Two projects have entered negotiations with government to join the HyNet carbon capture cluster.

The news follows the green light from government in April for construction to start on the Liverpool Bay Transportation and Storage Network.

This will support a total of 2,800 direct jobs in total – such as engineers and construction workers – and unlock growth and investment right across the HyNet network, which spans Cheshire and Flintshire.  

New pipelines and manufacturing facilities will be constructed, and existing power plants will be repurposed to capture carbon emissions and store them safely under the seabed, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling the climate crisis. 

Carbon capture and storage forms part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy and will help to cleanly power heavy industry in the years to come. It is expected to support up to 50,000 jobs as the industry develops into the 2030s.

Industry minister, Sarah Jones, said: “We are securing the jobs of the future, the power for our homes and the protection of our planet by becoming world leaders on carbon capture and storage. 

“These new projects will bring industrial renewal, unlock growth and secure an additional 800 good, skilled jobs for local people across North Wales and the North West – taking the total supported by HyNet to 2,800 – all part of our Plan for Change.”

The 2 projects being prioritised to join the network are:

• Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power project in North Wales – a new power station with carbon capture and storage that at peak output is expected to produce enough clean energy to power the equivalent of 900,000 homes, whilst capturing CO2 emissions.
• Ince Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (InBECCS) in Cheshire – the project will use waste wood to generate low-carbon energy and capture CO2 emissions. It will be the first carbon capture enabled greenhouse gas removals project in the UK, creating a new major infrastructure sector in the North-west.

Evero, the low-carbon energy-from-waste wood company, is behind the Ince Bioenergy project. CEO Elliot Renton said: “Being selected for negotiations to deliver the UK’s first BECCS facility is a significant milestone, and a clear signal of the government’s commitment to greenhouse gas removals.

“By removing 217,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year with proven technology, we’ll continue turning waste wood into clean power and begin delivering permanent decarbonisation. We’re proud to act as a pathfinder for greenhouse gas removal projects in the UK.”

ACE Group, comprising the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) and the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), today welcomed expansion of the HyNet carbon capture cluster.

Gary Davies, ACE Wales Group chair, said: “This is a transformative moment for Wales. We’re delighted to see the Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power project moving forward as part of this next phase for HyNet.

“This is a flagship development for North Wales, delivering clean, reliable energy for up to 900,000 homes, while capturing harmful emissions and helping us tackle climate change head-on. It’s a vital step in building a more secure, low-carbon energy system that works for families, businesses and future generations.”

The two projects join three others already classed as priority for negotiations:

• 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)

Five projects are also being lined up as standby projects with potential to connect to the network should space become available. These include hydrogen production, energy from waste and direct air capture greenhouse gas removal projects.

The projects are:

• Silver Birch, Climeworks UK, 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, Deeside (North Wales)  
• Runcorn Carbon Capture Project, Viridor, Runcorn (Cheshire)

In July government announced its commitment to an integrated regional hydrogen network. This is a key part of government’s Clean Energy Superpower and Growth missions. Decisions regarding hydrogen production to support the regional network will be aligned with the process for selecting hydrogen transport and storage projects.

Since last July, the government has worked to get Britain’s carbon capture industry up and running after years of delays. Financial close on the HyNet cluster and the East Coast cluster in Teesside was reached in less than a year, and the government is also supporting the Acorn and Viking projects in Scotland and the Humber respectively with development funding.