Green energy projects front and centre of showpiece engineering event

Exciting progress on a major green energy project was front and centre of a showpiece conference today (21 October).

More than 100 attendees signed up to Friday’s Tees Engineering Network event which heard from Protium, px Energy Solutions, and zero emissions motorsport firm the Green Vroom Ltd.

Protium is the UK’s largest Green Hydrogen firm and is working on plans for a hydrogen production facility at Wilton Universal Group’s site, at Haverton Hill.

First announced last year, and due to be completed in 2026, the project site – known as Tees Valley Net Zero – will generate renewable green hydrogen energy, with proposals to supply local manufacturers once it is built.

Once complete, it is envisaged this plant will generate almost 70MW of green hydrogen energy, saving 55,700 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “TEN plays a huge part in supporting our aims of putting local firms front-and-centre as we transform the region, and create well-paid, good-quality jobs for local people.

“We’re already leading the way on Teesside in Hydrogen innovation, carbon capture and storage, and offshore wind. We have a crucial role to play in achieving the UK’s clean energy ambitions – and TEN is a vital cog in linking up talent and local experts in our supply chains with game-changing projects.”

Jon Clipsham, Chief Commercial Officer for Protium, Christine McKie, Managing Director of px Energy Solutions, and Tony Lelliott, Director of the Green Vroom Ltd, all gave speeches at Hartlepool Further Education College.

TEN meets three times a year and offers a chance for local supply chain companies to hear about the region’s projects.

It was set up in 2013 to support the region’s engineering supply chain and provide a forum for networking, with support from the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority.

Jamie Brown, from TEN, said: “We were really excited to see so many attendees at our autumn event. We couldn’t be more on topic with our speakers on hydrogen, energy management, and electric vehicles given everything going on in the region.

“All these were of great interest to engineering SMEs in the Tees Valley.”