Industry leaders join Humber Energy Board to boost drive to unlock transformational investment

Image credit: New HEB members

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Several major companies, including Shell UK and Siemens Energy, have joined the Humber Energy Board to advocate for government action to unlock significant investment in the Humber region's energy sector. This move aims to strengthen the board's influence in pushing for policies that would accelerate the UK's transition to cleaner energy, create jobs, and enhance energy security. The expanded board now includes 16 members, emphasising the region's readiness to drive economic growth and industrial transformation.

Press Release

HULL, UK - May 19, 2026

A series of world-class companies have joined the Humber Energy Board, adding weight to its calls for Government action to unlock tens of billions of pounds of investment.

Shell UK, energy technology company Siemens Energy, global energy logistics company Exolum, the operator of Britain’s national gas network, National Gas, and the Northern Endurance Partnership, have all joined as Secondary Members. Industry training provider CATCH has also joined the Humber Energy Board (HEB) as an Associate Member.

It takes the total number of HEB members to 16, strengthening its voice and clear message to Government – that the Humber stands ready to deliver investment, growth and prosperity, and to accelerate the UK’s transition to cleaner, more secure energy.

The new members join a powerful group of private sector organisations bringing together expertise across power generation, energy networks, hydrogen, carbon capture and industrial skills.

Iain Harris, Interim Managing Director of HEB, said: “We’re delighted to welcome our new members to the Humber Energy Board, in what is a vital year for the UK’s largest industrial cluster.

“Our enlarged membership will both diversify and amplify our message to Government that 2026 must be the year to back our region as an industrial powerhouse that can drive transformational growth for UK Plc.

“We will continue working with our members, policy-makers and decision‑makers to turn ambition into delivery – unlocking major investment, creating tens of thousands of jobs and building a thriving, prosperous Humber.”

The new members join HEB at a pivotal juncture for the region’s energy sector.

In January, HEB wrote a letter to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband – co-signed by 30 leading businesses and organisations – which called on Government to “Re-energise the Humber” in 2026. It outlined how positive policy decisions can transform the Humber economy by moving major energy projects into the delivery phase, stimulating the creation of tens of thousands of skilled jobs, and safeguarding the region’s critical contribution to UK energy security and supply.

HEB’s six new members collectively employ more than 13,000 people across the UK, in roles critical to UK energy supply and security.

Shell UK’s employees work across a range of energy-related activity. Shell is actively involved in developing carbon capture and storage in the UK and has offshore CO2 storage appraisal licences in the Southern North Sea that could store CO2 from emitters in the Humber.

Siemens Energy employs more than 7,000 people in the UK, including 1,400 people at its Siemens Gamesa wind blade factory in Hull. In the Humber, the company has also worked in partnership with SSE to deliver Keadby 2, one of the most powerful and efficient power stations in the world.

Exolum is Europe’s leading logistics company for liquid products. As well as pioneering the use of hydrogen in existing liquid fuel infrastructure at its facilities in the Humber, Exolum launched the UK’s first commercially-ready biomethanol storage and supply service for shipping at the Port of Immingham.

National Gas is developing Britain’s regional and national hydrogen transport systems to support low carbon power generation, industrial decarbonisation and economic growth. Landmark projects include Humber Hydrogen, which aims to be the UK’s first regional hydrogen network.

The Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP) is building the CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure that will support jobs and growth across the Humber. NEP’s goal is to cut emissions from the UK’s most carbon‑intensive industrial region while protecting thousands of local jobs.

HEB’s new Associate Member CATCH is a leader in skills, apprenticeships and competency. CATCH continues to scale up its operations to meet industry demand, with the aim of training 1,000 new entrants annually by 2029.

Notes to editors

Notes to Editors
  • The Humber Energy Board (HEB) is a collaboration of major businesses, working with public sector organisations to lead the region’s drive to decarbonise the UK’s largest industrial cluster and stimulate economic growth.
  • HEB is behind the Humber 2030 Vision – a prospectus of major decarbonisation projects across the Humber. These projects represent a potential of up to £44bn of private sector investment in the region.
  • HEB is clear that decarbonising the Humber, the industrial cluster emitting more CO2 than any other across the country, is essential for the Government to meet its ambition of the UK becoming net zero by 2050.
  • The Humber Energy Board members are: ABP, CATCH, Centrica, Drax, Equinor, Exolum, Harbour Energy, National Gas, Phillips 66 UK, Northern Endurance Partnership, RWE, Shell UK, Siemens Energy, SSE, Uniper and VPI.
  • The decarbonisation of the Humber is critical to supporting jobs and economic growth, and delivering a sustainable future for generations to come. HEB’s position is that the region presents the UK’s biggest decarbonisation opportunity, providing world-leading infrastructure, innovation and technology that can be replicated around the world.

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