COP 29: Keir Starmer references Barrow project in speech

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves told parliament as part of her October budget that she is providing funding for 11 green hydrogen projects across England, Scotland and Wales as part of a bid to make Britain a ‘clean energy superpower’.

The funding will support the development of a green hydrogen project in Barrow powered by 100 per cent renewables which will be the first of its type to be built in the UK.

Starmer made reference to Barrow as part of the UK's goal to achieve clean power in his speech at the Cop29 conference in Baku on November 12. 

He said: "We are on a mission to achieve clean power by 2030. We launched Great British Energy, a clean British Energy company, to improve our energy resilience, bring down people's bills and create the next generation of good, well-paid jobs. 

"We set up the National Wealth Fund, to invest in tomorrow's key industries, to build the infrastructure, the wind farms, solar farms and the grid infrastructure to power and connect our country for decades to come. Because make no mistake, the race is on for the clean energy jobs of the future.

"I want to get ahead of the game. Whether that’s with carbon capture – in Teesside and Merseyside, where last month, I announced funding for Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage projects that will create 4,000 new jobs, using the skills of oil and gas communities, as we accelerate towards Net Zero. 

"Or green hydrogen, with investment announced in last month's Budget, for 11 green hydrogen projects across Britain, from Bridgend to Barrow in Furness.

"This is good news for the people of Britain. It’s good for our businesses. It’s good for our country. And it’s good for the planet."

The Barrow Green Hydrogen project will be run by energy company Carlton Power and will be built on land adjacent to Kimberly Clark’s facility on Park Road (A590).

It is targeted to enter operation in 2026/27.