Thames Estuary Growth Board launches Hydrogen Route Map
The Estuary presents a powerful opportunity for building a hydrogen ecosystem at a scale and attracts investment.
The Thames Estuary Growth Board has launched the Thames Estuary Hydrogen Route Map today (26th October).
It is ascertained that step would keep the UK on track to net zero, reducing CO2 emissions by around 5.9 million tonnes/year, supporting 9,000 jobs and delivering £3.8bn GVA to the UK economy by 2035.
The Hydrogen Route Map aims:
- Identify demand, supply, distribution and storage opportunities
- Outlines requirements of the investment market and pinpoints investment clusters
- Establishes a broad set of relationships with key stakeholders
- Highlights the competitive advantage of locating a hydrogen ecosystem in the Estuary.
The Thames Estuary’s close proximity to London and stretching out to the North Sea means it is uniquely placed to deliver a hydrogen ecosystem. The region has a wide range of potential end-users across a number of industries, such as high heat industrial, transport (road, rail, air and river), data, and heating.
The plan is to deliver projects in a short timescale (2-3 years), and feedback from over 120 potential investors has already been received. Investors, researchers and developers, businesses and universities are now invited for discussion about this opportunity.
This week, the Thames Estuary will call the government to back the hydrogen Route Map in the Comprehensive Spending Review by providing source funding to kick off our Living Labs concept.
Kate Willard, Chair of the Thames Estuary Growth Board, said, “A hydrogen ecosystem in the Estuary will have far-reaching, positive implications not only for the region but for the UK as a whole.”
