Wrightbus has unveiled plans for a multi-million pound green hydrogen production facility in Ballymena that could produce enough clean energy for upwards of 300 buses per day.
In partnership with Hygen Energy, planning approval is being sought for the 2.5-acre Ballymena Green Hydrogen Facility at the headquarters of the sustainable bus operator.
Once operation begins – planned for summer 2024 – it would be capable of powering about 10% of Northern Ireland’s bus fleet with completely renewable, zero-emissions fuel. The facility would incorporate a commercial scale electrolyser to separate water into oxygen and hydrogen via renewable electricity.
Wrightbus, which produced the world’s first hydrogen-powered fleet of double-decker buses in 2020, plans to submit a planning application in April and hopes a decision from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will be returned next winter.
Jo Bamford, Chairman of Wrightbus, says: “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.”
As part of the consultation process, two drop-in public exhibitions will be held at the Wrightbus site next month.
As well as creating 35 jobs during construction, the project would ultimately result in the capacity to fuel 58,250 buses.
