Consortium plans 1GW of green hydrogen plants across the UK by 2030

A consortium led by JCB-heir Jo Bamford has announced plans to build 1GW of green hydrogen production capacity across the UK by 2030.

Dubbed Project Hyspeed, the consortium made up of Centrica, Heidelberg, ITM Power, JCB, Johnson Matthey and National Gas, has submitted proposals for the developments to the government.

According to documents submitted to the government, the consortium claims it could produce green hydrogen at a strike price of £5.96/kg ($7.84/kg) with “aggregated procurement of equipment and services, optimised power purchase and low-cost financing.”

The government’s first hydrogen allocation round (HAR1) offered a strike price subsidy equivalent to £9.50/kg ($12.50/kg).


© Project Hyspeed

Based on company graphics, the scheme will likely involve building around 16 plants across the UK, ranging from under 50MW to over 300MW.

It remains unclear whether sites have been scoped or pre-selected.

Under the plans, hydrogen will be supplied to mobility, green chemicals production, construction equipment, industrial gas users through the gas grid, and manufacturing.

The companies anticipate the projects would attract £6.5bn ($8.55bn) of private investment and create at least 12,150 UK jobs while reducing one million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

Jo Bamford, Chairman of HydraB Power – which put forward the proposal, said hydrogen can offer the UK an opportunity to be “energy secure and energy independent.”

“Now more than ever the UK needs to stand on its own two feet, especially when it comes to our energy resources,” he said.

Bamford’s HydraB sits over his other hydrogen companies, Hygen, Ryze, Hycap and Wrightbus, spanning production, power, financing and buses.

The announcement came after the UK Government shortlisted 765MW worth of green hydrogen projects for its second Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR2).

Over the past year, the government has been facing increasing calls to ramp up its support for the sector amid concerns that the country could fall behind other regions.

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