Construction has officially begun in Sheffield on the UK’s first clean, multi-energy hub dedicated to trucks and vans.

Strategically located at Smithywood Business Park near the M1 J35 in Sheffield, a former colliery site, the hub will provide clean refuelling options for vans and trucks, including electric charging and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).

Developed by Aegis Energy, a leading developer of clean commercial vehicle infrastructure, the project marks a significant step forward in the company’s planned nationwide network of clean energy refuelling sites.

Scheduled to open in spring 2027, the site has been designed specifically with fleet operators in mind, with direct access to major motorways and freight corridors. It will also include modern driver welfare facilities, as well as secure overnight parking capacity, reflecting Aegis Energy’s commitment to placing driver satisfaction, retention and wellbeing at the core of the transition process.

As the first facility of its kind in the UK, the site sets a benchmark for the infrastructure needed to support the transition to low-carbon logistics. Domestic transport remains one of the UK’s highest-emitting sectors, accounting for 31% of the UK’s net greenhouse gas emissions, and with tightening regulation alongside growing customer demand for greener supply chains, operators are under increasing pressure to decarbonise. To do this, they need access to reliable infrastructure designed specifically for their needs.

Aegis Energy’s model is designed to fill that gap. Once operational, the Sheffield hub will have the capacity to recharge and refuel multiple vans and trucks simultaneously. Electric charging at the hub is estimated to avoid up to 1.34 million tonnes of CO₂e between 2026 and 2060, equivalent to taking around 760 diesel HGVs off UK roads each year once the site reaches maturity.

The start of construction was officially celebrated with a breaking ground ceremony attended by Lord Deben, chair of the Council for Net Zero Transport and former Secretary of State for the Environment.

Planning permission was granted by Sheffield City Council following close consultation with local stakeholders. The development is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the local area, including £28.8m in gross value added during construction and the creation of more than 250 jobs across the construction and supply chain.

The landmark new site forms part of Aegis Energy’s plan to have a national network of hubs connected to and servicing every major motorway and freight corridor in the UK by 2030, creating the foundation of a cleaner commercial transport system.

Michael Shaw, CEO of Aegis Energy, said: “Decarbonising commercial transport starts with building the right infrastructure in the right places, and Sheffield is exactly that kind of location. As our first hub moves into construction, we are taking an important step in building a national network that gives fleet operators the practical, reliable infrastructure they need to transition.

“This hub will support cleaner air, local jobs and economic growth, while strengthening the links that keep goods moving around the UK. We are proud to be bringing this investment to Sheffield and to be helping drive the shift to a lower-carbon future for commercial transport.”

Lord Deben added: “As Britain approaches its vital, generational challenge of combatting climate change, it is important that decarbonisation stretches to every corner of our industrial landscape.

“Freight, once a sector that was thought to be near-impossible to abate, is proving to be anything but; customers are demanding change, investment is flooding in, and new infrastructure is under way.

Clean charging hubs will form the backbone of a new, decarbonised network of freight corridors across the UK, and I am delighted to see construction begin at Aegis Energy’s project in Sheffield.”