This week, we took another significant step towards creating our Hydrogen Strategy when we launched our Hydrogen Tender, inviting specialists to submit bids to help us unlock the vast potential of the Thames Estuary.
As Thames Estuary is the UK’s number one government-backed growth opportunity, we have a significant role to play in the country’s economy post Brexit and post Covid-19, and in supporting the UK aim of net zero carbon by 2050.
We are seeking support to enable us to identify the potential of hydrogen within the Estuary. This will map out how we can realise the commitment made in our ambitious plan ‘The Green Blue’ which includes driving good green growth and spearheading the development of a hydrogen ecosystem across the Estuary to enable the greening of our transport on land and water.
In November 2020, our Hydrogen Summit revealed the Thames Estuary’s huge and unparalleled potential for investing in hydrogen power and supply. This commission is to guide our roadmap to realising this transformational opportunity.
Our Hydrogen Investment Strategy will show how the benefits will be realised across such as return on investment, carbon reduction, opportunities for skills and training, environmental benefits, employment opportunities, improved health outcomes and attracting investment.
Benefits will also be generated through increased tax income, GVA, lower support system costs, healthy living, export opportunities, environmental savings. Initial high-level analysis has identified close to £45bn of combined GVA growth and below the line system savings could be projected across the project lifecycle for an energy infrastructure project on the scale possible within the Thames Estuary Growth Region.
There are a number of emerging areas of clear demand:
- Tightening emissions limits in London will create a push to shift public transport to non-carbon fuels. TfL operate 9,600 services across the city carrying 1.8bn passengers per annum.
- Opportunities to explore hydrogen to support river transport for both passengers and freight, and also portside uses.
- Introduction of hydrogen to domestic gas supply and development of a hydrogen transmission system.
- Explore how industry can transition to hydrogen and other low carbon energy sources.
We are in a good place for hydrogen investment. If hydrogen strategy is your area of expertise, join us.
Interested parties should register and submit tender bids via in-tendhost.co.uk/thurrockcouncil by noon on 15 January 2021. Clarification questions must be submitted before noon on 08 January 2021.
Please note this opportunity is now closed.
The outcome of the tender process is expected to be announced by early February 2021 and the consultation project is expected to take place in spring 2021.
Read our latest Hydrogen news
Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn or sign up to our newsletter for all the latest updates.