Government Urged to "Re-energise the Humber" With Hydrogen Investment

The Government has been urged to select the Humber as the location of the UK’s first hydrogen infrastructure network and to push forward with carbon capture and storage delivery.

The appeal to ‘re-energise’ the Humber has been outlined in a letter sent this week from the Humber Energy Board to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, co-signed by 30 supportive businesses and organisations from across the region, including eleven major energy companies; all four local authorities; the Mayor of Hull & East Yorkshire; Humber Freeport; unions; colleges, universities and training providers. The ‘re-energise’ campaign will run throughout the year, focusing on different aspects of the Humber’s energy industry, with its first ask being focused on hydrogen infrastructure. 

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is due to launch a process in the first half of 2026 which will select one industrial region in the UK to receive £500m in funding to support the creation of the first regional hydrogen transport and storage network, connecting hydrogen producers with vital end users, including power stations and industry. The Humber is expected to be among the leading contenders to receive this backing, which could create thousands of skilled jobs and supply chain opportunities. 

The letter outlines why the Humber is the ideal location, given its geology, proposals for local green and blue hydrogen production facilities, prospective hydrogen customers and the need to reduce emissions through its displacement of natural gas. It also highlights the risks of non-selection, such as de-industrialisation and job losses.

During 2025 the Humber witnessed the closure of biofuels business Vivergo Fuels and Prax’s Lindsey Oil Refinery, as well as the cancellation of plans by rare earths company Pensana, redundancies at Ineos and the continued mothballing of fertilizer manufacturer Yara. The introduction of major new infrastructure to provide hydrogen as well as carbon capture and storage to the region is a vital option to future-proof such industry, protecting existing jobs as well as creating new opportunities. 

Public consultations have set out proposals for a Humber Hydrogen Pipeline (HHP), initially connecting hydrogen producers, users and storage at key industrial sites including Saltend Chemicals Park, Easington Terminal, Aldbrough and the Immingham area. The Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage (AHS) project has also consulted on the use of salt caverns to safely store the gas, helping to balance supply and demand. The HHP and AHS projects expect to bid into the Government’s Hydrogen Transport Allocation Round and Hydrogen Storage Allocation Round, respectively. 

Also expected in 2026 are DESNZ decisions on first emitters for the Viking CCS project; the expansion of the Northern Endurance Partnership CCS infrastructure to the Humber; progression of shortlisted ‘green hydrogen’ projects in the Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR) 2 process; and the launch of the subsequent HAR3 competition. 

Richard Gwilliam, Chair of the Humber Energy Board, said:

“2026 will be a vital year for the Humber, with several game-changing decisions from Government around hydrogen and carbon capture and storage which could transform the region. Today the Humber is critical for UK energy security, and business and partners in the region want to go further. This incredibly strong proposal to deliver a low-carbon industrial cluster is backed by experienced energy and infrastructure companies that are prepared to invest billions to create the new opportunities that this region needs. Now is the time for the Government to unlock this potential and re-energise the Humber.”  

Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, and former Energy Minister, said:

“If the country is to take advantage of key technologies, reduce emissions, create jobs and cut bills, we need action. That’s why we need the government to support hydrogen and carbon capture in our area and bring investment back to the Humber.”

Melanie Onn, MP for Great Grimsby & Cleethorpes, said:

“The Humber is the ideal place to locate the UK’s first hydrogen network, given its geology, geography and the wide range of key industries on both banks of the Humber Estuary that can benefit from its use. Hydrogen will play a key role in the energy transition, helping major employers in this region to reduce emissions whilst retaining jobs and stimulating economic growth. We want to see the hydrogen economy kick-started here in the Humber.”