Hydrogen could create up to 40,000 new jobs and bring up to £62 billion of investment to Wales and the south west of England, a new report launched has found.
Wales & West Utilities was among the organisations who helped shape the development of the new Hydrogen Delivery Pathway Report, drawing on the company’s existing work on the Regional Decarbonisation Pathways study and Pathfinder Toolkit.
The report, which was unveiled at the Hydrogen Gateway event in the ICC in Newport, explores the major opportunities the use of hydrogen as part of the UK’s energy system can bring to the region.
Other benefits include the retention of a further 60,000 jobs, the development of new future-proofed skillsets and retraining opportunities for up to 108,000 workers, and capital investment opportunities of between £8 billion and £62 billion for the local economy. Using hydrogen can also save between 16,000 and 21,000 kilo tonnes of carbon emissions by 2050, the pathway has found.
Wales & West Utilities Director of Regulation, Asset Strategy and HS&E, Sarah Williams, who is speaking in a plenary session on the Future of Hydrogen at the event, said:
“Developing infrastructure for low carbon hydrogen can place Wales and the South West of England at the forefront of tackling climate change and achieving net zero emissions in some of the most challenging sectors, like heavy industry and transport.
“We welcome the launch of the Western Gateway’s Hydrogen Delivery Pathway and look forward to continuing to work with partners to deliver its ambition to support jobs, training and investment.
“Our goal is to decarbonise with minimal cost and disruption, delivering an easy transition to low carbon energy through options that work for homes, businesses and industry. The Hydrogen Delivery Pathway shows how we can reach our ambitious targets while continuing to deliver the safe, secure energy system that our communities rely on.”
Hydrogen is a low carbon alternative to gas which can be created here in the UK and stored, ready to be used when there’s high demand for energy. It can be pumped through existing gas pipes, at no extra cost to the taxpayer, and presents an exciting opportunity for the UK to decarbonise without risking the industries and homes that can’t easily use electricity.
The gas emergency and pipeline service is actively looking at options to use its extensive network infrastructure to transport low carbon gases, including hydrogen, through the 35,000km of pipes across its region.
The Pathway also details how the area could become an innovative hub for net zero aviation and rail innovation, as well as helping the UK lead in decarbonising major industry such as steel production in South Wales. Wales & West Utilities is a partner in the South Wales Industrial Cluster, and a founding member of Hydrogen South West.
