Yorkshire Steps Up: Hydrogen Roadmap Sets Foundation for Regional Net Zero Leadership

The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub has unveiled a comprehensive Hydrogen Roadmap aimed at unlocking the region’s full decarbonisation potential. Presented by Femi Omoniyi, West Yorkshire Regional Project Manager, during the Foresight NetZero Live conference in Hull, the roadmap sets a clear direction for hydrogen deployment, infrastructure planning, and industrial collaboration across Yorkshire and the North East.

With large-scale hydrogen initiatives already underway in Teesside and the Humber, the roadmap fills a critical strategic gap by offering West Yorkshire and its neighbours a tailored vision to align with the broader UK hydrogen economy. Commissioned by the Net Zero Hub and developed in partnership with Arup, the roadmap identifies opportunities, challenges, and investment needs for scaling hydrogen production and use across industrial clusters, transport, and aviation.

Key findings include:

• Hydrogen demand across the region is forecast to reach 40 terawatt hours by 2040, primarily driven by industry, aviation, and transport.

• Up to 2.5 GW of green hydrogen and 6 GW of blue hydrogen production is planned, with significant deployment expected between 2027 and 2030.

• The roadmap outlines multiple scenarios—including reduced production, demand shifts, and distribution constraints—to prepare stakeholders for a range of outcomes.

• Delivery of the roadmap’s vision could support up to 40,000 jobs during construction and attract over £15 billion in investment.

“What we’ve found is that while there are major hydrogen developments in the Humber and Teesside, regions like West Yorkshire need clarity, policy support, and infrastructure certainty to participate effectively,” said Femi during the session. “This roadmap is not just a plan—it’s a call to action for coordinated investment, stakeholder engagement, and regional alignment.”

The study also highlights the importance of localised green hydrogen production, particularly if major blue hydrogen or pipeline projects face delays. Strategic sites for production clusters have been identified to serve industrial demand beyond the reach of national infrastructure like East Coast Hydrogen and Project Union.

The Hydrogen Roadmap is published here, with immediate implications for local authorities, investors, and energy providers working to meet net zero targets by 2050.

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