For the first Hydrogen Week UK, which kicked off yesterday (February 13), H2 View is taking a dive into the key regions of the UK that are seemingly forging a path for the emerging hydrogen economy.
The North West was identified two years ago as the UK’s leading region for green investments and hydrogen according to Net Zero North West’s Economic Investment Prospectus.
Read more: The Northwest identified as the UK’s leading region for green investment and hydrogen, says report
At the time of the report, a total of £207bn ($250bn) was invested in green projects across the region Since then, further projects and investments have kept the region at the front of the UK’s low-carbon hydrogen charge.
None more so than the nation’s flagship hydrogen cluster, HyNet, which comprises five key elements: hydrogen production by Vertex Hydrogen; hydrogen transport network via underground pipeline by Cadent; hydrogen storage by INOVYN; CO2 transport via underground pipeline by Eni; and CO2 undersea storage by Eni.
HyNet is targeting 350MW of low carbon hydrogen capacity by 2025, rising to 30TWh a year by 2030 – and it also aims to store 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year by the end of the decade.
In August 2022, six HyNet projects got the go-ahead from the UK Government to begin reducing CO2 emissions from industry from the mid-2020s.
Read more: Six HyNet project receive go-ahead from UK Government
In January last year, Vertex, a joint venture between Essar and Progressive Energy announced plans to establish 1GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity across two units from 2026.
Read more: Plans unveiled for 1GW hydrogen production hub in the UK
Hydrogen at the site will be produced from waste fuel gas from Essar Standlow, as well as natural gas, which will be converted by Vertex Hydrogen into hydrogen, with carbon dioxide captured and stored underground offshore in Liverpool Bay.
Aside from the physical project, offtake agreements have begun to ramp up over the past 24 months. In 2023 alone, Vertex Hydrogen has signed two offtake agreements for glass and chemicals production.
Read more: Vertex Hydrogen signs offtake agreement with Pilkington UK
Read more: Tata Chemicals Europe signs low-carbon hydrogen offtake agreement to clean up UK operations
Most notably however, Progressive Energy and Cadent signed an agreement with Manchester Airport in November 2022 to explore establishing a direct hydrogen fuel pipeline.
The partners aim to deliver hydrogen to the aviation sector at the earliest opportunity, through the connection of Manchester Airport to a pipeline being developed by HyNet.
With the planned connection, the airport aims to be the first to establish a direct pipeline of hydrogen to supply any of its 60-plus airlines with the low-carbon fuel, forming part of wider plans to decarbonise aviation.
With Manchester Airport becoming a member of the North West Hydrogen Alliance (NWHA), Prof. Joe Howe, Chair of the NWHA and Executive Director, Energy Research Institute at the University of Chester, said, “The partnership between Manchester Airport and HyNet is a great example of how hydrogen can play a leading role in delivering Net Zero ambitions on a monumental scale here in the North West.”
The North West has also received focus from other hydrogen players. Carlton Power in October (2022) secured planning permission for the development of a 200MW green hydrogen scheme in Trafford, Manchester.
Read more: Carlton Power secures planning permission for Manchester’s first hydrogen hub
The plans were welcomed by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, who said it would spur on industry and transport operators in the region to accelerate their plans to use green hydrogen and achieve Net Zero carbon targets.
Steps forward for the North West
Despite clear progress made within the region, the North West’s steps forward come against the backdrop of a UK Government looking to give hydrogen a renewed push. After months of q calls for more hydrogen support, this month (February), the Government has announced big changes.
Last week (February 7), UK PM Rishi Sunak announced a restructuring of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), seeing it split up into new departments.
Read more: Industry reacts to UK Government department shake-up
These are Energy Security and Net Zero; Science, Innovation, and Technology; Business and Trade; and Culture, Media, and Sport.
The following day, the new Department of Energy Security and Net Zero outlined plans for a globally recognised low-carbon hydrogen certification scheme to promote cross-border trade whilst stimulating growth and jobs in green hydrogen.
Read more: UK Government outlines plans for low-carbon hydrogen certification scheme
All that and more will be in focus at Hydrogen Week UK’s flagship event at the Spine in Liverpool today (February 14), bringing together local, regional, and national stakeholders to discuss progress made in the region.
The one-day conference, hosted by the North West Hydrogen Alliance will host Progressive Energy, Cadent, INOVYN, Vertex Hydrogen, Carlton Power, Pilkington Glass, Peel Ports, and Equans.
With a keynote address expected from Liverpool’s Mayor, Steve Rotherham, the event will host commentary for individual across the sector, from investors and policymakers to businesses already in the market as well as those looking to enter.