WWU Launches Study for Dedicated Hydrogen Pipeline in Southwest England
Wales & West Utilities has launched a feasibility study to evaluate a dedicated hydrogen pipeline and storage network in southwest England, targeting industrial decarbonization and future hydrogen supply.
(P&GJ) — Wales & West Utilities has launched a feasibility study to evaluate the development of hydrogen infrastructure in southwest England, including the region’s first dedicated hydrogen pipeline.
The HyLine South West study builds on earlier hydrogen feasibility work conducted by WWU in Wales and is aimed at assessing how hydrogen infrastructure could support renewable energy resources while providing a pathway for industrial decarbonization.
The study will examine the design and delivery of a dedicated hydrogen pipeline linking future production hubs—such as those associated with floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea and proposed HAR1 and HAR2 developments—to industrial users with high emissions profiles. Target sectors include hard-to-abate industries such as minerals and defense.
HyLine South West will also assess options for integrating hydrogen storage, including lined rock caverns, which WWU said could provide more stable, year-round energy supply for businesses and homes.
“The South West has huge potential to generate clean hydrogen for use in some of the most difficult decarbonization challenges. Understanding the infrastructure required to move, and store, that hydrogen will be a critical milestone in our journey to a net zero gas network,” said James Adams, Wales & West Utilities’ Net Zero Project Manager for the South West.
“HyLine South West not only connects the dots between production and demand, but also ensures that hydrogen can be stored and delivered reliably, even when renewable generation fluctuates.”
David Eccles, director at Hydrogen South West, said the initiative supports broader regional energy transition goals.
“Hydrogen South West is committed to turning ambition into action - accelerating clean growth, supporting local industry, and ensuring the region leads the way in delivering a just transition to net zero,” Eccles said.
“We see HyLine South West working as another piece in the puzzle, helping us deliver an efficient energy transition whilst maximizing the opportunities for economic development in the region.”
The feasibility study will build on WWU’s South West Conceptual Plan and the Decentralized Alliance for South West Hydrogen, which identified strategic locations for a dispersed pipeline model. The work is also intended to support future applications under the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Hydrogen Transport and Storage Business Model.
HyLine South West is funded through Ofgem’s Net Zero Allowance mechanism and will include technical, environmental, and economic assessments, along with a public-facing summary report.