Friday 23 October 2020
Efforts to make Humber ‘world’s first’ net zero industrial cluster by 2040 win broader support
Zero Carbon Humber Partnership, a coalition which includes Equinor, Drax, National Grid, SSE and British Steel, has unveiled a new group of supporters for its efforts to create the 'world's first' net zero industrial cluster by 2040.
Zero Carbon Humber (ZCH) brings together international energy producers, infrastructure and logistics operators, global engineering firms and academic institutions in a plan to decarbonise the Humber, the UK's largest industrial region, with low carbon technologies.
In an open letter to Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng prior to his speech at the virtual conference Waterline Summit today, the group has unveiled 45 formal letters of support from non-partner organisations, which back the hydrogen production and carbon capture and storage (CCS) network proposal.
Amongst those providing letters of support are Siemens Energy, ENGIE, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, international bodies such as the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute and four Humber councils.
Earlier this month, the 12-organisation partnership submitted a bid to phase two of the government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund for a carbon capture, hydrogen and infrastructure project worth £75 million.
If successful the bid would unlock a potentially multi-billion pound project which could transform the region and provide a 15% reduction in the UK's annual emissions.
The Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce commented: "This partnership stands out as a beacon of how businesses take on their social and environmental responsibility.”
Louise Smith, Director of Aura Innovation Centre, wrote: "Carbon capture utilisation and storage and hydrogen have a central role to play in creating a resilient, inclusive and innovation-driven regional economy that delivers clean growth for the Humber.
"With a third of the Humber’s economy based on high carbon jobs, an inclusive transition to low carbon is critical to the place and its people."
