Construction has begun on what Aegis Energy claims will be the UK’s first clean multi-energy hub designed specifically for commercial vehicles, with the Sheffield facility expected to open in spring 2027.
The hub, at Smithywood Business Park near the M1 J35, will provide clean refuelling options for vans and trucks, including electric vehicle charging and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).
The former colliery site is intended to become the first in a planned national network of energy hubs serving major motorway and freight corridors across Great Britain.
Aegis Energy said the Sheffield facility will be capable of charging and refuelling more than 100 trucks and vans per day, with multiple vehicles able to use the site simultaneously.
The company estimates that the hub’s electric charging capacity could avoid up to 1.34 million tonnes of CO₂e between 2026 and 2060 compared with a diesel forecourt. Once the site reaches maturity, this is equivalent to taking around 760 diesel HGVs off UK roads each year.
The start of construction was marked by a ground-breaking ceremony attended by Lord Deben, chair of the Council for Net Zero Transport and former secretary of state for the environment.
Lord Deben said the development demonstrated how the freight sector was moving towards decarbonisation.
“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.”
Aegis Energy said the site had been designed around the requirements of fleet operators, with direct access to major motorways and freight routes. It will also feature driver welfare facilities and secure overnight parking.
The development received planning permission from Sheffield City Council following consultation with local stakeholders. Aegis expects it to contribute £28.8m in gross value added during construction and create more than 250 jobs across construction and the wider supply chain.
Michael Shaw, CEO of Aegis Energy, said the project represented the first step towards a wider commercial vehicle infrastructure network.
“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.”
Aegis Energy aims to have a national network of hubs serving every major motorway and freight corridor in Great Britain by 2030.
The company said the infrastructure would be intended to support operators facing increasing pressure to reduce emissions as regulation tightens and demand grows for lower-carbon supply chains.
