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

More world-class companies have joined the Humber Energy Board, demonstrating the strength of industry in the region and 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 five Secondary 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.”

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. Siemens Energy was also the technology partner for Viking Link, the world’s longest electricity interconnector, enabling 1.4 GW of clean power to flow between the UK & Denmark. This includes the installation of the Bicker Fen substation. 

Exolum is Europe’s leading logistics company for liquid products, employing more than 2,300 people in 11 countries, including 800 in the UK. 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. The company’s national aviation fuel pipeline network also delivers fuel for 40 per cent of flights leaving the UK each year and it owns and operates around a quarter of the UK’s petrol, diesel and chemical storage capacity.

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, and the first phase of Britain’s national hydrogen network, Project Union: East Coast – a proposed underground pipeline connecting industrial hubs in the Humber, Teesside and the East Midlands.

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. By putting this infrastructure in place, NEP is helping local businesses reduce their carbon footprint and continue to invest in the communities they serve.

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.

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 through policy action that will unlock transformational investments in hydrogen and carbon capture and storage infrastructure.

The letter 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.

Read more about HEB’s “Re-energise the Humber” campaign: www.humberenergyboard.org/2026/01/15/industry-urges-government-to-re-energise-the-humber-with-key-hydrogen-decision-in-2026/