Thankfully, a significant source of waste heat is taking shape directly west of Manchester. The HyNet hydrogen project is an industrial development that will produce blue hydrogen. However, we only gain the full benefits of hydrogen production by utilising all its byproducts – including waste heat. Selling the enormous amounts of waste heat from hydrogen production improves the economic viability – and ultimately, hydrogen production without this source of income simply won’t be able to compete with hydrogen produced by less wasteful competitors. Exploiting waste heat is a critical part of producing blue hydrogen, where everything adds value, and nothing goes to waste.

Net zero obliges us to use our abundant waste heat sources for heating Manchester’s population centres. With its geographic location to the west of Manchester, Salford, with 130,000 inhabitants and a storied industrial history, is the ideal place to start converting gas grids to
heat grids. It could host our region’s first green heat grid, powered by waste heat from the burgeoning industry west of the city.