Multi-million pound investment in green hydrogen facility at Wrightbus

Subject to planning approval, the new facility, which is being delivered in partnership with Hygen Energy, will initially produce enough clean energy to power 300 hydrogen powered buses a day in Northern Ireland.

Green hydrogen, the company notes, is a completely renewable fuel, meaning it does not create any carbon emissions. It is made by using renewable electricity to separate water into oxygen and hydrogen – a process called electrolysis. The hydrogen is then used onsite or transported to where it is needed.

Acquired by Jo Bamford in 2019, Wrightbus introduced the “world’s first” hydrogen powered fleet of double decker buses in 2020, which by last November had reached the milestone of travelling 1.75 million miles since first entering service.

With huge emphasis being placed on the role of green hydrogen in the drive for net zero, a central focus for industry is ensuring there is enough hydrogen being produced to fulfil this ambition.

Jo Bamford, chairman of Wrightbus, says: “Wrightbus is delighted to be working with Hygen on this hydrogen production project at our factory in Ballymena. One of our key objectives when we purchased Wrightbus in 2019 was to bring the first UK manufactured hydrogen double decker bus to market.

“We have done this, with our Hydroliner buses now moving passengers every day in a number of cities across the UK, including here in Belfast.

Future Demand

“Hydrogen is the best means of decarbonising many bus routes, but for this to happen bus operators need a reliable and voluminous supply of low cost low carbon hydrogen. It is great to see a project that is being sized to enable future demand for hydrogen here in Northern Ireland to be met.

“This project will initially be able to produce enough hydrogen to run up to 300 buses, and has the potential to triple in scale as demand for hydrogen increases. We hope it will set an example for how these projects will be designed and built.”

A community consultation process for the project is now underway, led by Renewable Connections, development partner of Hygen. This is encouraging people in the vicinity of the site to provide their feedback on the proposed project before any planning application is submitted.

It is intended that a planning application will be submitted to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in April 2023. It is hoped a planning decision will be issued in winter 2023, meaning the facility will become operational in summer 2024.

The community consultation process will include two ‘drop-in’ public exhibitions at the Wrightbus site at 201 Galgorm Road on Friday, March 3, (3pm – 7pm) and Saturday, March 4, (10am – 2pm).

Members of the public are encouraged to stop by, view the plans, speak with a member of the project team and provide their feedback.

Further information about the project is also available online at: https://www.hygenenergy.com/project/hygen-ballymena-green-hydrogen-facility/