The government confirmed that the Connah’s Quay Low Carbon Power project in Flintshire and the Ince Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (InBECCS) facility in Cheshire have entered negotiations to join the network. Together, they could power up to 900,000 homes with clean energy while storing millions of tonnes of CO₂ under the seabed.

Industry minister Sarah Jones said: “We are securing the jobs of the future, the power for our homes and the protection of our planet by becoming world leaders on carbon capture and storage. These new projects will bring industrial renewal, unlock growth and secure an additional 800 good, skilled jobs for local people, all part of our Plan for Change.”

HyNet, which spans Cheshire and Flintshire, is already under construction following April’s approval for the Liverpool Bay Transportation & Storage network. Once operational, it will have the capacity to store up to 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, the equivalent of taking two million cars off the road.

Secretary of state for Wales Jo Stevens hailed the announcement as “another significant moment” for the sector, adding: “It’s fantastic to see North Wales at the forefront of the carbon capture industry. The hundreds of new jobs being created by the HyNet project will help drive regional growth as well as accelerate our drive towards lower bills and energy security.”

The Connah’s Quay project will provide low-carbon backup power for when wind and solar output is low, while InBECCS will use waste wood to generate low-carbon energy and permanently remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, the UK’s first such facility.

Manfredi Giusto, managing director of Eni CCUS Holding, which operates the Liverpool Bay project, called the expansion “a major step forward” in strengthening the UK’s global leadership in carbon capture.

The government has committed £21.7 billion to developing the sector, predicting it could add £5 billion a year to the economy by 2050 and support up to 50,000 jobs by the 2030s.

With five further projects in reserve, spanning hydrogen, waste-to-energy and direct air capture, ministers say HyNet’s expansion marks a decisive step towards making the UK a “clean energy superpower.”

Source: 2,800 skilled jobs in Wales and North West as CCUS industry grows - GOV.UK