In the next of our Greater Manchester Green Summit 2022 preview blogs, we hear from Helen Boyle, Head of Regional Development at Cadent.
Cadent are one of our official partners for this year’s Green Summit. You can register for free tickets to the Green Summit here.
Who are Cadent?
We are the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy. We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change.
Day-to-day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency.
In the North West we have 1,200 skilled engineers and specialists committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure we keep the energy flowing for 2.7m homes.
Shaping a greener future
Today around 86% homes in the UK use fossil gas for heating creating an unprecedented challenge.
We are at the forefront of this challenge creating a clear path to transition all homes in the region to low carbon heating. A vision shared by the Government through its significant commitment to grow the low carbon hydrogen economy and declaring up to 35% of the UK’s energy consumption by 2050 could be hydrogen based.
We are leading the introduction of hydrogen as a key player in the journey to net zero. Hydrogen is a fundamental part of our clean energy revolution. It’s a key future fuel for heating homes and powering vehicles including planes, heavy haulage, ships, trucks and trains.
We are proud to be accelerating action by working alongside key regional stakeholders to ensure plans are shaped with their needs in mind. That’s why we’re supporting the Greater Manchester Combined Authority make their bold net zero goals a reality by 2038.
2038 is just around the corner and we understand that consumers, as well as technical and economical considerations, are at the heart of this journey.
Gaining consumers’ trust and providing them with choices is vital in ensuring the transformation to low carbon heat becomes a reality. The next five years are crucial in making hydrogen a reality through a gradual and fair energy transition.
Making it happen
Bringing this to life more locally, we’re making this transition happen through pioneering projects such as the UK’s first hydrogen village in Ellesmere Port, supporting the Trafford Low Carbon Energy Park and HyNet North West, which the Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, has named within the Growth Plan to be accelerated for ‘as fast as possible’ delivery.
This includes the HyNet’s hydrogen pipeline, hydrogen storage and carbon capture and storage infrastructure.
We’re proud to be bringing this to life in Greater Manchester and the North West by creating a clear path to transition to net zero and supporting businesses, industry and local authorities meet their own low carbon goals.
I’m looking forward to discussing our work and how we’re supporting businesses, local authorities and communities transition to a greener future.
Helen Boyle, Cadent
Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy, managing a network of more than 80,000 miles of pipes. It transports gas safely to 11 million homes and businesses throughout the North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, South Yorkshire, East of England and North London.
