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44 min ago 2 min read
Northern Gas Networks (NGN) has outlined proposals for two underground pipelines which would connect industry to low-carbon hydrogen across the key Humber and Teesside industrial regions.
The two projects could develop a combined 107 miles of new and repurposed pipeline infrastructure, as part of the wider 150km East Coast Hydrogen pipeline being spearheaded by Cadent and National Gas.
The 39-mile Teesside pipeline is planned to run through the industrial cluster from Newton Aycliffe to Skinningrove, while the 68-mile route in the Humber would run from Saltend towards Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire.
Currently in early stage planning, NGN intends to secure a development consent order process to streamline planning processes from government ministers.
If approved, the gas operator said construction and connection could begin in the 2030s.
Project Manager Camila Blanco said, “Industrial customers use a huge amount of gas, and if they want to decarbonise, they need to be able to access technologies like hydrogen to ensure they’re not emitting CO2.”
Keith Jackson, Head of Thermal Processes and Strategic Projects at brick maker Wienerberger UK and Ireland, said its Broomfleet site consumes between 80 and 100GWh of energy from natural gas.
Similarly steel reheating plant Teesside Beam Mill has been producing sections for the construction market for the last 70 years, powered by natural gas.
A £96m ($127m) funding package from Ofgem, the UK energy regulator, will finance the engineering, design, and public consultation phases. The project is expected to form the backbone of a national hydrogen transmission system.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen insisted “the future of hydrogen is happening in Teesside” although that impression suffered a major setback after multinational BP pulled out of the H2Teesside blue hydrogen project .
Approving the East Coast hydrogen pipeline would go a long way to restoring that reputation, but a range of policy, finance and community engagement hurdles will need to be cleared before the project can officially go ahead.
