Transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has joined Hydrogen South West, the partnership of leading businesses and innovators aiming to develop the UK’s leading zero-emission hydrogen infrastructure in the region.
Formed last year, Hydrogen South West (HSW) is investigating ways to decarbonise transport, commerce and power in the region while driving sustainable growth, upskilling the workforce and delivering job opportunities. 
Focusing on key sectors such as shipping, aviation and housing as well as industry, the consortium is made up of leading companies active in the region, ranging from aerospace giants Airbus and GKN, both with major plants at Filton, to Bristol Port, Bristol Airport and Wales & West Utilities.
Other members include Hynamics, a specialist subsidiary of French energy group EDF, engineering and construction firms Costain and WSP, and airline easyJet, the largest operator out of Bristol Airport.
The collaboration creates links between supply and demand centres in the region and enables cross-sector partnerships to accelerate the development of hydrogen infrastructure and technology.
WBD partner sponsor for net zero Jonathan Bower, pictured – who is based in the firm’s Bristol office and also heads its planning and infrastructure team – said joining Hydrogen South West provided WBD with the opportunity to work alongside world-class organisations leading the research and development in the fast-growing hydrogen space.
“As a firm leading the way on green change and advising a wide range of clients on the delivery of clean and innovative energy projects in the UK and across the globe, we look forward to contributing our experience and skills which will help deliver vital development of hydrogen infrastructure in the region, building on the huge progress already made,” he added.
WBD, which has seven other offices across the UK, has been advising both of the UK’s carbon capture clusters – Hynet NW and the East Coast Cluster – and is also a member of the Scottish and Solent decarbonisation clusters.
Alongside these the firm has been working with stakeholders on a range of hydrogen projects ranging from a major multi-million-pound hydrogen joint venture to UK-wide green hydrogen hubs.
Carbon reduction is a key pillar in WBD’s ESG (environmental, social and governance) strategy, with firm-wide endeavours to reduce emissions and lead action on a sustainable transition in the industry.
WBD, which was among the first in the UK legal sector to announce a commitment to achieving net zero by 2030, procures renewable energy in four of its eight UK offices, with nearly 80% of the electricity coming from renewable sources.
A founding and executive member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, WBD also received a gold rating from EcoVadis, the world’s largest provider of business sustainability ratings, and recently was included in the inaugural Legal 500 Green Guide as one of the UK law firms leading the way on climate change.
Bristol and the South West are already playing significant roles in developing a zero-emission hydrogen infrastructure.
These include making Bristol Airport the UK’s first largescale aviation hydrogen hub and conducting research and development at the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) building on the Bristol and Bath Science Park into using hydrogen to heat and power homes, workplaces and public buildings as well as for transport.
