Renewable Connections Developments one of the UK’s leading solar and battery developers, will lead on all the planning and development aspects of newly launched company HyGen Energy Limited.  HyGen, a joint venture between Armstrong Capital Management and HydraB, will build, own and operate commercial scale hydrogen production facilities across the UK and Ireland.

• HyGen joint venture between Armstrong Capital Management and HydraB
• Set to roll-out commercial scale hydrogen production facilities across the UK
• Renewable Connections will provide all planning and development activities

It is anticipated that the first hydrogen production facilities will be operational within the next couple of years, securing HyGen’s ambition of becoming one of the UK’s leading provider of low carbon hydrogen.

Andrew Newman, Head of Development and co-founder of Armstrong and Director of Renewable Connections is joining HyGen as its Managing Director.  He said: “It is fantastic that Renewable Connections will be at the forefront of this hydrogen evolution, utilising their industry expertise to help develop these ground-breaking projects.  Currently there are very few viable hydrogen projects happening at a commercial scale, and those that do exist are often grant funded with little private capital in them.  HyGen is being launched at the same time as the hydrogen economy starts in earnest with commercial agreements enabling the deployment of large scale hydrogen projects.”

He added:  “Hydrogen is difficult to store, so we needed a business model where supply and demand were able to grow together; working with Jo Bamford’s hydrogen businesses gives us a unique opportunity to achieve this.  Electrolytic hydrogen creates the opportunity to rewrite business plans, not just for the transportation industry but for renewable energy and storage projects for the next generation.”

Jo Bamford, the owner of HydraB bought Northern Ireland bus manufacturer Wrightbus through the Bamford Bus Company Limited. He has won contracts to supply the world’s first hydrogen double-decker to cities such as London and Aberdeen.  He is Executive Chairman of Ryze Hydrogen, which has existing contracts with Transport for London to provide hydrogen for their bus fleets.

Jo Bamford said: “Following the culmination of many months of discussion with the teams at Armstrong and Renewable Connections, the creation of HyGen Energy is a natural and exciting next step.  With our combined expertise in development, technology, funding and manufacturing, we have a unique opportunity to deploy commercial scale low carbon hydrogen at a cost not seen before in the UK.  We will be building the hydrogen production facilities that will eventually support commercial fleet vehicles across the UK and Northern Ireland, providing a cradle to grave service. ”

HyGen is expecting to  announce a number of exciting relationships and developments as it accelerates and implements its business plans over the coming months.

Photos feature Jo Bamford owner of HydraB