Carlton Power, one of the UK’s most experienced energy infrastructure development companies and the company who originated and developed the Langage gas-fired power station and the Langage solar farm (located eight miles east of Plymouth, Devon) has chosen to build its third hydrogen hub in the UK on land within the Langage Energy Park.
The 10MW hydrogen hub project, the first of its kind in Devon and Cornwall, will provide local companies – for example energy intensive industries or those with transport fleets – with easy access to hydrogen fuel. Hydrogen is expected to play a major role over the next 20-30 years in reducing the UK’s CO₂ emissions, helping the country’s journey towards Net Zero and the West Country’s own efforts to decarbonise.
The first phase of the project has secured planning consent from South Hams District Council, and is supported by the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership and Regen, the south-west low-carbon energy organisation.
Subject to the Langage Green Hydrogen hub receiving support from the Government’s Hydrogen Investment Package, a multi-million pound programme to encourage the growth of the hydrogen economy in the UK, the project will produce sustainable hydrogen fuel at scale within the next 2-3 years. Its development and operation will create opportunities for businesses in the West Country to make Net Zero plans with hydrogen in mind.
In addition, the hydrogen hub will support the further growth of renewable electricity generation in the region (and newer forms like marine energy) by utilising it to produce and store hydrogen at times when renewable output is high, but electricity demand is low.
Carlton’s plans at Langage – and its proposed hydrogen hub projects in Cumbria and Greater Manchester – are a response to the UK Government’s plans for a green revolution which includes hydrogen and fuel cell technology as one of its key ambitions.
Eric Adams, Hydrogen Projects Director at Carlton Power said: “Langage is ideally located for the West Country’s first low-carbon hydrogen hub. With the need, especially among industrial companies, to move away from fossil fuels and reach Net Zero, Langage Green Hydrogen and our other projects can make an important contribution to the transition to the hydrogen economy. A number of key industrial sectors in the south-west have limited options to decarbonise so a local source of hydrogen will accelerate their Net Zero plans and the region’s wider low-carbon ambitions.”
“Given our long-standing involvement with the Langage Energy Park, we will work closely with Heart of the West LEP, Regen and other local stakeholders to deliver this project and ensure that local industry can fully realise the economic and environmental advantages of green hydrogen to their operations.”
“But the development and operation of Langage and our other two schemes are contingent on securing financial support from the UK Government’s Hydrogen Investment Package.”
Regen, the Exeter-based energy organisation (formerly known as Regen South West) has identified hydrogen as being important to the West Country’s transition to Net Zero and economic development: https://www.regen.co.uk/project/hydrogen-work/
Merlin Hyman, Chief Executive of Regen said: “The significance of South Hams District Council granting planning permission for a green hydrogen production facility at Langage Energy Park can not be overstated. Green hydrogen has an important role to play by using renewable electricity to manufacture a low carbon fuel that will reduce emissions from industry and heavy transport. To have one of the first green hydrogen production plants in the South West is great news for the decarbonisation of the region.”
Claire Gibson, Head of Delivery at the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “It is fantastic to see Carlton Power choose Devon as its location for its next hydrogen hub. We are pleased to have supported the project, in line with our aims to drive the region’s clean growth agenda. Hydrogen is an important part of our ambition to become the country’s green energy powerhouse, and projects like the Langage hydrogen hub are crucial to our journey to net zero.”
The Langage Energy Park, where the green hydrogen hub would be built, is also part of the proposed Plymouth & South West “freeport” https://new.plymouth.gov.uk/plymouth-and-south-devon-freeport