Peel NRE and Progressive Energy are set to explore new projects at Protos, the strategic energy and resource hub near Ellesmere Port in the heart of the Northwest region.

The two organizations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the design and delivery of vital new H₂ and CO₂ infrastructure at Protos, capitalizing on its proximity to HyNet.

This step comes after Peel NRE, part of Peel L&P, revealed plans to design a local CO₂ network at Protos to capture carbon from energy generators and surrounding businesses. Peel NRE and Progressive Energy will now work jointly on plans for further Protos plots of land, initially looking at delivering:

• A CO₂ receiving terminal capable of accepting deliveries of CO₂ by road and/or rail, before exporting to the HyNet carbon transport and storage infrastructure
• H₂ production through electrolysis

Jane Gaston, Protos Development Director at Peel NRE said, “It’s brilliant to be working together with Progressive Energy as part of the next chapter for Protos. We’re collaborating to explore how critical new infrastructure could produce low carbon H₂ on the Protos site, as well as facilities to generate electricity to be fed into the grid - helping increase security of our energy supply. Not only that, we’ll also tackle how we can extend the benefits of HyNet’s carbon capture infrastructure by linking it to a local CO₂ network at Protos, helping cut carbon dioxide emissions from existing energy generators and surrounding businesses. This is yet more progress at Protos, where we’ve a track record in securing sustained investment in the low carbon technologies.”

David Parkin, Director at Progressive Energy said, “Protos is on the doorstep of HyNet, at the center of the Northwest industrial heartland, and is therefore, the perfect location for new, low carbon infrastructure. We’ll be working closely with the Peel NRE team to plan and design projects to support the decarbonization of the region’s industry as we move into a net zero future. We’re already working with some of the biggest employers in the region who see the switch to H₂ and carbon capture as the route to cut their carbon emissions whilst maintaining operations. Delivering such innovative projects at Protos will further strengthen HyNet’s position as the UK’s leading decarbonization cluster to retain, and attract, business to the Northwest as we lead the growth of the UK’s H₂ and CCS economies.”

HyNet is the UK’s leading decarbonization cluster project, spanning the Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Warrington, Cheshire, Flintshire and Wrexham. It will supply low-carbon H₂ to fuel industry and transport and to heat homes across the region – enabling a switch away from fossil fuels starting from the mid 2020’s. It will also capture, and lock away, CO₂ emissions from regional industry who are unable to operate without producing CO₂.