Plans launched for Wrexham-Deeside hydrogen pipeline

Wales & West Utilities has unveiled its ambitions for HyLine Gogledd, an industrial decarbonisation scheme that is part of the wider £9.8bn North East Wales Industrial Decarbonisation Cluster.

HyLine Gogledd would enable the nearly 3,000 companies in the region to pivot to a low-carbon energy source. It would also tie in with the North West’s HyNet network, joining up with that pipeline by the Deeside Industrial Park. HyLine Gogledd would then continue down to the Wrexham Industrial Estate.

“HyLine Gogledd is an exciting step forward in mapping low-carbon hydrogen delivery to North East Wales, offering a diversity of choice to energy-intensive industries and other energy users,” said Matt Hindle, the head of net zero and sustainability at Wales & West Utilities.

Hindle added: “We are committed to helping customers find the best solutions to decarbonise, with the least possible disruption. This project will explore the feasibility of using new and existing infrastructure to deliver cost-effective options.”

The goal is for Hyline Gogledd to be operational before 2035, according to North East Wales Industrial Decarbonisation Clubster’s plan from April. The report puts down the development and construction phase of the scheme as lasting from now until 2030.

For Hyline Gogledd to be a success, it would need to meet the industrial zone’s demand for between 740 MW and 1,130 MW of power.

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HyLine Gogledd is a core part of the NEWID’s goals for net zero industrial carbon emissions in the region by 2040.

NEWID has been developed by Net Zero Industry Wales in partnership with Wales & West Utilities, SP Energy Networks, Uniper, Net Zero Energy Systems, and Bangor University.

Net Zero Industry Wales chief executive Ben Burggraaf said that HyLine Gogledd has the potential to “transform North East Wales into a clean energy hub”.

“Net Zero Industry Wales is dedicated to empowering Welsh industry with the tools, partnerships, and innovation needed to accelerate the transition,” he continued.

“The NEWID Cluster is already demonstrating the power of collaboration, and HyLine Gogledd is another important piece in the puzzle. It will further position Wales at the forefront of industrial decarbonisation for a sustainable and prosperous future.”

NEWID estimates its area, which includes the industrial hubs of Deeside and Wrexham, equates to 15% of the overall industrial emissions in Wales.

Other aspects of the NEWID plan include investing in underground carbon storage, building bioenergy plants, and building up the area’s electricity generation capacity. Its proposals, NEWID states, could lead to an additional £2bn added to the Welsh economy and create 20,500 jobs. However, it will require between £6.2bn and £9.8bn to deliver.