UK backs four blue hydrogen projects for clusters

BP and Equinor among successful bidders as government lines up projects to join fast-track East Coast and Hynet clusters

The UK government has shortlisted four large-scale blue hydrogen projects to join the country’s first two low-carbon industrial clusters in the north of England in the mid-2020s. Blue hydrogen projects under development by BP, Norway’s Equinor, Aberdeen-headquartered Kellas and Vertex Hydrogen—a joint venture between UK-focused downstream firm Essar Oil and low-carbon energy developer Progressive Energy—have progressed to the due diligence stage of the government’s phase 2 cluster sequencing process, potentially qualifying them for government funding to join the “track one” East Coast and Hynet clusters. The government shortlisted a total of 20 projects to join the two clusters, spanning ind