Catch’s £60 million plan to build a Net Zero Training Centre for the workers of tomorrow can become a hub of excellence, while helping safeguard the Humber’s competitiveness. Industrial and academic partners have poured praise on the vision, with early backing looking to act as a stimulus for the wider community and government support.
The carbon capture consortium of Humber Zero, led by Phillips 66 and VPI is a key supporter, with Viking CCS transportation and storage provider Harbour Energy also on board. It is a springboard for much of the anticipated decarbonisation development in the immediate Immingham cluster, while also comprising of several investment-heavy major infrastructure projects in its own right.
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Paul Fursey, Phillips 66’s UK lead executive and Humber Refinery general manager, said: “To build the infrastructure required to deliver net zero for the UK, we need to invest in creating the skilled workforce of tomorrow. Catch’s new Net Zero Training Centre will become a hub of excellence, demonstrating how the UK can increase the knowledge and skills needed to deliver the net zero targets. Through support from Phillips 66 and our fellow delivery sponsors, Harbour Energy and VPI, local industry support, and local schools and colleges, we believe we can make a powerful difference to inspire the next generation of welders, pipefitters, mechanical fitters, platers, scaffolders and much more.”
The power and refining sector on the South Bank is a major contributor to the Humber’s unenviable emissions, making it a hot spot to tackle on the route to 2050. And plans have also attracted the likes of RWE, a company looking at building a carbon capture ready power asset.
Jonathan Briggs, VPI Humber Zero project director, said: “Delivering a decarbonised Humber and enabling the energy transition to facilitate this means pre-investing in the workforce of the future. The Net Zero Training Centre at Catch will support the creation of the Humber’s new workforce, safeguard the competitiveness of the Humber’s industrial base, and support leading projects such as Humber Zero and Viking CCS.”
London-listed independent oil and gas company Harbour Energy is behind the Viking CCS scheme, using new and existing infrastructure from gas extraction off Theddlethorpe.
Project director, Graeme Davies, said: “Viking CCS is crucial to unlocking net zero in the UK and helping to decarbonise industries in the Humber, however we need thousands of skilled workers to build the infrastructure to deliver it. This is a huge opportunity for the Humber and North Lincolnshire to be at the epicentre of an enduring green jobs revolution.”
Supporting the move is Humber Energy Board member University of Lincoln, which has an internationally-recognised School of Engineering. Julian Free, deputy vice chancellor there, leads on regional engagement. He said: “This significant expansion of Catch facilities to train the skilled people the Humber needs to decarbonise is a critical step in achieving Net Zero by 2050. If the Humber’s emissions are not radically reduced, and quickly, the UK will miss the target. The development of Catch working with industry presents a fantastic opportunity for those of us living in the region to play a major part in the UK’s future success and to build a strong and prosperous region with long-term opportunities for all.”
