The UK has passed legislation to deliver Net Zero emissions by 2050. Significant progress has been, and continues to be made, in the decarbonisation of the power sector. However, very little progress has been made in the decarbonisation of the 'hard to reach' sectors of the economy such as industry, heat and heavy transport.

HyNet was conceived in 2016 as a hydrogen / CCUS project to provide a decarbonisation pathway in the North West. The initial focus is on industrial decarbonisation, at the same time as building the infrastructure for the transition to a full regional hydrogen economy.

The North West of the UK houses one of the largest and most mature industrial clusters in the UK. This industrial cluster is in a geographic area which includes parts of North East Wales, Cheshire, Warrington, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester, and generates approximately 6 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. This area is home to approximately 4 million people.

Decarbonisation of this entire industrial cluster to net-zero levels, in line with the Industrial Clusters Mission, offers the chance to position it as a world leading clean manufacturing hub which will attract new customers and investment.

The HyNet project is centred on the industrial complex on the south bank of the Mersey between Ellesmere Port and Runcorn. Bulk low carbon hydrogen production facilities will be constructed onsite at Stanlow Refinery (the HyNet Hydrogen Supply Project), providing hydrogen for industrial fuel switching, blending into the local gas distribution network, transport applications and flexible power generation. The HyNet CCUS network will provide the infrastructure to transport and store the carbon dioxide produced as a by-product of the hydrogen production process.

A number of the UK's largest point source industrial emitters are located in this cluster, including Stanlow Refinery itself and will form 'anchor' customers for the CCUS transport and storage network. The CCUS network will principally use existing oil and gas assets to transport the CO2 to the Liverpool Bay fields and sequester it in depleted gas reservoirs. HyNet is one of the lowest cost, lowest risk, most deliverable CCUS projects in the UK.

HyNet has been in development for over 3 years, and is now ready to enter a FEED programme of engineering and permitting activities to reach a Final Investment Decision. This project will undertake the FEED phase planning and costing activity.