Roadmap awarded £1.7-million

Support has been given by Humber Zero to a plan setting out the region’s decarbonisation journey.

The Humber Cluster Plan was awarded a £1.7-million Government grant today after a bid by Humber Local Enterprise Partnership and local training and support agency CATCH.

VPI Immingham and Phillips 66, behind Humber Zero, were among eight private sector firms supporting the bid.

Humber Zero’s project director Jonathan Briggs welcomed today’s announcement by Energy and Clean Growth Minister Kwasi Kwarteng.

“This is recognition by the Government of the Humber Estuary’s pivotal role in creating a net zero carbon future,” he said.

“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.”

Stephen Parnaby OBE, chair of Humber LEP, said: “We are thrilled our funding bid for the Humber Cluster Plan has been successful.

“This is a significant opportunity to achieve industrial decarbonisation at a large scale in our region, which has the potential to protect important jobs while helping us to achieve our Net Zero ambitions by 2040.

“This successful outcome has only been possible with the support of our industry partners, who have illustrated there is a huge appetite in the Humber to innovate, collaborate and strive for solutions to create a cleaner, greener future for our vital industries.”

Humber Cluster Plan, a £2.6 million project, was submitted to Innovate UK as part of the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge Fund scheme, part of the £350 million green recovery package announced by the Prime Minister in July.