£1.7m grant secured for Humber Cluster Plan

scheme, which emerged under the £350 million green recovery package announced by the Prime Minister in July.

David Talbot, chief executive of Catch, said: “We are delighted that our collaboration has been successful in securing funding to deliver a route to net zero by 2040 for the region’s industrial decarbonisation activities. “Catch’s membership represents some of the UK’s highest CO2 emitters and we look forward to developing the region’s ambitions to deliver a plan that is central to tackling the net zero challenge.

“Our industry in the Humber region is strategically important and today’s announcement will ensure that existing industry is sustainable, whilst attracting new innovative green businesses to the region and upskilling, protecting and creating jobs for the local community.”

A wider group of businesses will be involved in developing the plan, with all energy-intensive industries in the Humber invited to take part.

Project director for refinery cluster-focused Humber Zero, Jonathan Briggs, said: “This is recognition by the Government of the Humber Estuary’s pivotal role in creating a net zero carbon future. “We have been working with Catch and the Humber LEP on the roadmap and the funding is excellent news at the start of an important year for the UK’s decarbonisation efforts.”

The team at Zero Carbon Humber - the Equinor-led, Saltendanchored consortium behind a pan-Humber dual network stretching from Drax to Easington - described the funding win as “great news for road mapping the future decarbonisation of the Humber, including through carbon capture and storage and low carbon hydrogen production”.