Hydrogen and Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)
Welcome to a transformative era in clean energy and carbon storage in the UK.
The government has allocated up to £21.7 billion in funding over 25 years to boost the carbon capture industry through Track 1 clusters, including Hynet and the East Coast.
The East Coast Cluster in Teesside is now set to start construction, marking the latest milestone in the government’s mission to reignite its industrial heartlands, tackle the climate crisis and turbocharge growth for decades to come.
This is an opportunity for European investors to engage in a growing sector that supports the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Lean more about CCUS UK opportunities and how to expand your business to the UK:
Download the CCUS UK Opportunities Handbookopens paas-s3-broker-prod-lon-8db94025-3db3-41df-9a2a-fbb251b24433.s3.amazonaws.com in a new tab3 reasons to choose the UK for CCUS:
Geological Assets: The UK has significant geological assets, with the UK Continental Shelf potentially having enough capacity to safely store up to 78 billion tonnes of carbon, one of the largest potential CO₂ storage capacities in Europe.
UK government & financial support: The UK’s proactive government, strong financial support and clear policy framework position it as a global leader in CCUS. The UK government has pledged £22 billion to CCUS projects over the next 25 years.
Extensive Pipeline of over 90 Projects: From hydrogen production and low-carbon power plants to industrial decarbonisation, investors can engage across multiple sectors and stages of the CCUS value chain.
Opportunities in the UK's CCUS sector:
The UK is a first mover for CCUS decarbonisation hubs, with ambitious plans to lead the global deployment and development of carbon capture:
Track 1 Clusters
The first commercial clusters promise deep decarbonisation through a range of CCUS applications, with the first projects reaching final investment before 2025.
HyNet: includes hydrogen production facility targeting first deployment in 2025, with ambitions to raise hydrogen production capacity to 3.8 GW by 2030. HyNet is being developed by a set of global organisations with private and public sector partners.2
East Coast Cluster: includes NZT Power, a new dispatchable gas power station with carbon capture technologies. NZT Power is a joint venture between BP and Equinor. BOC plan to deploy carbon capture to their existing SMR for low-carbon h2 production, and BP are planning 'H2 Teeside' - a blue h2 production facility.
Track 2 Clusters
In December 2023, the government set out its Track-2 approach of an ‘anchor’ and ‘buildout’ phase and high-level timelines, along with the request for a provisional cluster expansion plan.
UK supply chain strengths to consider:
Dedicated R&D funding
The UK’s dedicated R&D funding for hydrogen is focussed on heavier applications, such as maritime, aviation and road freight, or in regional hubs where transport can help support its use in industrial, energy.
Investment to reduce emissions
We have recently announced investments which include hydrogen vehicles and vessels, such as the £206m UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK-SHORE) and £200m for our Zero Emission Road Freight Demonstration (ZERFD).
UK Government innovation funding programme
We have created the Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator, a £26 million innovation funding programme to support the demonstration of end-to-end industrial fuel switching to hydrogen in the UK.
World-leading expertise
The UK has world-leading expertise to draw upon – with two of the world’s major process licensors for these projects based in the UK – and a mature supply chain to utilise from wider industries such as oil & gas and chemicals.
Build connections with the UK's Hydrogen ecosystem:
E-world Energy & Water
11-13 February 2025
Essen, Germany
Learn moreopens www.e-world-essen.com in a new tabWorld Hydrogen
20-22 May, 2025
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Learn moreopens www.world-hydrogen-summit.com in a new tabExpand your energy business to the UK
With a comprehensive European network spanning 34 countries, the United Kingdom's Department for Business & Trade is a key government entity driving international trade policy, fostering business growth, and executing a dynamic, outward-facing trade diplomacy strategy designed to unlock global investment opportunities.
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