As I’m sure everyone appreciates, the aim of this debate is to place a real spotlight on the potential that hydrogen has, not only in terms of the environmental impact in Wales, but also the social and economic impacts that we could take advantage of if this sector were to be given the support and opportunity to grow that it deserves. We often think that we're in the vanguard in trying various different things, but as we've heard from Rhun, there are already nations that are implementing this technology. Even in the UK, there are hydrogen buses in places such as Aberdeen and Birmingham, and London is investing in hydrogen buses. I rode a hydrogen bike outside the Senedd just an hour ago. So, the technology is available. What we need to do is to implement it at a scale that will make this sector valuable and allow it to grow, but, simultaneously, ensure that Wales is in the fast lane when it comes to the innovative opportunities that exist with this technology, and, of course, that is the focus of the debate today.

Now, two years ago, Plaid Cymru commissioned a research document looking at the potential of hydrogen from the perspective of decarbonising transport in Wales, and, of course, one of the apparent things is that you need a specific funding source for hydrogen transport schemes. There is much more that we could be doing to use the opportunities provided by the Wales and borders rail franchise, the proposed metros and changing the bus fleet—we need to move swiftly in that direction. There was mention of a tender that's out from Government at the moment, and, certainly, we need a designated team drawn together from universities, local authorities and the Government in order to drive this agenda forward, and people who will draw specific proposals to identify funding sources and to be proactive, to make things happen, rather than just having some sort of drift, where you hope, one day, at some point in the future, things will come together. If we want this to happen, we will have to make it happen, and, clearly, people are looking to Government for leadership in that regard.

We need to do more to ensure that the public sector and private sector institutions decarbonise their fleets and move towards hydrogen, for example, and so on and so forth—there is so much I could say in that area. Rhun has already referred to Riversimple, I had the opportunity to visit the company last year in Llandrindod, and, of course, they have developed a prototype of a vehicle called Rasa. It is an eco-coupé—that is their description of that particular car—and the first model will be, hopefully, on the roads this spring, with the right support, and this is the challenge for Government. Vehicles could be coming off the production line in two years’ time that are light, very efficient and clean, that do not pollute.

The Government is willing to invest in companies such as Aston Martin and the combustion engine, and one recognises that there is room for those at the moment. But that’s yesterday’s technology, to all intents and purposes. Why not give £18 million to someone like Riversimple and invest in tomorrow’s technology? That’s where the innovation is; that’s where the opportunities arise, and that’s the direction of travel. So, my plea is that the Government should set its political sat nav now to ensure that we are moving in the right direction, and hydrogen is part of that.