Up to 80 hydrogen-powered trucks could be operating around Wallsend within five years if French-owned hydrogen producer Lhyfe secures government funding. The company has applied for support under the second Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR), aiming to build a 20MW hydrogen production plant near Neptune Energy Park. The proposed facility, capable of producing eight tonnes of hydrogen daily, is contingent on government subsidies and planning approval.

Lhyfe, which operates green hydrogen plants across Europe, is targeting Wallsend as its first UK project. Boris Davis, head of business development for Lhyfe UK, said the country’s hydrogen strategy, introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, provides a strong foundation for development. If approved, the plant will use renewable electricity to power an alkaline electrolyser, with half its output supplied via pipeline to a neighbouring industrial user and the rest transported to a local haulier with a fleet of 80 trucks.

Davis highlighted the appeal of green hydrogen for operators unable to transition to battery electric vehicles due to grid limitations or operational requirements. However, he acknowledged the challenges of efficiency losses in hydrogen production, storage, and transport. The project will rely on renewable power purchase agreements to meet low-carbon criteria, although emissions are not entirely eliminated.

While the plant’s hydrogen production has clear demand, the by-product of pure oxygen currently lacks a buyer and would be released into the atmosphere. If approved, the facility is expected to begin operations in the latter half of the decade, supporting the UK’s transition towards cleaner transport solutions.