9. Short Debate: Developing the hydrogen energy sector in Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:22 pm on 18 January 2023.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 6:22, 18 January 2023

(Translated)

Thank you very much to Janet Finch-Saunders for presenting this debate. I'm pleased that we are keeping hydrogen on the agenda. It's almost three years, I think, since I led a debate here on hydrogen—I think it was one of the first here in the Senedd; I've presented another one since then. And since then, we've seen the beginnings of a hydrogen industry in Wales. I was very pleased to see the hub in Holyhead being developed. But what's crucially important as we move forward is to identify those sectors where we can make the most use of hydrogen. And I agree entirely that aiming towards using hydrogen on ferries that cross the Irish sea is something that we should be looking at. There is work being done in the fjords in Norway already, where carbon-zero shipping has to be used. Well, let's tie the developments in Holyhead with that ambition for the use of hydrogen on our seas and to produce more green hydrogen in Anglesey, which can possibly be pumped through the old oil pipeline to the industrial areas of north-west England. There are huge opportunities for us.