Cogent Skills has signed an open letter to the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero Ed Miliband, to urge the UK Government to select HyNet in the North West of England to become the country’s first regional hydrogen network.
Over 40 organisations have come together to sign the open letter, including customers seeking low-carbon hydrogen for manufacturing and power generation, growth-focused regional governments, and multiple trade bodies.
This breadth of signatories, including Pilkington UK, British Salt and JLR, evidences the region’s high demand for hydrogen. Companies such as these see HyNet as a route attracting investment, whilst enabling the Clean Power 2030 Mission.
Meanwhile, regional leaders, such as Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region, recognise the opportunity HyNet offers to stimulate growth in a historic industrial heartland.
At Cogent Skills, we work with employers, training providers and government to ensure the workforce is ready to deliver major infrastructure programmes like HyNet. Our activity focuses on building clear skills pathways that enable projects to move from ambition into delivery.
The open letter highlights the hydrogen demonstrations which have already taken place – in sectors from glass manufacturing to aluminium recycling – which give North West manufacturers a head-start in switching to low-carbon production.
Skills and supply chain initiatives which make the North West ready to deliver are also emphasised, such as the Cogent Skills Hydrogen & Carbon Capture Skills Accelerator.
Cogent Skills welcomed the Government’s £500m Spending Review commitment to establish the UK’s first regional hydrogen network.
We now call for HyNet to be selected in the subsequent competition, as the most advanced hydrogen system in the country.
