We welcome the Government’s continued ambition for a clean energy future and industrial decarbonisation, through a £3.9bn investment in Carbon Capture and Storage (Track 1) for 2025-26, alongside support for 11 green hydrogen production projects, underpinning HAR 1. This commitment is amplified by the National Wealth Fund, set to mobilise over £70bn in private investment, including vital funding for green hydrogen initiatives. 

At National Gas, we're ready to play our part through Project Union, where we'll repurpose sections of our nearly 5,000-mile gas transmission network to create a core hydrogen network, alongside our CO2 project SCO2T Connect, providing energy connections and carbon capture between industrial hubs. This infrastructure transformation is crucial for the UK's energy transition and industrial decarbonisation goals.

Yet investment alone won't drive this transition. We need strong partnerships between government and industry. We look forward to progressing the Industrial Strategy, and collaborating with NISTA to create a robust, long-term vision for our energy infrastructure.

The Government's commitment to the energy workforce through the new Growth and Skills Levy, backed by £40 million investment, is also an important step. Our industry's strength lies in its skilled workforce, and continued investment will be essential for establishing the UK as a global hydrogen and CCS leader.

Looking ahead, we hope to see progress on CCS Track 2 in the Spring Spending Review. We're also keen to see how the Government responds to the National Infrastructure Commission’s Second Assessment, particularly regarding the development of the UK's core hydrogen network.

This budget represents another step forward in signalling that the UK is serious about clean power and net zero. At National Gas, we're committed to working alongside government and industry partners to build a resilient, diverse, and clean energy system for the UK's future.

Jon Butterworth, National Gas CEO