The UK Government has given the go-ahead to the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the HyNet North West CO₂ project, a pioneering initiative aimed at channeling captured CO₂ from both industry and blue hydrogen generation into safe, final storage.
Significant approval from the United Kingdom Government
This crucial step will allow the start of the construction, operation and maintenance of the infrastructure necessary for the CO₂ transfer, placing the HyNet project on a clear path towards its realization. Final funding determination is scheduled for September 2024.
This innovative pipeline will be responsible for directing CO₂ to a former natural gas field beneath Liverpool Bay, where it has been estimated that it could hold up to 130 million tons of the gas. In its initial phase, the project has the capacity to store approximately 4.5 million tons of CO₂ annually, with expectations of starting operations in 2025.
By 2030, HyNet aims to have the capacity to generate up to 30 TWh of low-carbon hydrogen annually through four production facilities. EET Hydrogen, formerly known as Vertex Hydrogen, has entered the home stretch of negotiations with the government to establish a 350 MW low-emission hydrogen plant this February (2024), with plans to start construction towards the end of the year and projections for a second 1GW plant.
EET Hydrogen has already reached important agreements last year (2023) to supply more than 1 GW of low-carbon hydrogen to major industrial players within the HyNet cluster. The government’s award of the DCO has been greeted with enthusiasm by the pipeline developer, Eni, whose CEO, Claudio Descalzi, highlighted this achievement as a crucial breakthrough for the birth of a significant industry for the country.
The implementation of the HyNet North West CO₂ HyNet North West pipeline not only represents a significant technological and environmental breakthrough for the UK, but also highlights the growing global trend towards solutions to carbon storage and clean energy production. This project can serve as a model for future global initiatives, demonstrating that collaboration between government and industry can result in innovative solutions that address today’s climate challenges.
It also underscores the importance of moving towards a hydrogen economy as a pillar for achieving carbon neutrality goals, offering valuable lessons on integrating low-carbon technologies into the existing energy infrastructure.
Don’t miss any of our posts and follow us on social media!
Inspenet.com YouTube LinkedIn Facebook Instagram X
Source: www.h2-view.com
Photo: shutterstock