Hydrogen Powers Adur's Pitch for Government Investment

A plan to create a global centre of excellence for hydrogen transport technology is the cornerstone of a £9 million bid for government funding by Adur District Council.

The Council is partnering with Shoreham Port and international engineering firm Ricardo to pitch for investment to boost what the authority hopes will be sustainable growth for its communities.

The bid is to the government's "Levelling Up" funds, and is intended to help fund the creation, storage and commercial use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.

It's the council's belief that such investment would deliver clear economic and environmental benefits to Adur and beyond:

• to create and secure 270 jobs,
• to develop world-class training opportunities for local people,
• to reduce carbon emissions, and
• to contribute £2 million a year to the local economy.

Announcing the bid, the local authority believed it would also further develop Adur’s reputation as a centre for industry and technology, placing the area at the front of the UK-wide drive for sustainable energy alternatives.

With support from local MP Tim Loughton, businesses and regional bodies, such as Greater Brighton, the Council called on government ministers to back the vision and help promote green growth in the south east.

Cllr Neil Parkin, Leader of Adur District Council, said:

“This bid builds on Adur’s fantastic track record for innovation and could establish our communities as a global centre for hydrogen, which is at the heart of the government’s plans for a green industrial revolution.

“The benefits to our local residents will be sizeable, creating more jobs, boosting salaries and giving local people training opportunities in a new sector.

"This is in addition to the environmental boost to our communities, helping reduce air pollution and our carbon footprint.

The bid to the government reflected the council's belief that Adur has enormous potential when it comes to developing hydrogen due to its industrial base, considered by the authority to be strong, and its well-documented sunny coastal climate. 

It also acknowledged that Adur residents have lower wage levels than other areas of Sussex and the south east — simultaneously reflecting a need to ensure the local workforce had the skills and qualifications to support its growing technology companies.

If successful, the funding is intended to support the design and building of a Hydrogen Centre of Excellence.

Adur District Council claims this should be "a world-class centre for advancing research" into technology using or producing the gas.

It could help enable local development of a hydrogen fuel cell for the district, making it easier and cheaper to convert buses and other fleet vehicles to run off more sustainable energy sources.

The Council also wished to work with local partners, such as Shoreham Port, to develop a Green Energy Hub which would use onshore wind turbines to help manufacture hydrogen as an alternative fuel.

The government will now assess bids for the £4.8 billion fund before making decisions in autumn.

Steve Dyke, Managing Director of Ricardo’s Automotive and Industrial business across EMEA commented:

“Ricardo is delighted to be supporting Adur District Council in this important bid to government which will boost local economic growth, further enhance the region’s leadership in green and sustainable mobility technology, and deliver improved environmental impact for the local community.

“Ricardo is already working with a range of clients on hydrogen and fuel cell technology, providing clean efficient solutions which reduce carbon and noxious emissions across a wide range of sectors.

“We are investing several millions of pounds in a hydrogen development and test facility at our Shoreham Technical Centre in West Sussex. 

"Our plan is to grow a globally recognised centre of excellence for hydrogen, defossilised fuels and electrified mobility engineering in the south-east of the UK.

"It is important to us that we play an active part in helping to establish not only our region but also the whole UK as a world leader in decarbonised energy and mobility engineering.”