reater Manchester’s net zero ambitions have been given a major boost by a new partnership with tech giant Panasonic to deploy innovative hydrogen fuel cell technology.
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Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and Mitsutoshi Shigeta, Managing Executive Officer of Panasonic Corporation, Chief Green Transformation Officer (CGXO), signed the agreement on Monday 15 January.
They were joined by representatives from SSE Energy Solutions, Electricity North West, Manchester Metropolitan University and Carlton Power in signing the memorandum of understanding (MoU).
Through the new partnership, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will work with Panasonic to explore the deployment of the company’s RE100 technology at sites across Greater Manchester, including hospitals, in what are set to be the first real use cases in the UK.
SSE Energy Solutions will work with the partners to identify potential trial sites and provide energy infrastructure and generation required, Electricity North West, as the regional power network operator, will oversee the connection to the grid with enhancements and integration to the existing network, and Manchester Metropolitan University (Manchester Met) will contribute leading research and knowledge in the hydrogen and fuel cell industry.
Carlton Power plans to provide green hydrogen from its Trafford scheme, which has been backed by the GMCA and was offered financial support from the UK Government in December 2023.
RE100 harnesses green hydrogen and fuel cells to supply 100 percent renewable electricity in industrial and public sector settings.
The partnership, which is in place for five years, aims to strengthen research and innovation clusters by connecting people, ideas, and sectors, and to create jobs, attract investment, and drive growth – all of which will support Greater Manchester’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2038.
To mark the signing of the new partnership, a delegation from Panasonic and GMCA also visited Manchester Met’s world-leading Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre. ■