We welcome today’s announcement regarding the UK’s new climate targets. It demonstrates the scale of the challenge that reaching Net Zero will be. We will continue to work with Government to reach this target and continue to develop the gas network, a national UK asset.
This target builds upon the recently published 10 point plan which established the clear role that hydrogen will play in the UK’s future energy scenarios.
Projects such as HyNet North West are a great example of how the combination of Hydrogen and Carbon Capture technology will deliver the UK’s Net Zero ambition whilst delivering economic growth and green jobs and see the north west as the heart of the UK’s hydrogen economy.
Hydeploy – The first step on the hydrogen journey
Blending is a step in the right direction when it comes to Net Zero,If a 20% hydrogen blend was rolled out across the country it could save around 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, the equivalent of taking 2.5 million cars off the road.
HyDeploy is working towards this goal. It is a ground-breaking green energy trial at Keele University, Staffordshire, that could help Britain cut its carbon emissions and open the door to a low-carbon hydrogen economy.
The HyDeploy demonstration is injecting up to 20% (by volume) of hydrogen into Keele University’s existing natural gas network, feeding 100 homes and 30 faculty buildings. The 20% hydrogen blend is the highest in Europe, together with a similar project being run by Engie in Northern France. I am pleased to report it is going well and there are plans for this project to be rolled out in the North East next year.
Hynet North West – Building a hydrogen future
HyNet North West will play a critical role in the world’s fight against climate change, accelerating the UK’s transition to ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
As a collection of world-leading organisations coming together to develop HyNet North West, a hydrogen network will produce, store and distribute hydrogen to decarbonise the North West of England and North Wales. Together with carbon capture and storage (CCS), these technologies have the potential to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 10 million tonnes every year by 2030 – the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road.
The project is a game-changer. It will realise the potential of the hydrogen economy through the creation of state- of-the-art infrastructure. It will offer a viable alternative to the use of natural gas, providing a safe transition to a decarbonised world.
- HyNet North West will provide a lasting legacy for generations to come in North West England and North Wales. It will establish the region as a world leader in clean energy innovation, building on its rich industrial heritage with new solutions to combat climate change, and promoting the area as an attractive place for businesses to operate and invest.
- HyNet North West is a regional project with national and global benefits. According to a 2020 report from the UK Hydrogen Taskforce, scaling up hydrogen solutions in the UK could support 75,000 jobs by 2035. This would offer opportunities for people in North West England and North Wales, and further afield, to develop new skillsets and train to work in exciting new sectors.
- HyNet North West offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to effect real change in energy production and consumption, creating the building blocks for a safer and cleaner world for generations to come.
Next steps
As well as the above projects, we’re involved in various other hydrogen projects such as H21 and H100 which recently received funding. We look forward to working with government to achieve the UK’s Net Zero ambition and delivering projects such as Hynet North West which will be crucial to a greener, cleaner future.