Plans for a 4 km natural gas pipeline intended to supply the Stanlow Manufacturing Complex (SMC) as part of the HyNet hydrogen energy project have been withdrawn, raising questions over the future logistics of the North West UK hydrogen scheme.
The pipeline application, submitted in 2023 to Cheshire West and Chester Council, was designed to deliver a supplementary natural gas supply required for hydrogen production at SMC. According to a company spokesperson, the withdrawal stems from a need to re-route the pipeline due to land constraints, with the firm describing the change as “simply a modification” of the originally proposed route. The initial plan would have seen the pipeline run south of Chester Road near Hapsford to SMC in Ellesmere Port.
HyNet, a multi-site initiative spanning North West England and North Wales, combines hydrogen production with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The project envisions hydrogen as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels, with industrial users such as refineries and chemical plants among the intended recipients. Key infrastructure components include the HyNet North West Hydrogen Pipeline and a CO₂ pipeline transporting captured emissions to a storage site in Liverpool Bay.
Despite its low-carbon positioning, HyNet has faced criticism for relying on blue hydrogen, which is derived from natural gas with carbon capture, rather than fully renewable green hydrogen. Environmental campaigners have highlighted that blue hydrogen continues to depend on fossil fuels, limiting the climate benefits relative to green alternatives.
The withdrawn pipeline adds a layer of uncertainty to HyNet’s operational timeline at SMC, which is one of several sites in the network alongside facilities like the Viridor Runcorn Industrial CCS plant. Stakeholders and observers will be monitoring how rerouting plans are implemented, and whether they affect project costs, delivery schedules, and compliance with regional planning regulations.
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