Plans to turn South Wales and the South West into hydro-energy power hub
Western Gateway's hydrogen conference in Newport shows plans for a hydrogen energy powerhouse in South Wales and the South West.
Last updated 9th Jun 2023
Hundreds of delegates from the hydrogen industry have met at the International Conference Centre in Newport to discuss making South Wales and the South West a hydrogen energy power hub.
The conference was organised by Western Gateway, a partnership across South Wales and the South West who promote the regions role in helping the UK meet net zero by 2050.
Industry leaders from across the region gave talks to those in attendance, who included council leaders from Newport and Swansea.
Outside of the venue was cars, boats, buses and a bin lorry that were all powered by hydrogen to show the potential of this new clean energy type.
MP for Kingswood in South Gloucester and chair of the Net Zero Committee Chris Skidmore says new technologies developed in South Wales and the South West could lead the way for the rest of the UK.
'I think that its really important that you see things happening in Wales and say "That's great. Let's make that the new normal across the UK"
Skidmore, who signed the net zero pledge into law, says the UK Conservative and Welsh Labour Governments working together to develop new energies should be expected and supported.
He said 'The key thing is that carbon dioxide knows no borders. So when it comes to tackling climate change there is no excuse to cause further delay by falling out'.
Chair of Western Gateway Catherine Bennet told us why the South West and South Wales was the perfect location for a growing hydrogen industry.
'Its one of the areas where we have great technical expertise, we have great talent, great universities'.
She explained that universities across the region including Bristol, Bath, Cardiff and Exeter had been working on the development of hydrogen as a new clean energy source.
'Putting them all in a room together and coming up with a vision is a way of ensuring that we place ourselves on the map of green energy'.
Western Gateway believes that this new focus on hydrogen, as well as projects such as the Celtic Freeport in Swansea focusing on offshore wind, will make this region a world leader in clean, carbon-free energy.