‘Island can lead on hydrogen energy’

ANGLESEY can become a leader in hydrogen energy technology, cleaning up the transport sector and creating high quality jobs across North Wales, according to a leading Welsh economic expert.

This follows UK Government Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng’s claim that the fuel could provide a third of the country’s energy as it bids to reach net zero emissions.

But the UK is already playing catch-up with rivals in Europe and further afield and needs to get up to speed quickly, says economist Dr Edward Jones, of Bangor University.

Dr Jones, from the university’s Business School, said: “The UK Government made £4.8 million available to develop hydrogen power in North West Wales and that will help social enterprise Menter Môn develop the technology in the region and also support the economy.”

He believes that North Wales has the infrastructure to make it the UK’s hydrogen capital but added: “China, EU nations, and the USA see hydrogen as the rock star of new energies and are busy establishing a hydrogen economy.

“We need to get our acts together and we need the governments in Cardiff and Westminster to really get behind green hydrogen and upskill people to work with it. This is an exciting field and North Wales can be at the centre of it.

“The technology doesn’t only tackle climate change, it provides lots of high quality, well-paid jobs.

“We have the potential to use the expertise at M-SParc on Anglesey as well and the infrastructure to link in with the National Grid.”

Menter Môn have been working with a range of stakeholders over the last two years to develop the Holyhead Hydrogen Hub.

These include Ynys Môn County Council, Stena, Bangor University and Grwp Llandrillo Menai, as well as the Wales and UK Governments.

Menter Môn MD Dafydd Gruffydd said: “In addition to making a contribution to Net Zero, our motivation is to maximise the local economic benefit from this project. We believe this is best achieved via local ownership, as we are pursuing with the Morlais project.”

When generated using renewable energy, hydrogen gas reduces carbon dioxide emissions and provides a “greener” alternative to fossil fuels like oil or natural gas.

Hydrogen is created by passing an electrical current through water to separate hydrogen and oxygen, leaving clean water as the only by-product. A fuel cell allows the process to be reversed so hydrogen can then produce electricity.