Environmental group fears East Midlands authority’s clean energy plan is ‘flawed’

Chairperson Richard Dyer, of the EMCCA Climate Coalition, shares the coalition’s concerns that EMCCA’s Regional Local Area Energy Plan is wrongly underpinned by inaccurate industrial hydrogen assumptions and that emission reductions could be achieved much sooner through electrification.

The coalition claims that estimates for future industrial hydrogen demand as part of energy plans are ‘not fit for purpose’ and could delay industrial electrification and the reduction of harmful emissions.

Mr Dyer, who is also Friends of the Earth East Midlands Regional Campaigner, said: “We welcome much of the ambition in this plan, but its industrial hydrogen assumptions are seriously flawed.

“Hydrogen has an important role where electrification is impractical. But the plan underestimates the potential for industrial electrification while assuming substantial hydrogen consumption without demonstrating how, when or at what cost that hydrogen could be supplied.

“Relying on infrastructure that may not materialise until the mid-2030s risks delaying emissions reductions that could be achieved much sooner through electrification.

“The East Midlands must play its full part in meeting the UK’s carbon budgets.

“That requires an energy plan based on credible industrial demand, a proper assessment of electrification and realistic infrastructure delivery, not unsupported assumptions about hydrogen’s future role.”

The coalition welcomes EMCCA’s energy plan ambitions for building insulation, heat pumps and electric vehicle charging infrastructure but it considers the authority’s methodology used to estimate future industrial hydrogen demand is ‘not fit for purpose’ and it has written to the EMCCA East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward with its concerns.

It argues that estimates rely on insufficiently substantiated assumptions about industrial energy requirements and the potential for electrification while failing to demonstrate how, when or at what cost the necessary hydrogen supplies could be delivered.

The coalition fears this could result in a need for expensive hydrogen infrastructure without adequately established demand or credible supply arrangements.

It is also concerned that the current energy plan could lead to delays with industrial electrification and emissions reductions that could be achieved using existing technologies and that this could all undermine East Midlands’ contribution to meeting the UK’s legally binding carbon budgets.

The coalition stressed that relying on infrastructure that may not materialise until the mid-2030s risks delaying emissions reductions that could be achieved much sooner through electrification.

An EMCCA spokesperson said: “Our Regional and Local Area Energy Plans do not commit EMCCA to building hydrogen infrastructure or to any particular project.

“Electrification is central to the plans and will do much of the work to cut emissions. We must also consider options for industries that are harder to switch to electricity, including the potential role of hydrogen.

“Any future proposal would need to demonstrate credible demand and supply, a realistic delivery timetable, affordability, carbon savings and value for money.

“Long-term energy planning must take account of changing circumstances rather than rely on fixed predictions. Our Digital Twin allows us to test different scenarios and update the plans as evidence, technology, costs and government policy change.

“Mayor Claire Ward has responded to the East Midlands Climate Coalition’s concerns and officers have met its representatives to provide further information. We welcome continued discussion and evidence from the coalition and other partners.

“Our focus is on using this work to attract investment, tackle infrastructure constraints and secure affordable energy for businesses and communities while cutting emissions.”