A Vision for Hydrogen in the Tees Valley
Tees Valley's Role in Decarbonization
- Net Zero Ambitions: The Tees Valley aims to become one of the world’s first decarbonized industrial clusters by 2040, aligning with the UK’s goal of carbon net zero by 2050.
- Hydrogen Projects: Multiple large-scale hydrogen production facilities are planned, including:
- bp’s HyGreen Teesside: Producing green hydrogen.
- H2Teesside: Producing blue hydrogen.
- Kellas Midstream’s H2NorthEast: Establishing a blue hydrogen facility.
Production and Usage
- Capacity: By 2030, up to 2.5 GW of hydrogen production capacity could be achieved, representing a quarter of the UK government’s 10 GW target.
- Applications: Hydrogen will be used for:
- Industrial Feedstocks: Replacing fossil fuels in chemical feedstock production.
- Transport: Running hydrogen trains and buses.
- Aviation: Producing sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs).
- Steel: Recycling scrap steel into green steel.
- Ammonia and Chemicals: Producing green ammonia and other green chemical products.
- Energy Storage: Seasonal energy storage for industrial, heat, and transport needs.
Strategic Route Map
- Collaboration: The vision involves collaboration between Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA), bp, Kellas Midstream, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), and Arup.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Engaging with industrial stakeholders and the local supply chain.
- Scalability: The plan is designed to scale up from small-scale projects to large-scale deployments.
Geographical Impact
- Regional Expansion: Hydrogen will be exported to the Humber region, Cumbria, Scotland, and Europe.
- Infrastructure: Integration with existing gas distribution networks, with plans for 100% hydrogen blending.
Economic Benefits
- Job Creation: Up to 3,000 jobs in key industries.
- Growth: Attracting new global industries and organizations seeking low and zero carbon energy sources.
- Decarbonization: Accelerating the UK’s overall 2050 net zero goal and rebalancing the regional economy.
Challenges and Opportunities
- Government Support: The UK government’s hydrogen strategy and funding initiatives will support these projects.
- Decarbonization: Hydrogen offers a pathway to decarbonize hard-to-reach sectors like heavy industry and transportation.
- Sustainability: Hydrogen provides a low-carbon alternative that can help achieve seasonal energy storage and meet net zero targets.
In summary, the Tees Valley is positioned to become a leading hydrogen hub, leveraging its existing infrastructure and industrial experience to drive decarbonization and economic growth.
