to be installed outside within the existing security fences.

The site will be made up of a series of equipment that is required for safely producing green hydrogen, this equipment is as follows:

  • Electrolysers, in which the water is split into oxygen and hydrogen
  • Compressors, to take the low pressure hydrogen produced and compress into a higher pressure gas for use in the fuel cell electric buses and other uses
  • Filling stations where hydrogen tube trailers can be filled with compressed hydrogen gas to transport to different locations
  • Electrical equipment including transformers and switchboards to power the equipment
  • Control room, offices, workshops and stores for the continued operation of the plant
  • Remaining balance of plant required for safety and operations such as water management units, processing of the hydrogen into a usable form.
  • Hygen and Wrightbus are currently in discussions about securing a supply of green electricity for the project. It is anticipated that a separate planning application for a photovoltaic system will be progressed later this year.

The need for the project

In June 2019 the Government raised the UK’s ambition on tackling climate change by legislating for a net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target for the whole economy by 2050. Decarbonising the energy sector is integral to achieving this goal and requires major investment in a variety of technologies, such as green hydrogen. The UK government has committed to a target of 10GW of low carbon hydrogen to which this project will contribute Hydrogen can be used to replace carbon emitting fuels such a diesel and natural gas. This hydrogen can be used in the transport industry for longer routes that can’t be easily supported using batteries as a replacement to the existing diesel. The waste product from the use of hydrogen is water meaning in residential areas emissions will be lower than the existing diesel buses on the road.

Hydrogen is made from the splitting of water into oxygen and hydrogen. For green hydrogen this is powered using renewable energy. It can be used as a method of utilising renewables at times where generation is high but demand in the area is low maximising the use of renewable energy.

Local Climate Change Targets

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Elected Members passed a motion on climate change in September 2019. The Council are committed to becoming a carbon-neutral organisation, working with partners to reduce the borough’s net carbon emissions.

The Council are leading the way in sustainable activity, ensuring their activities are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In fact Mid and East Antrim Council hold the highest environmental performance for a Council in the 2021 NI Environmental Benchmarking Survey.

Hygen is committed to working with the Council and local community to help promote biodiversity and reduce the impacts of climate change to help create a better future for all.

FAQs

Who is Hygen?

The site will be utilising an existing building with limited additional concrete so the change in the existing area will be minimal. All equipment would be removed and the site decommissioned at the end of its life

Why this location?

This site has been identified following extensive site selection process, which took into account environmental designations, local infrastructure, the physical characteristics of the site, as well as the need for a supportive landowner and partner who is committed to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and community benefits.

Will there be any permanent impact?

The site will be utilising an existing building with limited additional concrete so the change in the existing area will be minimal. All equipment would be removed and the site decommissioned at the end of its life.

Does hydrogen pose a health risk?

Hydrogen is a non-toxic fuel and does not pose a health risk. The by-product in the production of hydrogen is oxygen which is released to atmosphere and waste water that is not used in the process which can be returns to the local waste water system. When used as a fuel the cell release water which is a reduction in harmful emissions compared to a diesel bus.

Are hydrogen plants noisy?

Hydrogen plants have some noisy equipment such as transformers and compressors however they will not exceed noise level restrictions. Any equipment that could affect residents will be protected with acoustic barriers to limit noise levels in the surrounding area.

Is Hydrogen dangerous?

Hydrogen is a class 3 gas and does have a low explosion risk. However, it has been handled and produced for many years and there are numerous safety measures put in place to ensure that any risk is low and if any failures do occur that all locals and personnel are kept safe.

Is this technology safe?

Hydrogen has been produced industrially for many years and alkaline water electrolysis has been used commercially since the 1920s and is considered a mature technology.

What is the national need for Hydrogen?

The UK needs to decarbonise in many different formats to meet its net zero targets. Hydrogen will significantly assist by:

  1. Decarbonising transport sector such as buses and possible HGVs
  2. Decarbonising the heating system with blending on the network
  3. Maximising the use of renewables so there is no curtailed output, and all renewables are converted into energy that can be used to decarbonise the UK.

Why Hydrogen rather than electricity?

  1. Hydrogen allows you to maximise the use of electricity, renewables are intermittent and do not tend to line up with the time where demand is highest. Hydrogen allows renewables to be used and then the power used later – it’s a way of storing electricity.
  2. There are some use cases where batteries are not ideal – these tend to be long distance journeys and where there is not time for long recharging. Examples of these are buses and machines on construction sites or quarries so hydrogen is a good use case here
  3. Hydrogen can also be transported around to be used in areas where there is not a large capacity for new electricity connection which would make batteries hard to recharge.

Get in touch

We welcome enquiries about our Ballymena Green Hydrogen Facility.

ballymena.hydrogen@hygenenergy.com

0800 2545 146

Hygen Ballymena, Wrightbus, 201 Galgorm Road, Ballymena BT42 1SA