UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has funded the HyNet North West Integrated project with £33 million through its Industrial Decarbonization Challenge (IDC) fund, which means covering 50% of the investments necessary to finalize the project’s planning studies, a press release issued by Eni reported.

The HYnet North West Project,  planned to be operated by 2025, will be the first  carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure in the UK.

It also aims to decarbonize the important industrial district in the North-West of England and to capture, transport and store carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from existing industries and from future production sites for blue hydrogen, as an alternative fuel for heating, electricity generation and transport.

This project is being led by a consortium of regionally- located industrial companies along with Eni that will contribute to transport and store CO2 in its depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs.

By 2030, this project is expected to be capable of  reducing emissions by up to 10 million tons per year.