Friday 20th June 2025: Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, has today completed a visit to Tyseley Energy Park to witness world-leading clean energy technologies.
Mayor Parker’s visit saw him exploring opportunities to accelerate the development of Birmingham's Green Innovation Quarter as part of Tyseley Energy Park’s mission to transform clean energy innovation in Birmingham and the West Midlands.
During the visit, organised by Councillor Zafar Iqbal, Ward Councillor for Tyseley and Hay Mills, Mayor Parker met with industry leaders, academics, and entrepreneurs transforming East Birmingham into a clean energy powerhouse.
The Mayor toured operational facilities demonstrating the commercial viability of breakthrough technologies, including the UK's only rare earth magnet recycling plant, hydrogen fuel production systems, and renewable energy generation assets.
The visit provided Mayor Parker with detailed insights into the strategic priorities developed by the Tyseley Partnership, which include a three-year target for £100 million in infrastructure investment alongside broader aspirations for over £1 billion in comprehensive development across the Birmingham Green Innovation Quarter.
These objectives align directly with his manifesto commitments around jobs, homes, growth, and journeys, whilst complementing his recent success in securing the West Midlands Investment Zone which has the potential to deliver £5.5 billion of investment and create 30,000 jobs in the region, many of them in advanced manufacturing and green energy.
Mayor Parker experienced demonstrations of cutting-edge technologies operated by companies including Hypromag, Hygen, National Grid, and the University of Birmingham's Energy Innovation Centre. The tour showcased the breadth of innovation taking place across the 17-acre site, from the world's first hydrogen-powered kitchen to advanced materials recycling systems that support supply chain security for critical technologies.
Reflecting on the visit to Tyseley Energy Park, Major Parker said: “Tyseley Energy Park is at the cutting edge of my plan for the West Midlands to lead a clean energy revolution. This technology will benefit the region and others across the UK. It’s the kind of innovation we’re driving to develop solutions to the energy problems we face now and to find ways to generate greener, more reliable, and sustainable energy for our future generations. By investing in clean and green energy, we can create jobs, help business to reduce emissions and cut costs - leading to wellbeing, prosperity, and growth.”
Cllr Zafar Iqbal said: “The need to deliver inclusive growth in the Tyseley and Hay Mills and across East Birmingham has never been stronger and now is the time to enact change by providing access to skills and jobs within the low carbon economy and building on the regions ambition for a net zero future.
“We were delighted to welcome Richard Parker to Tyseley Energy Park to highlight how they are working towards delivering low and zero carbon innovation for the region, and for the UK as a whole, through the development of clean energy and circular economy initiatives.”
David Horsfall, Director of Property and Sustainability at Tyseley Energy Park highlighted the site's demonstration capabilities: "The Mayor's visit underscores the unique value proposition of Tyseley Energy Park as a location where clean energy concepts become commercial reality. With our 300-year industrial heritage providing the foundation for innovation, we offer policymakers and investors the opportunity to witness how breakthrough technologies scale from laboratory research to operational deployment."
The visit reinforces the strategic importance of Birmingham as one of five Energy Innovation Zones developed through the Energy Capital Partnership, bringing the public, private, and third sectors together to directly support the Government's mission to establish the UK as a clean energy superpower by 2030. Tyseley Energy Park operates as the anchor for this designation, with operational assets demonstrating commercial viability and expansion plans including the National Centre for Decarbonisation of Heat.
For media enquiries, please contact: Mahvish Hussain, Marketing Assistant, Tyseley Energy Park Email: mh@whgroup.org | Tel: 0121 772 2555