The East Midlands is set to play host to what is being called the UK’s “largest inland hydrogen cluster”.
Through East Midlands Hydrogen, a cluster of 70 industrial sites spread across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and northern Leicestershire will be brought together, sporting a collective projected 2040 hydrogen demand of more than 10TWh. Should this level of demand be met, it would help them to save around 1.9mn tonnes of carbon a year.
A partnership between D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, Cadent, Uniper, Toyota, Midlands Engine, East Midlands Freeport, and Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, it is born from what was previously called the “Megawatt Valley”.
The Megawatt Valley features high voltage electrical transmission power lines that were created to allow for power export from the string of coal-fired power stations built along the River Trent. The thinking is that by taking the water from the river and pairing it with imported renewable energy, the Megawatt Valley can metamorphose into a hydrogen production heartland at gigawatt scale. It cited “multiple forecasts” tipping a 500MW production capacity across the region.
Linking supply and demand through a 100% hydrogen pipeline network would see the region become the UK’s largest inland hydrogen cluster. Referencing a PwC report, set to be published in October, the partnership highlighted how a full hydrogen supply chain being developed in the East Midlands has the potential to contribute £10bn in GVA and create, or retain, 110,000 jobs by 2050.
