THE MP for the Vale of Clwyd has welcomed £72million of funding which will accelerate clean energy production for North Wales.

The UK Government funding will progress plans to produce hydrogen from natural gas in Ellesmere Port with carbon capture and storage in former oil and gas fields off the coast of North Wales.

It will be carried out under the HyNet project, based in North West England, which includes the development of a new hydrogen pipeline and the creation of the UK’s first carbon capture, and storage infrastructure.

When operational, the energy produced will be used widely in North Wales, including in industry, to power public transport and domestically.

The project is expected to create up to 6,000 new jobs as well as retaining high skilled manufacturing roles.

Officers of the Mersey Dee North Wales all-party parliamentary group, chaired by Dr Davies, have previously voiced support for the project to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Dr Davies said: “This funding will help secure our region’s position as a national leader in clean energy innovation. I look forward to seeing the HyNet project progress in the years ahead as the UK moves towards net-zero carbon emissions.”

As part of the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge fund, £171m has been distributed to nine green technology projects throughout the UK. HyNet North West will receive £33m from the IDC fund and a further £39m of consortium partner contribution.

The funding also addresses a key priority in the Mersey Dee Alliance Fiscal Stimulus package which focuses on the decarbonisation of industry.

The HyNet project can now expect a Final Investment Decision by 2023 and should become operational by 2025. In total, this work will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10 million tonnes per year by 2030, at which point, the HyNet geography will become a low carbon industrial cluster.