The North East is the UK’s leading hydrogen hub, with two major blue hydrogen projects shortlisted for support from the government’s £1bn Infrastructure Fund.
The large-scale projects – both in Tees Valley – are Kellas Midstream’s H2NorthEast development and bp’s H2Teesside, part of The Northern Endurance Partnership’s East Coast Cluster.
They are included in Phase-2 of the Carbon Capture Usage and Storage Cluster (CCUS) Sequencing Process, announced by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy.
This means the North East now has considerably more hydrogen projects than anywhere else in the country. It’s the only cluster shortlisted for two blue hydrogen projects, and is also home to the UK’s largest independently owned hydrogen production plant operated by BOC, along with several ongoing green hydrogen projects.
Philip Aldridge, CEO of The North East of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC), praised the news, saying: “The BEIS Phase-2 announcement is excellent news for our region and really cements the North East as the hydrogen hub of the UK and a global ‘Super Place’ for hydrogen.”
“Almost half of the UK’s Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) projects are based in the North East, which demonstrates our commitment to lead on CCUS initiatives.
“Not only will this create thousands of jobs and attract investment across the local landscape, but it’s also a huge step in the future distribution of low-carbon power that will be essential to the long-term sustainability of many businesses throughout the area.”
