Green light for Bradford hydrogen production facility

Plans for a hydrogen production facility in Bradford have been given the go-ahead.Hygen and N-Gen have partnered on the hydrogen production facility, which could produce enough hydrogen to remove 800 diesel-fuelled buses a day from West Yorkshire roads.Plans for the development, on the old Birkshall gas storage site on Bowling Back Lane, were approved by Bradford Council on 2 April 2024.Once complete, the scheme will produce low carbon hydrogen which can be used to decarbonise vehicles and industry.Last year, the Bradford Hydrogen production facility was awarded funding through the government’s Hydrogen Production Business Model, with the plant having the capacity to produce around 12.5 tonnes of hydrogen per day. The hydrogen will be produced through a process known as electrolysis, using renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.Gareth Mills, managing director at N-Gen, said: “We are extremely proud to be bringing a flagship hydrogen production facility and significant investment to Bradford. The site was once home to gas holders, which stored natural gas used by the residents and businesses in Bradford, so it is fitting that the site will continue its heritage and now be used for the production and storage of hydrogen, a cleaner fuel.”We expect the facility to be a valuable addition to the Bradford economy, providing a viable way for local businesses to decarbonise, as well as attracting new companies and jobs to the area, by placing the city at the forefront of the transition to clean energy.”Jamie Burns, director at Hygen, added: “The granting of planning permission is a significant step in the development of a facility which will provide enormous benefits to the people of Bradford and the surrounding area.”Along with our partners, we have worked tirelessly to develop these plans, which will provide a blueprint for how complex projects like this can be delivered, boosting the hydrogen and green economies of the UK.”Businesses and other users in West Yorkshire will be able to use the refuelling facilities on site, with distribution experts Ryze delivering hydrogen to industrial users across the region.