The UK Government’s Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has concluded its assessment of applications to the Track-1 expansion of the HyNet CCUS cluster process.

HyNet is an innovative low-carbon and hydrogen energy project that will unlock a low-carbon economy for the UK’s North West and North Wales. The project is one of two high-profile CCS clusters that together have received government funding of £21.7 billion to be invested over 25 years.

The financial close of Liverpool Bay Carbon Capture and Storage Limited was previously reported in Combustion Industry News, and established the cluster’s transport and storage network.

As a result of the DESNZ assessment, six projects will join a pipeline of those already in negotiation and considered to have the potential to join the HyNet cluster. Together, these projects were analysed against the government’s objectives and in terms of their deliverability and value for money. They were then classified as either ‘Priority’ or ‘Standby’.

The classification is as follows:

Priority

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

Standby

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

According to a statement released by DESNZ on 5 August, the Priority projects together represent the “preferred configuration” and best deliver against objectives including “energy security, emissions reduction, and sector diversity.” DESNZ retains the right to move projects between the two classifications and to exit from negotiations with any project. Standby projects will provide contingency against Priority projects and could benefit if and when capacity becomes available.

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