UK Government accused as funding fails to materialise for trailblazing green hydrogen project

The UK Government has been accused of “moving the goal posts” over the development of a hydrogen hub on Anglesey.

The pilot project was announced in the UK Government’s 2021 budget, but funding is yet to materialise.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, Member of the Senedd for Ynys Môn, has written to the Prime Minister to express his disappointment about the unacceptable delay on the development of the Holyhead Hydrogen Hub and called for his direct intervention in moving the project forward.

Plans for the hub – developed by Menter Môn – have been approved – the first development of its kind in Wales.

Green hydrogen will be produced at the site and distributed as fuel for zero emission hydrogen-powered vehicles.

The hub was expected to be in operation by 2025.

£4.8m funding was announced in the then Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s 2021 budget, and the business case was submitted last year.

However, in recent days, it has been confirmed there are significant delays in the process, and that a new application for the scheme would now need to be submitted.

Economic blow

In his letter to the Prime Minister, Mr ap Iorwerth said: “Planning is in place, the site is ready, and crucially the grid connection is ready. We cannot afford further delay.

“As a community, Ynys Môn has suffered successive economic blows in recent years.

“Here is a project that injects a much needed dose of positivity as a pathfinder project that can lead to the development of a larger industry, and create significant economic activity on the island.”

“I’m seriously disappointed to hear that the Conservative UK Government is delaying the development of the Holyhead Hydrogen Hub project. Having previously led the first Senedd debate on the developing the hydrogen sector, highlighting Holyhead’s hydrogen potential, I was pleased when the then Chancellor Rishi Sunak made £4.8m available in 2021 for a pilot project in his 2021 budget.

“Now, we hear that the funding still hasn’t materialised, despite the business case being submitted last year.

Mr ap Iorwerth, who has been selected us Plaid Cymru’s Ynys Môn  candidate for the next general election, added: “This is a rapidly developing sector. Here we have a great pilot project by Menter Môn that’s ready to go, with real potential for Ynys Môn to be among the leaders in the field.

“Now UK Government appears to be moving the goal posts on the funding conditions, and time is being lost. I will be writing to the Prime Minister to insist that this funding promise must be kept.”