Sub-Cluster Groups

Hydrogen East has established four Sub-Cluster Groups, each focusing on a sector where the East of England has unique strengths and opportunities for hydrogen and alternative fuel demands.

These groups are pivotal in guiding the region’s hydrogen development, facilitating cross-sector collaboration, and identifying innovative hydrogen applications.

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Agriculture

A cornerstone of the East Anglian economy, agriculture presents vast opportunities for integrating hydrogen technologies. The Agriculture Sub-Cluster Group aims to:

  • Enhance agricultural efficiency and reduce emissions through the adoption of alternative fuel-powered machinery and vehicles, aligning with the sector’s sustainability goals.
  • Explore hydrogen’s role in green fertiliser production, offering a pathway to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural practices.
  • Demonstrate how hydrogen and hydrogen related projects can support large estate carbon reduction and sustainability goals through colocation of projects and collaborative approaches to assets and infrastructure.

Transport​

The Transport Sub-Cluster Group explores the application of hydrogen across various modes of transport, recognising the sector’s significant potential for reducing carbon emissions. This group focuses on:

  • Trains, HGVs, and Maritime Fuels: Investigating hydrogen’s role in providing alternative fuel options for trains, heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), and shipping. The group targets major transportation hubs such as Freeport East and Felixstowe, vital for the region’s logistics and shipping industries.
  • Collaboration between Hydrogen Clusters and Ports will be essential in linking the UK’s major assets, supporting transportation of bulk fuels, point to point and back to base refuelling options complete will associated infrastructure.
  • Off-road vehicles and non-road machinery: Addressing the carbon footprint of large-scale construction projects like Sizewell C. The group is exploring hydrogen fuel solutions for construction plant equipment, aligning with the industry’s growing commitment to sustainability.

Aviation

With the increasing focus on reducing aviation’s carbon footprint, the Aviation Sub-Cluster Group is exploring:

  • Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Production: Capitalising on the East of England’s robust energy generation and infrastructure to produce SAF. The region’s strategic positioning supports the supply of SAF to major airports like Norwich and Stansted, and beyond, meeting the growing demand for cleaner aviation fuels.
  • Major Opportunities for SAF: Leveraging local renewable energy resources to establish the East of England as a key producer of SAF, contributing to national decarbonisation efforts in the aviation sector.
  • Supporting collaboration and joined up thinking between regional transport bodies to ensure there is a suitable, efficient, decarbonised and sustainable approach to transportation to and from airports and other transport network links.

Infrastructure

Recognising the role of infrastructure in the hydrogen economy, the Infrastructure Sub-Cluster group focuses on:

  • Holistic Multi-Network Design – integrated strategic planning across all utility networks, building on HND for power, but stacking hydrogen, telecoms, water, and transport.

  • Pipeline and Cabling Networks: Exploring the development and optimisation of the region’s extensive pipeline and cabling infrastructure to support hydrogen distribution and storage.

  • Transport Routes and Interconnectors: Assessing the potential of existing transport routes and the strategic importance of the two interconnectors connecting Bacton to Europe. These assets are crucial for the regional hydrogen economy, enabling cross-border energy trade and enhancing energy security.