Suffolk: New hydrogen bus to be star exhibit at conference

Bus manufacturer Wrightbus will be exhibiting the vehicle at the East Suffolk Hydrogen Conference, which is set to be held at the OrbisEnergy centre in Lowestoft on Thursday from 8.30am to 2pm.

The vehicle could be used across the district in the future.

The conference comes as East Suffolk Council is set to implement a clean hydrogen strategy, which would support the emergence of the local hydrogen economy between 2023 and 2028.

The aim is to identify local opportunities for the hydrogen economy over the next five years and establish how the council can support them.

One example is plans by energy firm ScottishPower to explore the possibility of building and operating a green hydrogen facility at the Port of Felixstowe.

The Orbis Centre in Lowestoft will be hosting the East Suffolk Hydrogen Conference (Image: www.chpv.co.uk)

The multi-hundred megawatt hub would help create a greener port and provide clean fuel for customers at Britain's busiest container terminal.

Plans are being developed to use green hydrogen for onshore purposes, such as road, rail and industrial use, with the potential to create liquid forms, such as green ammonia or e-methanol. 

In a report on the strategy delivered earlier this month, the council's deputy leader Craig Rivett said hydrogen provided a 'significant economic and environmental opportunity'.

He added: "East Suffolk already has a competitive advantage in clean energy production and as such has developed an economically significant cluster, particularly in offshore wind and nuclear.

"Supporting the development of the clean hydrogen sector will further develop this important sector and further embed East Suffolk’s position as an all-energy economic powerhouse."

Nationally, the aim is to create 10GW of hydrogen capacity by 2030.