Cadent Unveils 87-Mile East Coast Hydrogen Pipeline Route Linking Humber, East Midlands Industry
The project aims to cut 600,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually and enable large-scale industrial decarbonization across the U.K.’s manufacturing heartland.
(P&GJ) — Cadent has unveiled the route for the first phase of its East Coast Hydrogen Pipeline (ECHP), an 87-mile (140-km) hydrogen transmission line designed to connect hydrogen production in North Nottinghamshire and the Humber to major industrial users across England’s East Midlands.
The route was announced at the East Midlands Hydrogen Summit on Oct. 16, marking what Cadent described as a major step toward reducing carbon emissions across one of the U.K.’s most energy-intensive industrial regions.
Following regulatory approval from Ofgem, the company has received more than $53 million (£42 million) to advance technical, planning, and permitting work for the project. Once operational, the pipeline could reduce up to 600,000 tons of CO₂ emissions each year and is expected to become part of a larger national hydrogen network.
“This project is vital to the U.K.’s overall decarbonization efforts,” said Adam Knight, ECHP Project Director at Cadent. “It’s about unlocking a new low-carbon future for the East Midlands and the Humber—one that keeps industry thriving while cutting emissions.”
The pipeline will connect to the HyMarnham Power hydrogen production site in High Marnham, Nottinghamshire—a joint venture between JG Pears and GeoPura—which plans to expand its hydrogen production capacity from 15 MW to more than 900 MW. The line will also deliver hydrogen to energy-intensive industries such as steelmaking, lime and brick manufacturing, and chemicals production.
“Connecting HyMarnham Power to Cadent’s East Coast Hydrogen Pipeline opens up the opportunity to supply clean, low-carbon energy directly to the region’s most energy-intensive industries,” said Andrew Cunningham, Director at HyMarnham Power. “Through this collaboration we can make meaningful progress—cutting emissions, protecting jobs, and building new skills in a future-focused energy economy.”
HyMarnham Power’s 15-MW electrolyzer is currently being commissioned and is expected to begin operations later this year. It is one of the first projects from the U.K. government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round 1 (HAR1) program to reach completion.
Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said the project aligns with the region’s newly launched East Midlands Growth Plan. “Green growth is one of our key priorities—driving innovation, attracting new investment, and supporting our industries and communities to thrive in a low-carbon future,” she said.
According to Cadent, hydrogen growth in the East Midlands could create 10,000 direct jobs, 7,000 construction jobs, and add about $4.3 billion (£3.4 billion) to the regional economy by 2050, while cutting more than 10.6 million tons (9.6 million metric tons) of CO₂.