Why Hydrogen?
Hydrogen is a game-changing source of energy that can be used as both a raw material for industry and as a clean power source for transport, industry, business and the home.
The project will underpin Britain’s energy security and support the Government’s ambitions to ramp up hydrogen use as a clean fuel to enable us to meet legally binding targets to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Government recently doubled the amount of hydrogen it wants to see produced in the UK by 2030.
The best way to find out more about hydrogen, the fuel of the future and what we’re doing in this space is by clicking here.
In order to facilitate hydrogen being used as a clean fuel in the UK, storage will be essential to respond quickly to peaks in demand. Currently, hydrogen cannot be stored in the national transmission system at the scale that natural gas can.
The North West is seen as a key location for hydrogen production and carbon capture, partly due to its natural assets and partly due to the significant presence of established, energy intensive industries that need to cut their carbon emissions.
It is planned for the KGSP to connect to HyNet North West – the regional hydrogen and carbon capture project planned to produce, store and transport hydrogen around the North West – helping to decarbonise our industries from the mid-2020s. By 2030, HyNet will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10 million tonnes every year, the equivalent of taking 4 million cars off the road.
What are the benefits?
There will be several benefits to delivering the project and changing the consent to give the option of storing hydrogen:
Providing a flexible and secure supply of clean energy to underpin the UK’s energy security and transition to net zero emissions
Storing enough hydrogen to heat 100,000 homes every year
An investment of more than £600million
Up to 300 construction jobs and 30 operational jobs
Supporting INOVYN’s businesses at Runcorn by providing brine, which is essential to ongoing operations
A community benefit fund similar to the funds previously in place for the other existing gas storage projects at the Holford Brinefield, where £30,000 is made available for local community projects each year of main construction
