Our associated projects
Progressive Energy develops, and implements, low-carbon projects to support the decarbonisation of the energy sector.
The UK has significantly reduced emissions in the electricity sector through a growth in renewables and a reduction in coal fired generation, but electricity is only around one fifth of our total energy use.
To get to Net Zero, we need to remove emissions from industry, transport and heat.
At the centre of our thinking is the hydrogen economy. Hydrogen is a low carbon fuel that can be used for transport, power generation, industry and heat. Our projects bring together partners with emerging technologies to produce and deliver hydrogen at sufficient scale to make a substantial difference to UK emissions.
We have significant expertise in developing complex, large scale low carbon hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. Our current portfolio of projects are forerunners in the establishment, and rapid growth, of the UK’s low carbon hydrogen and CCS sectors.
Progressive Energy has a wealth of experience of bringing together and managing consortium partners, working with large industrials and engaging closely with Government.
Vertex Hydrogen
Vertex Hydrogen is a joint venture between Progressive Energy and Essar Oil UK. Vertex’s low carbon hydrogen production plant will be a core part of the HyNet low carbon cluster.
Low carbon hydrogen will be produced at the Stanlow Manufacturing Complex located in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
HyNet
Progressive first initiated the HyNet project and is its architect, and coordinating partner.
HyNet is the UK’s leading industrial decarbonisation cluster which, from 2025, will replace fossil fuel gas with low carbon hydrogen and carbon capture and storage, setting the North West and North Wales on the path to Net Zero whilst also protecting and creating jobs.
It is an ambitious and viable part of the answer to reducing our carbon emissions across multiple sectors of the economy and has the potential to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 10 million tonnes every year by 2030 – the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road. By achieving this, HyNet will create and maintain thousands of local jobs, attract investment and support the UK’s energy security.
HyNet being developed by a set of global organisations with significant experience of major infrastructure deployment, led by Progressive Energy.
Watch this video.
HyDeploy
Progressive Energy is project managing the UK’s first demonstration of hydrogen blended into an operating gas network, HyDeploy.
HyDeploy is an exciting, innovative project demonstrating that a blend of hydrogen gas can be used as a safe, low-carbon energy source for heat in industry and homes.
This project will help us to reach the UK Government’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
HyDeploy has secured the UK’s first ever safety approval to blend 20% hydrogen into a gas network. Two large trials in ‘public’ networks haven already taken place – in residential homes at Keele and Winlaton. We have also run successful blending trials in industry in the glass, FMCG, ceramic and baking sectors.
HyDeploy will conclude in 2023, having supplied the evidence base necessary to enable wider hydrogen injection into gas distribution networks in the UK.
Industrial Fuel Switching to Hydrogen
Low carbon hydrogen will play an important role within the decarbonisation of energy intensive manufacturing.
Since 2016, Progressive Energy has been working with a range of major manufacturers in the North West to explore how they may convert to low carbon hydrogen. A secure source of network-supplied hydrogen from HyNet provides industry with an attractive pathway to decarbonisation.
To enable this transition, a consortium, led by Progressive Energy, was awarded £5.3M of Government funding to undertake a design and practical demonstration programme.
We have run two successful trials at major North West-based companies, Unilever’s Port Sunlight facility and Pilkington Glass’s furnace at St Helens. In addition, detailed engineering is being undertaken to enable Essar’s Stanlow Refinery to invest in a hydrogen-enabled combined heat and power system.
More trials are currently in the feasibility stage.
