DAERA Minister Edwin Poots MLA has visited Wrightbus in Ballymena to discuss its ambitious plans for a hydrogen economy in Northern Ireland.
Wrightbus CEO Buta Atwal met the Minister and explained the turnaround of the company since its takeover in 2019 and how their current and future products and services can have a positive impact on the environment and embrace the ethos of Green Growth, announced by Minister Poots in June 2020.
The Executive’s approach to Green Growth will focus on three key themes; Climate Action, Clean Environment and Green Jobs.
Speaking after the meeting and factory tour of Wrightbus, Minister for Environment Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Edwin Poots, said:
“I am keenly aware of Wrightbus’ ambition to grow the hydrogen economy in Northern Ireland and pleased to learn more about their ongoing drive to grow Northern Ireland’s hydrogen economy and create green jobs. Their ambitions here extend well beyond hydrogen buses. They also want to increase the production and distribution of hydrogen fuel, using Northern Ireland’s abundant indigenous wind resources with the final aim to stimulate development of a green hydrogen sector that can operate without government support.
“This will create jobs, improve air quality and build a prosperous economy across Northern Ireland, which aligns very well with the Executive’s Green Growth Strategy, which my Department leads on. The drive to net zero has become even more urgent given the stark findings of the IPCC report published earlier this week and Wrightbus are one of many innovative companies seeking to accelerate Northern Ireland along that path.
“With the UK hosting COP26 in Glasgow in the coming months, the focus for UK government is to accelerate action towards achieving the goals of the Paris agreement and it is companies like Wrightbus that are leading the charge.”
Wrightbus is leading the way in zero emission transport with its world-first hydrogen double-decker bus, the Hydroliner, which it first launched in Aberdeen in January this year. The buses emit only water vapour, with no harmful pollutants. Three zero-emission Hydroliners have been in service in Belfast since last December – which were the first of their kind in Northern Ireland - after the firm won a contract to supply Translink with 20 Hydroliners and 80 of its recently-launched battery-electric Electroliner double decker buses.
In addition to Aberdeen and Belfast, Hydroliners are currently also in operation in London and Dublin, with a fleet expected to launch in Birmingham later this year. So far, its hydrogen buses have prevented an incredible 500,000 kg of CO2 from entering the atmosphere after clocking up more than 300,000 miles.
In July 2021, Wrightbus announced they had won additional orders in the UK and Ireland for its rapid charging double-decker bus, the Electroliner, which has a charge time of just two hours 45 minutes in comparison to the industry standard of between four to five hours.
Ryze Hydrogen, a producer and distributor of green hydrogen and sister company of Wrightbus, is seeking to develop hydrogen infrastructure in Northern Ireland to support the growth in the Hydroliner buses to Belfast over the next few years.
Wrightbus and Ryze Hydrogen Chief Executive Officer, Buta Atwal, said: “We were delighted to welcome Mr Poots to our Ballymena factory and to show him first-hand the ground-breaking work we’re doing at Wrightbus to further zero-carbon transport and quickly develop the wider hydrogen economy. We’re incredibly proud that the buses and technology we’re developing in Ballymena is helping to lead the way globally.
“We firmly believe that building a strong hydrogen economy in Northern Ireland will stimulate a post-Covid green recovery, creating skilled jobs while also helping with the global push towards net zero.”
“We were delighted to welcome
Mr Poots to our Ballymena factory and to show him first-hand the ground-breaking work we’re doing at Wrightbus to further zero-carbon transport and quickly develop the wider hydrogen economy.”Buta Awtal
CEO, Wrightbus
Read more
Wrightbus unveils plan for European growth after incredible start to 2024
Weiter lesenVierter Deal in Deutschland: Cottbusverkehr ordert 46 Wasserstoffbusse von Wrightbus
Weiter lesenWrightbus secures further German order for 46 hydrogen buses
Weiter lesenWrightbus helps Irish city to become one of the first to deploy fully electric bus service
Weiter lesenFirst Bus launches all-electric fleet depot after investing in Wrightbus’s ZE buses
Weiter lesenWrightbus’s zero-emissions vehicle being trialled in Dorset
Weiter lesenWrightbus secures new European order for hydrogen buses
Weiter lesenWrightbus sichert sich neuen Auftrag für 28 Wasserstoffbusse
Weiter lesenWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero-emission buses to London
Weiter lesenShadow Northern Ireland Secretary hails green innovation at Wrightbus
Weiter lesenOxford continues charge to net zero with launch of Wrightbus’s fully electric buses
Weiter lesenWrightbus secures further orders with transport operator Abellio
Weiter lesenNorthern Ireland Minister hails green innovation at Wrightbus
Weiter lesenWrightbus’s zero-emission vehicles set to hit the streets of Norwich
Weiter lesenWrightbus lands significant order for hydrogen-powered buses from Germany
Weiter lesenWrightbus to showcase benefits of hydrogen at Welsh show
Weiter lesenPreparations gather pace for roll out of Wrightbus’s zero-emission buses in Oxford
Weiter lesenWrightbus’s first ever double-deck electric ‘low bridge’ buses launched in Leicester
Weiter lesenMinister of State for Investment Lord Johnson Visits Wrightbus
Weiter lesenWrightbus zero-emission fleet hits the four million miles mark
Weiter lesenWrightbus awarded £12 million funding for NextGenZEB Project
Weiter lesenWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero emission buses to London
Weiter lesenUniversity students on the fast track to success thanks to Wrightbus racing car sponsorship
Weiter lesenArriva London makes further commitment to delivering a sustainable bus network across London.
Weiter lesenFunding Award For Ballymena Hydrogen Production Facility at Wrightbus Site
Weiter lesenWrightbus secures new deal to deliver zero emission buses to Leicester
Weiter lesen£25 million to boost roll-out of British-made green buses around the country
Weiter lesenRecruitment Evening Encourages More Women Into The Workplace
Weiter lesenTransport Secretary hails hydrogen bus production at Wrightbus
Weiter lesenPlans announced for state-of-the-art green hydrogen project at Wrightbus Ballymena
Weiter lesenWrightbus Zero Emission Fleet Hits The Three Million Mark
Weiter lesenFostering is next stop for Norman after 30 years at Wrightbus
Weiter lesenMetroline places order with Wrightbus for zero-emissions buses
Weiter lesenGLASGOW OPEN TOP BUSES WILL SOON BE ONE OF THE GREENEST TOURS IN THE WORLD
Weiter lesenTranslink signs contract with Wrightbus for 100 new Zero Emission buses
Weiter lesenWrightbus showcasing benefits of Hydrogen at Labour & Conservative Conferences
Weiter lesenWrightbus named winners at Responsible Business Awards
Weiter lesenWrightbus to supply hydrogen cell technology to leading Australian bus operator
Weiter lesenFirst Bus places one of UK’s largest ever EV bus orders with Wrightbus
Weiter lesenWrightbus staff form Guard of Honour in tribute to founder Sir William Wright
Weiter lesenWrightbus Boss Jo Bamford praises legacy of Sir William Wright
Weiter lesenWrightbus announced as Ballymena United sponsors for next two football seasons
Weiter lesenNew Sales Director for Parts & Services joins the Wrightbus team
Weiter lesenNTA Announces Historic Agreement for 800 Battery-Electric Double-Deck Buses
Weiter lesenWrightbus signs landmark deal with Australia’s leading bus body manufacturer Volgren
Weiter lesenWrightbus Electroliner Officially World’s Most Efficient Double Deck Battery-Electric Bus
Weiter lesenWrightbus Zero-Emission Hydrogen Buses Travel 1 Million Miles
Weiter lesenThe first Wrightbus Electroliners set to enter passenger service in Belfast
Weiter lesenRecruitment drive continues at leading bus manufacturer Wrightbus
Weiter lesenHydrogen-powered buses on the streets of the West Midlands for the first time.
Weiter lesenMallon unveils the first in Ireland Battery Electric Double Decker Bus for Public Transport
Weiter lesenFortescue Future Industries joins hand with JCB and Ryze Hydrogen
Weiter lesenWrightbus prevents one million kgs of CO2 from entering the atmosphere
Weiter lesenThe UK Hydrogen Roadshow shines spotlight on low carbon hydrogen innovation
Weiter lesenWrightbus creates hundreds of permanent jobs as bus orders flood in
Weiter lesenOur new telemetry system is packed with world-class features
Weiter lesen