The government has approved the HyNet green project in Ellesmere Port.
For those investment planning in Cheshire and its energy industry, the hydrogen production hub is predicted to create thousands of new jobs.
The hydrogen production hub is scheduled to be constructed at the Stanlow oil refinery and is predicted to unlock circa £5.5 billion in investment, whilst generating 6,000 jobs across the area, including 2,000 locally during the construction phase. Building will commence in 2028.
This is the latest phase of the Net Zero Industrial Cluster plan, an ambitious programme of clean energy projects worth £30 billion, designed to eliminate over 40 million tonnes of atmospheric carbon, whilst driving investment and safeguarding employment.
The refinery owner, EET Fuels, is developing a parallel hydrogen facility to help decarbonise operations on the site. The HyNet scheme has benefitted from a government grant, facilitating £2 billion in supply chain deals with local businesses across the area, boosting carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Liverpool Bay.
A similar project, Net Zero Teesside, is already under way in the North East, and the government hopes the two schemes will make the UK a major global player in CCUS and hydrogen. It is anticipated the two projects combined will remove over 8.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions per annum, which is the equivalent of removing approximately 4 million vehicles from roads.
The scheme has been warmly welcomed by Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington, which called it a major ‘milestone’ that will enhance the area’s goal of becoming the most sustainable, healthy, inclusive and thriving economy in the country.
