05.08.2025

HyNet build-out boosts jobs and economic growth to further support carbon capture in the North West and North Wales  

  • Ten projects now in negotiations phase to join the HyNet CO2 transport and storage network. This will unlock skilled jobs in the region and low carbon power. 
  • Five projects classified as Priority which includes two new projects of Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power and Ince Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (InBECCS) alongside three existing projects; Protos Energy Recovery Facility (Encyclis), Padeswood Cement Plant (Heidelberg Materials), and Hydrogen Production Plant 1 (EETH). 
  • Five projects have also been selected as standby projects to connect to the network in the future, depending on future capacity. 
  • Projects on the standby list will also be critical to protecting and decarbonising the region’s industrial activities. The CCSA urges the Government to continue to develop a clear pathway for their connection to HyNet. 

[London, 5 August] HyNet, one of the UK’s leading industrial decarbonisation clusters, is advancing with the announcement that five projects are now priority for negotiations to connect to the HyNet CO₂ transport and storage network and permanently remove their CO2. This marks another step forward in the UK’s clean energy transition.  

The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) welcomes the commitment to two new priority projects in the North West and North Wales building on the excellent news of Financial Close on Liverpool Bay CCS earlier this year. Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power project in North Wales will play an important role in delivering reliable dispatchable clean power by 2030, and Evero’s Ince Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (InBECCS) in Cheshire will be the first in the UK to deliver engineered greenhouse gas removals, advancing the establishment of this critical sector. 

Alongside these two new projects entering priority negotiations are the previously prioritised; Protos Energy Recovery Facility (Enclyclis), Padeswood Cement Plant (Heidelberg Materials), and Hydrogen Production Plant 1 (EETH). These projects will provide the UK’s first; 

  • Low-carbon cement, essential for building our homes and hospitals  
  • Low-carbon hydrogen, essential for powering our local industries  
  • Energy from waste, essential for decarbonising our waste streams  

Despite the welcomed progress announced today, the number of projects on the standby list – all of which have invested significant sums to date in the development of their projects – makes clear that there must be a long-term plan for bringing additional projects to market. This is vital to decarbonising our foundational industries and delivering secure clean power. 

The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) is engaging with the Government to ensure that these, and other projects can move forward as the market scales up, including industry working with consumers to grow demand for low carbon products. This is vital to ensuring the UK’s long-term decarbonisation targets can be met and industrial competitiveness preserved. 

Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, said: 

“Today’s news is another clear signal that the UK is serious about delivering carbon capture and storage. The build-out of HyNet not only strengthens energy security and climate action, but it also brings real, skilled jobs and vital long-term investment to communities in the North West and North Wales.” 

“However, we need a long-term plan for bringing the projects on standby to market. If our industrial heartlands are to decarbonise and remain competitive, it’s crucial the Government sets out a clear, long-term pathway that allows more emitters and industries to connect to the CO₂ transport and storage network. This will be alongside industry working with consumers to grow demand for low carbon products. We must fully utilise our world-class storage resources to reach net zero and grow our economy.” 

 

Notes to Editor  

  • Press Pack: An FAQ, infographics and an animation accompany the press release for use. Various press items can be found under “CCSA Press Pack” on the CCSA website HERE   

 

Project Negotiation List 

 

Priority for negotiations:   

  • Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power, Uniper, Connah’s Quay (North Wales)   
  • Ince Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (InBECCS), Evero Energy, Ellesmere Port (Cheshire)  
  • Protos Energy Recovery Facility, Encyclis, Ellesmere Port (Cheshire)   
  • Hanson Padeswood Cement Works Carbon Capture Project, Heidelberg Materials, Padeswood (North Wales)   
  • Hydrogen Production Plant 1 (HPP1), EET Hydrogen, Stanlow (Cheshire)   

 

Standby projects: 

  • Silver Birch, Climeworks UK Ltd, Stanlow (Cheshire)   
  • Essar Energy Transition Industrial Carbon Capture (EET ICC), EET Fuels, Stanlow (Cheshire)   
  • Hydrogen Production Plant 2 (HPP2), EET Hydrogen / Progressive Energy, Stanlow (Cheshire)   
  • Parc Adfer Energy from Waste Industrial Carbon Capture Project, Enfinium Group Ltd, Deeside (North Wales)   
  • Runcorn Carbon Capture Project, Viridor, Runcorn (Cheshire)   

 

This announcement builds on: 

  • The commitment of up to £21.7 billion over 25 years to support the rollout of HyNet and the East Coast Cluster 
  • The £9.4 billion CCUS funding announced in the most recent Spending Review, which includes funding to fill the capacity of HyNet and the East Coast Cluster 
  • And recent key milestones including Financial Close on Net Zero Teesside Power and the Northern Endurance Partnership (December 2024), and Liverpool Bay CCS (April 2025). 

 

About the CCSA 

CCUS, or Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage, is a key low carbon solution – vital to meeting the UK’s statutory Net Zero target at least cost. CCUS enables industrial decarbonisation as well as the production of clean power, clean products (such as cement and chemicals) and clean hydrogen – which can also be used to decarbonise industry. In addition, CCUS also enables greenhouse gas removal from the atmosphere through Direct Air Capture with Storage (DACS) or Bioenergy with CCS (BECCS).  

The CCSA is the trade association accelerating the commercial deployment of CCUS, with offices in the UK and Belgium. We work with members, governments and other organisations to ensure CCUS is developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to meet net zero goals and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations.  

The CCSA currently has over 120 member companies who are active in exploring and developing different applications of carbon capture and removals, CO2transportation by pipeline and ship, utilisation, geological storage, and other permanent storage solutions, end-users in the power, industry, waste management, fuels, and hydrogen production sectors, plus supply chain, engineering, construction and management, legal and financial consulting sectors.  

 

About HyNet  

HyNet plays a central role in delivering reliable low carbon power alongside renewables, and decarbonising vital British industries. HyNet will utilise Liverpool Bay CCS for CO2 transportation and storage, repurposing an existing gas pipeline to capture carbon emitted by industrial plants and permanently lock them away. The transport and storage network, which reached financial close in April 2025, will store up to 4.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, which is equivalent to taking 2 million cars off the road.