The North East is set to benefit from an £8m investment into the Tees Valley to support hydrogen-powered transport.

The Transport Secretary has today (2 August) announced two projects that will receive a share of the multi-million-pound fund, which is aimed at encouraging in new technology that uses hydrogen fuel to accelerate transport decarbonisation.

One project, which is led by ULEMCo and based at Teesside international airport, will develop hydrogen-powered airport ground-based support vehicles, such as tow trucks for aeroplanes and sweepers to clean runways.

The other project, led by Element 2, aims to create new hydrogen refuelling stations, helping to provide the infrastructure needed to scale up the use of hydrogen as a fuel.

Element 2’s project will create four new publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations, increasing the number of refuelling stations in the UK by 50%. These will be used to fuel a range of vehicles, such as airside vehicles and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).

Responding to the announcement, Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: ‘We were one of the first areas to trial hydrogen fuels and this is continuing to pay off as we’ve been successful in securing this permanent refuelling station.

‘Our airport and, indeed, our whole region continues to be at the forefront of the UK’s net zero ambitions and this hydrogen station is another step forward to supporting the cleaner, healthier and safer industries of tomorrow. It backs up everything we’re doing in our low-carbon journey, including supporting the production and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel – one of the biggest issues facing the industry right now.

‘The aim to have Teesside airport operationally net zero by 2030 is only the beginning. We’re still pioneering offshore, carbon capture and renewable technologies over at Teesworks, to truly cement Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool as the place to do business in innovative and clean technologies.’