CLARE Hayward, chairman of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership, has welcomed the Government’s £20 billion commitment in carbon capture and storage technology.
She said: “We are absolutely delighted by the Government’s commitment in carbon capture and storage technology.
“This is a huge vote of confidence in the decarbonisation of industry.
“Cheshire and Warrington have ambitious targets to reach Net Zero.”
The Government’s announcement gives the go-ahead for five North West projects involving major partners in Hynet – the low-carbon energy project. Hynet’s infrastructure will store and distribute locally-produced low-carbon hydrogen, enabling industry to switch away from natural gas.
It will also capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from industry
The game-changing project has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 10 million tonnes every year by 2030 – the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road.
HyNet will also create and safeguard thousands of local jobs, as well as attract inward investment across the region.
The HyNet consortium more than 40 major industrial partners, including aluminum recycling giant Novelis, based in Latchford, Warrington.
Ms Hayward added: “Cheshire and Warrington has ambitious targets to reach Net Zero – we have the skills base to drive forward HyNet, build a regional low carbon economy and create the green jobs for the future, making the region a world leader in low carbon technologies and innovation.”
The Hynet proposals involve delivering low carbon hydrogen, produced locally and piped underground to major industrial users.