Shropshire Council has signed up to be part of the Hydrogen Valley Consortium to improve the nation’s energy security and reduce carbon.
The Hydrogen Valley is being delivered in collaboration by Cadent and National Gas Transmission who are working together to create a clear roadmap and vision to kickstart a hydrogen economy across the West Midlands and East of England region by 2032. This involves investigating the demand for hydrogen which will help identify the need for developing the necessary infrastructure to support this
Shropshire Council, which is already exploring the opportunity of developing a small-scale demonstrator unit to produce hydrogen for use in HGVs, is keen to develop further green energy options for business and industry.
Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council Cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport, said:-
“Reflecting our rural nature and the fact that about 40% of domestic property in Shropshire is off-grid our initial focus is to establish a small scale demonstrator in Shrewsbury to promote the use of green hydrogen in transport and HGVs in particular. However, we are also very interested in the role that green hydrogen could play more widely in providing low carbon energy for business.
“Shropshire Council also believes there is a significant growth opportunity for the rural economy to generate low carbon energy of various kinds, alongside food production and other co-benefits such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity.
“We are actively working to achieve our goal of Net Zero by 2030 and are pleased to work in partnership with other like-minded organisations and stakeholders. It is very exciting to be able to join the Hydrogen Valley consortium and to be so actively involved in developing a cleaner, greener future.”
Helen Boyle, head of regional development at Cadent added:-
“It’s fantastic to have Shropshire Council on-board as Hydrogen Valley Consortium members. Shropshire’s needs as a future user of hydrogen for heavy transport and to support local industrial and agricultural consumers will boost local economies by supporting existing employment and create new jobs.
“The Hydrogen Valley is focused on delivering widespread access to hydrogen and enabling the net zero energy system of the future and we’re glad to welcome Shropshire Council to join us in making this a reality.”
Further information
Shropshire Council declared a climate emergency in May 2019, and in December 2020 adopted a Climate Strategy and Action Plan, which establishes the objective of achieving net-zero carbon performance for the council by 2030.
A Climate Change and Carbon Reduction Advisory Board was established in September 2022 to act as a ‘critical friend’ and to assist the implementation and review of the council’s Climate Strategy.
The Council’s corporate footprint represents only around one per cent of Shropshire’s total carbon footprint, but the council is able to influence as much as 33 per cent of emissions through its regulatory and support functions. The council is already supporting a wide range of projects and initiatives designed to support local businesses and communities to reduce their carbon emissions.
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