Essar Energy Transition (EET) on Friday welcomed the UK government’s move to affirm its support for the HyNet cluster, which also includes the company’s low carbon hydrogen production hub.
EET Hydrogen, a division of EET, is developing the first large-scale, low carbon hydrogen production hub in Stanlow, UK. The unit will produce 1,350 megawatt (MW) of hydrogen in total and capture around 2.5 million tonnes of carbon per annum, which is equivalent to taking 1.1 million cars off the roads.
Transition to low-carbon energy
The EET Hydrogen hub will enable regional industrial and power generation businesses to decarbonise by switching from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy.
EET Managing Partner Tony Fountain said, “Fantastic to see the government moving forward with the HyNet cluster, at the heart of which is our first low carbon hydrogen production plant at Stanlow, creating jobs and growth in the North West. Now that Government support is confirmed, we look forward to taking our final investment decision and starting construction in 2025.”
The low-carbon hydrogen will be used locally by EET Fuels’ Stanlow refinery and other major manufacturers in the region, including Encirc, Pilkington and Tata Chemicals, to create the first low-carbon refining operations, glass and chemicals manufacturing sites in the world.
Employment
The EET Hydrogen hub will help to secure and grow vital industries, create jobs and unlock billions of pounds of related investment.
EET Hydrogen CEO Joe Seifert said “Today’s announcement from the government represents a critical moment in the UK’s hydrogen industry. The North West is once again leading global industry into a new era producing critical everyday items but without the carbon impact. This investment will help to secure and grow jobs in our manufacturing heartlands for generations to come”
EET Hydrogen will develop the hydrogen hub in two phases, with the first plant (HPP1) equipped with 350 MW capacity, the second (HPP2) at 1,000 MW and an overall target capacity of more than 4,000 MW, by 2030.
It expects to begin construction of HPP1 in 2025, with low-carbon hydrogen produced at the site by 2028.