A company planning to set up a commercial hydrogen production plant in the North East has revealed the site for its plans.
French firm Lhyfe is working with Shepherd Offshore to set up a site at the former Neptune Bank Power Station that would produce hydrogen for organisations seeking to decarbonise their manufacturing and transport operations.
The firm - which set up a 海角视频 headquarters in Newcastle 18 months ago - said that its production facilities would have an initial capacity of 20 megawatts (MW) and be capable of producing up to eight tonnes of green hydrogen per day. It said that would enable a hydrogen truck to travel approximately 100,000 km without emitting any CO2.
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A planning application for the site is expected to be submitted in the coming weeks. The proposed plant would occupy four acres of leased industrial-zoned land along the north bank of the River Tyne that was once part of the Neptune Bank Power Station, an early 20th-century pioneer in high-voltage power distribution and a model for the National Grid. The plan would use green electricity from the grid, but Lhyfe is also exploring options to source power from local renewable assets, such as solar and wind.
Taia Kronborg, chief business officer at Lhyfe, said: “We are excited to announce North Tyneside as the site for our first 海角视频 green hydrogen production project. The development of green hydrogen projects is critical if major energy users are to decarbonise their operations. We hope this project will not only help the North East but the whole of the 海角视频 reach its net zero targets.
“At Lhyfe, we are demonstrating that green hydrogen is now a reality and a key driver of the clean energy transition. We have a strong ethos of working with partners and communities to create projects that deliver real local value, and this is a key focus in growing our operations in line with demand.”
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Charles Shepherd, managing director at Shepherd Offshore, said: “We at Shepherd Offshore are excited to announce the partnership with Lhyfe on the hydrogen production facility in Wallsend. Shepherd Offshore is fully committed to yet another critical milestone in the growing strength and evolution of the River Tyne and looks forward to welcoming Lhyfe to the north bank of the Tyne.”
Lhyfe opened its first hydrogen plant in Pays de la Loire, in western France, in 2021, and has other sites elsewhere in France and other parts of Europe either under construction or in planning. It says it is in “advanced talks” with several energy-intensive businesses in the area and further afield in the 海角视频, including those with transport fleets that could use hydrogen in their operations.