Progressive Energy, HyNet founding partner Statkraft and investment manager Foresight will be working together to jointly develop green hydrogen projects in the north west of England.
The consortium has signed a collaboration agreement under which it aims to develop multiple green hydrogen projects.
The initial phase of 100MW of projects will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from industry by up to 180,000 tonnes.
Central to the portfolio is the proposed 28MW Cheshire Green Hydrogen project, which will use renewable electricity from Foresight’s managed Frodsham wind farm in Cheshire (pictured) to generate green hydrogen.
The project will be supplemented by further renewable electricity contracted from wind and solar generation within Statkraft’s project portfolio.
Cheshire Green Hydrogen will be located at the Protos site and will supply low carbon hydrogen via the HyNet project’s planned pipeline.
The hydrogen will potentially be supplied to Cadent’s proposed Hydrogen Village in Whitby and to local industry, including major local employer Encirc, which manufactures container glass.
The consortium is also seeking to develop a portfolio of green hydrogen projects directly co-located at major manufacturing sites within the region, including those at Pilkington and at Kellogg’s.
An initial five ‘hydrogen-ready’ sites have been selected for the first phase of development, with discussions ongoing on a number of further sites.
At each co-located site, the consortium will generate green hydrogen with power contracted from wider wind and solar generation within Statkraft’s project portfolio.
This will be used, instead of fossil gas, to fuel manufacturing processes.
Each plant will connect to the HyNet hydrogen pipeline network allowing potential expansion to supply broader industry.
Hydrogen will also be safely stored within HyNet’s underground salt caverns, providing secure storage of locally produced energy – contributing to the UK’s wider energy security, according to the consortium.
Progressive Energy head of industrial hydrogen Adam Baddeley said: “The north west is an ideal place to deploy green hydrogen production.
“Not only can it be distributed at low-cost via the HyNet pipeline network, but we have a large number of industry sites ready and enthusiastic to switch to low carbon hydrogen from fossil gas.
“Progressive Energy is proud to be leading this consortium which we hope will bring the first large-scale dedicated green hydrogen production to the region.”
Matt Kelly, head of RES eFuels at Statkraft UK added: “Producing home-grown green hydrogen is a key part in helping the UK to move to a more sustainable future and is a crucial part of the future energy mix.
“We’re excited to build on our recent green hydrogen announcements in the UK and build on the expertise in this consortium to bring these projects to fruition in the north west of England.”
Associate Director at Foresight Joe Davies: “The partnership with Progressive and Statkraft constitutes Foresight’s second hydrogen investment this year and first in the UK.
“We are very pleased to be making this investment in the north west and we see an important role for hydrogen in the decarbonisation of industry. We are supportive of the HyNet industrial cluster.”