The Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub competition welcomes bidders to push the boundaries of hydrogen to see how it can be used to create a cleaner, more efficient transport sector.

Run by Innovate UK, the competition will see businesses and research groups collaborate to discover how hydrogen can be used as a reliable fuel source.

H2 View understands, it plans to address challenges including refuelling on a large-scale, ensuring buses and coaches can use hydrogen in public transport ecosystems, and how to make the supply chain greener with hydrogen-fuelled heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

Additionally, the UK Government has said it will put forward £300,000 to support upskilling the local workforce and foster a specialised skills base and a pipeline of talent.

With winning bids expected to display their final products from Spring 2023, it is hoped the competition will move the UK one step closer to solving the biggest challenges in reaching Net Zero by utilising hydrogen across the transport network.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Transport Secretary, said, Climate change is one of the biggest challenges this generation faces, and with transport contributing 24% to the UK’s carbon dioxide levels, we are working hard to change things now and for the future.

“Tees Valley continues to be the beacon for hydrogen technologies and will be further supported by £20 million going to the best and the brightest ideas that will create a world leading industry, with more skilled jobs in the heart of the north of England.”

Plans for the Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub were unveiled in March 2021, which the UK Government described as its “masterplan”.

Read more: UK unveils blueprint for £3m hydrogen transport hub

Ben Houchen, Mayor of Tees Valley, said, “With ever-increasing global energy prices, a looming net zero deadline but a real chance to grab emerging opportunity with both hands, now more than ever we must be looking to the cleaner, safer and healthier industries of the future, such as hydrogen.

“The first phase of our Hydrogen Transport Hub pilot, at sites including Teesside Airport, has already proved a great success, showing how these vehicles can be used safely, effectively, and cleanly in a whole range of ways.

“Now, thanks to this competition, our brilliant innovative businesses can go further to unlock the potential of hydrogen to transform our transport system and undertake vital research that – alongside plans by BP, Kellas Midstream, Northern Gas Networks and others – will cement our area as a hydrogen powerhouse.”