Reflecting on Hydrogen Gateway

It’s been a busy period for the Western Gateway Partnership and I’m delighted to share with you the remarkable success of our Hydrogen Gateway conference. We brought together the public sector, business and academia from across the Western Gateway area to share knowledge and inspire collaboration across the growing Net Zero community.

With around 500 people in attendance, an incredible energy filled the International Convention Centre in Newport on the 9th June. It’s clear to see there is a huge appetite and real credibility for the Western Gateway to be the UK’s Green Energy Powerhouse.

One of the highlights of the event was undoubtedly the exceptional lineup of speakers. We heard from Welsh Minister for Climate Change, Julie James MS, Chair of the Net Zero Review, the Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP and UK Minister with responsibility for Hydrogen Energy, Lord Callanan, alongside representatives from RWE, EDF, Airbus, Wales and West Utilities, Innovate UK, UK Infrastructure Bank and British Business Bank. The event was closed with a Q & A by Professor Paul Monks the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Equally significant were the engaging panel discussions and practical workshops that took place in the afternoon sessions, to improve understanding about how new net zero technology will help businesses transition away from fossil fuels.

The Western Gateway presented information from the recent Hydrogen Delivery Pathway, which shows that investing in hydrogen infrastructure could produce 40,000 new jobs across the area and safeguard an existing 60,000. We are working hard to secure investment into the area so we can secure those benefits for communities across the geography.

Using our combined strengths and skills, our political Leaders and business community is ready to create solutions for some of the toughest decarbonisation problems the world faces as the UK’s Green Energy Powerhouse – as underlined by our new showcase video.

Alongside the Delivery Pathway, the Western Gateway also published a report from City Science which provided an evidence base to inform future work in Hydrogen within the area.

I want to say a huge thank you to our event partners, Hydrogen South West, South Wales Industrial Cluster and the GW4 Alliance for their support in organising such a great event and we look forward to continuing to work together, alongside our other partners to achieve more for our area.

It never feels more important that together, we create a greener, fairer future for all.