From Blueprint to Reality 2026

CLUSTER BENEFIT Garner institutional support from government The UK’s robust regulatory framework has been critical for attracting private sector investment and commercial financing. The UK government-issued economic licence and the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) regulated network code, along with revenue guarantees provided by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), have protected investors during project ramp-up. Grant funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) was important for Eni and consortium partners during early development stages. CLUSTER BENEFIT Centralize project coordination As the system operator, Eni’s leadership in developing the underlying infrastructure (reaching FID in April 2025) for carbon transportation was pivotal for subsequent development of carbon capture projects in the cluster, two of which reached FID in September 2025. CLUSTER BENEFIT Aggregate demand & supply Eni has worked in close collaboration with industrial emitters to confirm five initial users of the CCS network: Encyclis, Heidelberg Materials, EET, Uniper and Evero. This helped convey to financiers that there is a viable market for the CCS infrastructure. CLUSTER BENEFIT Decrease costs Eni is re-using ~150 km of existing pipelines to transport captured CO2, significantly reducing project costs. INEOS Inovyn is repurposing salt caverns, currently used to store natural gas, to hold 35,000 tonnes of hydrogen.HyNet North West – financing benefits TABLE 3 The combination of the UK’s favourable regulatory and licencing frameworks, along with a clear demonstration of a viable market for CCS, supported project bankability. This enabled Eni to secure a £2.5 billion project financing package from a consortium of over 20 banks. The UK’s favourable regulatory frameworks, along with a viable market for CCS, enabled Eni to secure £2.5 billion of project financing from a consortium of 20+ banks. From Blueprint to Reality: A Stronger Business Case for Shared Energy Infrastructure 21