Earlier this year, Government launched a process to determine the sequence in which it would support the decarbonisation of regional industry clusters across the UK. This process has placed the clusters in the following two ‘tracks’:
- Track 1: begin decarbonising industry from 2025
- Track 2: begin decarbonising industry from around 2030.
The HyNet partners are delighted to announce that HyNet has been chosen for Track 1 and will proceed with decarbonising the North West and North Wales from 2025.
David Parkin, HyNet Project Director said:
“We are delighted that HyNet has been selected to progress within Track 1 of the industrial decarbonisation Cluster Sequencing process.
“HyNet is led by the demand from organisations and stakeholders across the North West of England and North Wales, who all want to reduce carbon emissions to Net Zero. From as soon as 2025, the project will enable our manufacturing sector across the region to decarbonise, as well as providing the opportunity to transition the way we travel and how we heat our homes.
“HyNet brings huge economic benefits, safeguarding existing jobs across the region and creating around 6,000 new employment opportunities to support the levelling up of the UK.
“The project partners are ready to deliver and, as one of the first industrial decarbonisation clusters, we will play a big part in shaping the country’s hydrogen economy, positioning the UK as a global leader in the sector.
“We are looking forward to working closely with Government and the other clusters to deliver and grow the infrastructure as rapidly as possible, both in breadth and depth, over the coming years.”
Commenting on the decision to give HyNet North West Track 1 status, Secretary of State, Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP said:
“This firmly puts the UK as the world leader in clean energy. The ability of HyNet to transform the North West, safeguarding jobs, creating new ones and positioning the region at the forefront of green innovation is hugely exciting. The project has been unique from the start in the breadth of businesses involved with it, from glass manufacturers, to cereal producers. I look forward to watching how the project progresses and to seeing the contribution it makes in helping the UK meet its ambitious climate targets.”
Justin Madders MP and Andy Carter MP, co-chairs of the cross-party coalition group for HyNet North West, also said:
“This decision is a huge vote of confidence in the businesses across the North West and their ambitious plans to transform the local economy, putting the UK at the cutting edge of green technologies. We are particularly excited that this project will not only help the UK’s wider mission of reaching Net Zero, but be a catalyst for jobs across industries that have so much potential in the region. There are more than 340,000 manufacturing jobs in the North West and this project getting the go-ahead is a ringing endorsement of the businesses in the area. As co-chairs of the cross-party coalition, we look forward to working with the UK Government to ensure HyNet delivers on its ambitious commitments in the years to come.”
You can find out more about the Cluster Sequencing process here.
You can read our press release here.