The UK is now locked into a Net Zero CO2 2050 target by the Climate Change Act. To achieve this, urgent delivery of Cluster-based industrial decarbonisation is essential. Local NW industry has responded to the UK Net Zero-carbon target and articulated that joint working on solutions is needed.

The area has seen recent investment in facilities to unlock industrial decarbonisation with plans for scaled hydrogen production to make a major step change in the supply of energy.

The roadmap will start to develop a plan to decarbonise to Net Zero all green-house gas emissions associated with the industrial production across the geography -- seeking a rapid reduction in emissions within the 2020's in keeping with both national and local political declarations, and defining no-regret pathways to 2050 that consider future scenarios. The primary focus is on the industrial emissions of Cheshire, parts of North East Wales, Warrington, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester. Broader industrial CO2 emissions and clean energy prospects in Lancashire and Cumbria will be considered in aggregate. Many businesses are remote from major emitters and a plan must consider these also.

A roadmap that encompasses this large geography is viewed as essential in order to understand the strategic infrastructure investment required to balance sufficient production and supply of energy from clean sources.

The project was initiated by the North West Energy and Hydrogen Cluster, uniting industry around a common vision for rapid decarbonisation. The North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT) will help coalesce the various interests and meets regularly to further the establishment of a Net Zero carbon industrial Cluster by 2040.