UK Levelling Up plans will boost northern hydrogen economy, says Alliance
The Net Zero North West and the North West Hydrogen Alliance has responded to the UK government’s Levelling Up White Paper.
They argue this will have implications for industrial decarbonisation, clean growth and building a hydrogen economy in the region.
The North West Hydrogen Alliance brings together some of the region’s largest and most innovative organisations, each bringing a unique set of skills and assets to the Alliance.
Alliance members represent organisations who want to make the most of hydrogen to drive a low carbon economy and support a green recovery. It is the largest regional membership body dedicated to hydrogen in the UK.
Ged Barlow, CEO of Net Zero North West, said: “We welcome the publication of the White Paper, which is clear that the transformation of our industrial heartlands into clean growth and green tech innovation hubs is pivotal to delivering the key levelling up mission of boosting productivity, pay, jobs and living standards.
“The North West is uniquely positioned to deliver the UK’s first low carbon industrial cluster by 2030. We hope that the White Paper’s plan to empower our regions with deeper devolution and the autonomy to create tailored skills programmes that meet the needs of local industry can drive our work to achieve this.”
Net Zero North West also outlined this week how just four of its members have warned of a joint £1 billion (€1.15 billion) energy bill amid price rises in 2022 – which could ultimately be passed down to the consumer leading to prices increasing in a wide range of sectors including food & drink products, water treatment, medical supplies, automotive and construction to name a few.
Professor Joe Howe, Chair of the North West Hydrogen Alliance and Executive Director, Energy Research Institute at the University of Chester, said: “Hydrogen will be essential to delivering Net Zero and driving the green industrial revolution. In regions like the North West the burgeoning hydrogen economy will not only deliver the decarbonisation of our homes, industries and transport systems, it will drive new skills, thousands of jobs and millions of pounds of investment.
“We welcome the Levelling Up White Paper and urge Government to continue to support hydrogen as making a significant contribution to levelling up the UK.”
They argue this will have implications for industrial decarbonisation, clean growth and building a hydrogen economy in the region.
The North West Hydrogen Alliance brings together some of the region’s largest and most innovative organisations, each bringing a unique set of skills and assets to the Alliance.
Alliance members represent organisations who want to make the most of hydrogen to drive a low carbon economy and support a green recovery. It is the largest regional membership body dedicated to hydrogen in the UK.
Ged Barlow, CEO of Net Zero North West, said: “We welcome the publication of the White Paper, which is clear that the transformation of our industrial heartlands into clean growth and green tech innovation hubs is pivotal to delivering the key levelling up mission of boosting productivity, pay, jobs and living standards.
“The North West is uniquely positioned to deliver the UK’s first low carbon industrial cluster by 2030. We hope that the White Paper’s plan to empower our regions with deeper devolution and the autonomy to create tailored skills programmes that meet the needs of local industry can drive our work to achieve this.”
Net Zero North West also outlined this week how just four of its members have warned of a joint £1 billion (€1.15 billion) energy bill amid price rises in 2022 – which could ultimately be passed down to the consumer leading to prices increasing in a wide range of sectors including food & drink products, water treatment, medical supplies, automotive and construction to name a few.
Professor Joe Howe, Chair of the North West Hydrogen Alliance and Executive Director, Energy Research Institute at the University of Chester, said: “Hydrogen will be essential to delivering Net Zero and driving the green industrial revolution. In regions like the North West the burgeoning hydrogen economy will not only deliver the decarbonisation of our homes, industries and transport systems, it will drive new skills, thousands of jobs and millions of pounds of investment.
“We welcome the Levelling Up White Paper and urge Government to continue to support hydrogen as making a significant contribution to levelling up the UK.”
