Mersey Maritime Technology & Innovation Forum discusses the pivotal HyNet programme
Blog by Paul Tallon (Innovation Manager – Mersey Maritime) and Simon Eardley (Head of Policy and Innovation – Mersey Maritime)
The July 2025 edition of the Mersey Maritime Technology & Innovation Forum (TIF) convened key regional and national stakeholders to unpack one of the country’s most transformative clean energy initiatives: the HyNet programme. Hosted at the University of Liverpool and enriched by academic insights from the ‘Maritime and Last Mile’ project (MaLaMi) project too, and broader industrial-academic collaboration, this Forum delivered a comprehensive and future-facing discussion on the technical, economic and regulatory dimensions of low-carbon hydrogen and carbon capture infrastructure.
The session’s keynote presentation was delivered by David Parkin, Chair of the HyNet Alliance and Project Director at Progressive Energy, who offered attendees a deep dive into the vision, complexity, and groundbreaking ambition of HyNet, one of the UK’s leading industrial decarbonisation initiatives.
HyNet: The practice and opportunity
At the heart of the discussion was HyNet, a major infrastructure and engineering programme aiming to help decarbonise the North West of England and North Wales. The scale of the programme is immense, stretching from the hydrogen production plant at Stanlow Manufacturing Complex, through a network of pipelines, and into depleted offshore gas reservoirs in Liverpool Bay, which will store captured carbon dioxide.
If successfully realised, HyNet has the capacity to remove and permanently sequester up to 10 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2030, into the Liverpool Bay stores which have an aggregate capacity of around 200 million tonnes These emissions, primarily from industries such as chemical, glass, cement, and oil refining, will be captured and stored deep underground in three disused subsea gas caverns, thousands of feet beneath the seabed.
Looking ahead, the programme could scale further north to the Morecambe gas fields, unlocking additional storage capacity and expanding decarbonisation coverage to nearly all industrial activity in the North West.
Challenges and Complexities
As David Parkin made clear, this is not a straightforward undertaking. HyNet spans a highly complex landscape of engineering design, regulatory compliance, and multi-jurisdictional governance. There are currently no precedents for the cross-border regulatory harmonisation needed between England and Wales for pipeline deployment and infrastructure installation. Moreover, the chemical engineering challenges, particularly in hydrogen purification and amine-based carbon capture, require cutting-edge innovation and rigorous safety protocols.
However, the stakes are high. Industrial emissions represent one of the UK’s most stubborn decarbonisation challenges. HyNet’s success would enable entire sectors to decouple from fossil fuels, aligning with the UK’s Net Zero by 2050 commitment and providing a replicable model for other regions.
Hydrogen as a Fuel of the Future
A central element of the HyNet programme is the development of blue hydrogen, produced by reforming natural gas and capturing the resulting CO₂ emissions. This hydrogen can then be used to power industrial furnaces, fuel flexible power generation, and potentially maritime vessels, offering a viable transition path for sectors where electrification is impractical.
One particularly intriguing proposal discussed at the forum was the integration of waste heat from existing industrial processes (such as cement manufacturing) into carbon capture systems, to reduce the energy load of CO₂ separation and compression. This kind of synergy could significantly improve system efficiency while creating new circular economy pathways within the region and reducing the overhead cost of carbon capturing.
Exploring Carbon Utilisation and Storage
While permanent geological storage remains HyNet’s default strategy, there was lively discussion at the forum about possible downstream applications for captured CO₂. Though small by comparison, sectors like food processing, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials may benefit from limited carbon utilisation.
Another potential frontier raised was carbon capture aboard maritime vessels, a futuristic concept which would also be of interest to Mersey Maritime’s innovation project since retrofitted ships docking into HyNet’s infrastructure could someday offload emissions for sequestering, further closing the loop on maritime decarbonisation.
Infrastructure, Investment and Ownership Models
With any project of this magnitude, questions around infrastructure disruption and long-term asset ownership are inevitable. Forum attendees explored the practical implications of installing new hydrogen and CO₂ pipelines across urban and rural landscapes, including how public inconvenience is being mitigated through phased works and community engagement.
There was also considerable interest in monetising co-deployed infrastructure, for instance, laying fibre-optic cables alongside the pipelines to support local digital connectivity. If public funds are contributing to the works, there is a strong argument that every opportunity to generate long-term public value should be explored.Clarification was also sought on post-deployment ownership of the infrastructure. While it appears that the private companies constructing the pipelines retain legal title, the financial structuring – involving government incentives and tax relief – raises important questions around governance, profit-sharing, and asset stewardship. Further transparency here will be vital.
Looking Ahead – A Regional Opportunity
HyNet stands as a once-in-a-generation infrastructure project that can advance the UK’s decarbonisation goals whilst reindustrialising parts of the North West through clean growth and green jobs. The benefits stretch across supply chain stimulation, innovation in carbon tech, and future export potential, especially if the region becomes a hub for hydrogen-enabled shipping.
As Mersey Maritime’s Navigating Maritime Innovation project progresses, our forums will continue to explore how initiatives like HyNet can intersect with maritime, logistics, digital, and advanced manufacturing domains.
Get involved in future events
This Technology & Innovation Forum was the third in the new series of events being co-ordinated by Mersey Maritime as part of its Navigating Maritime Innovation in the Liverpool City Region project. The next TIF will take place in October 2025 and more details will be announced in due course. Those interested in attending, with priority given to Mersey Maritime members, can find out more about these events HERE
