£5 billion investment confirmed for Cheshire and North West industries
Cheshire West and Chester Council has welcomed the news that the government has given a major decarbonisation project in the region the go ahead.
The HyNet project will help to unlock the decarbonisation of industry in the area, providing employment opportunities, whilst helping to reduce carbon emissions in the borough. The project will secure £5 billion of private sector capital to enable re-industrialisation of the region and help local companies compete in international low carbon markets.
HyNet is part of a £22bn pledge, over the next 25 years for projects to capture and store carbon emissions from energy, industry and hydrogen production. It will be focused on two 'carbon capture clusters' in Cheshire and Teesside, which will create thousands of jobs, attract private investment and help the UK meet climate goals.
The news was announced today by the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State for Net Zero and Energy at Encirc, an international glass production plant, based in Elton in west Cheshire and a partner of HyNet.
Emissions from industrial processes make up the largest single component of west Cheshire’s total emissions and this project will help to kick start the area’s green industrial revolution and play its part in helping the borough become carbon neutral by 2045.
HyNet is one of the most significant transformational projects in ORIGIN Ellesmere Port, which consists of 1,300 businesses supporting employment for 24,100 people. There are four distinctive development zones, which have attracted multi-million investment to date including Regatta, Jaguar Land Rover / DHL, Westland Horticulture, Marks and Spencer, EET Fuels, Peel (Protos), URENCO, Cheshire Oaks and Stellantis. The ORIGIN area forecasts an increase to 1,463 businesses, providing employment for 30,000 people by 2040.
Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “This investment is a vitally important step in the country’s journey to net zero, and towards our local vision for creating the world’s first net zero industrial area in ORIGIN by 2040. Our aspiration is for a west Cheshire which avoids, reduces and mitigates carbon emissions at the earliest possible stage; using carbon capture and storage to manage residual emissions for critically important industries. The investment in hydrogen infrastructure enabled by the decision today will also support the medium-term transition to electrolytic hydrogen derived from renewable energy, ensuring we move towards a fully decarbonised energy system.
"It is important to make sure this major investment in our area provides benefits for local people, enabling them to access jobs and new opportunities and develop new skills for the green economy. We would also anticipate that this large-scale development will support our businesses through engagement with local supply chains. The Council will continue to champion this message to make sure that the positive impacts of the project are realised locally.”
David Parkin, Chair of the HyNet Alliance said: “HyNet was formed to meet the demands of industry wanting to decarbonise to deliver sustainable products and compete in the global low carbon economy. We need to decarbonise, not be de-industrialising, but by investing in the industries that we rely on for the every day products in our lives - from the glass bottles we use for our food and drink to the cement we use to build roads and buildings.
“Government’s commitment to HyNet will also enable generation of resilient low carbon power, right here in the industrial North West and North Wales, supporting its Clean Power 2030 Mission.
“This will create new roles and safeguard existing jobs, attracting investment and catalysing growth.”
Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington has worked closely with the Council and partners to secure this investment for the region.
Read the Government’s official announcement about the project here.