EnergyPathways, Hycamite and the MESH project in Barrow

EnergyPathways said it has signed an agreement with Finland's Hycamite to assess methane pyrolysis for the MESH project at Barrow. The plant under study would produce about 20,000 tonnes of hydrogen and up to 60,000 tonnes of graphite a year, with annual revenue the company estimates at £90m to £120m.

The Critical Minerals Accelerator, the programme the company intends to apply to, is described in UK government guidance of 5 August 2026 as a £25m fund for projects at technology readiness levels 6 to 8, with grants between £150,000 and £3m and applications closing on 30 September.

The gap in order of magnitude between those two figures sets the stage. The revenue estimate is the company's own scoping exercise, and the programme it is seeking funds demonstration. EnergyPathways places public support and future sales agreements as conditions for choosing between Hycamite, KBR and Hazer.

Graphite is what gives the project an industrial buyer outside energy, in batteries, aerospace and defence. The first dated milestone is 30 September, when applications close.