Hydrogen hub will transform the energy landscape 

The UK has committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and has a target to generate 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. In the North West region - the UK’s industrial heartland – achieving this will mean finding a way to decarbonize industry while still driving economic growth. With a high concentration of automotive, aerospace and pharmaceutical manufacturers, it is responsible for about 11 percent of UK emissions.

To build a low carbon economy, the region needs a clean energy source like hydrogen to supplement other renewable energy sources, as well as the infrastructure to transport and store it.  

HyNet North West is the leading project in the UK working to locally produce, transport and store low carbon hydrogen. EET Hydrogen’s HPP1 plant was selected to progress as one of two large-scale low carbon hydrogen production hubs, with an initial phase producing 1.35GW of hydrogen capacity and capturing some 2.5 million tons of carbon per annum.

Bringing together proven technology and infrastructure  

Penspen, Sidara’s global energy specialist, is engineering the natural gas pipeline and infrastructure required for the production hub. The hydrogen will be produced in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, and transported through underground pipelines and stored in repurposed salt caverns. Demonstrations at Pilkington Glass and Unilever have already shown how the switch from natural gas to hydrogen could work, with over 40 organizations signing up to decarbonize through HyNet.

Re-engineering a future around clean energy 

By 2030, EET Hydrogen expects to deliver nearly 4GW of low carbon hydrogen, contributing significantly to the UK government’s target. The organization is investing £1B in the UK’s North West to enable businesses to switch from fossil fuels to low carbon energy, aiming to reduce CO₂ emissions across the region by a quarter starting in the mid-2020s and by 10 million tons every year by 2030.

The hydrogen from the hub can also be blended into the existing gas network for heating homes and businesses and used to generate electricity when other renewables are not online, which will increasingly fuel transportation like buses and trains.