Cheshire hydrogen plant a step closer with latest milestone
Work on FEED (front end engineering and design) has started at a Cheshire hydrogen project.
EET (Essar Energy Transition) Hydrogen said its HPP2 production project has started FEED and at up to 1,000MW capacity the plant is expected to be the largest in the UK and one of the largest in the world and will produce some 230,000 tonnes of low carbon hydrogen every year for local industrial and power generation customers.
This follows from HPP1 (350MW capacity plant) that completed FEED in September 2021, and was selected by the Government in March 2023 as one of two initial large low carbon hydrogen plants in the UK.
HPP2 is the catalyst for investment across the UK North West for infrastructure that will transport and store hydrogen and for industrial and power generation customers who will ‘fuel switch’ to this low carbon fuel.
This will deliver the first low carbon refining, glass and chemicals manufacturing sites in the world. HPP2 will be next to the HPP1 plant at Stanlow, benefiting from the synergies and helping to deliver value for money.
Many of the leading names in UK manufacturing, as well as new emerging businesses, are supporting the project, including Tata Chemicals Europe, Pilkington UK, Cadent and Encirc.
Martin Ashcroft, managing director of Tata Chemicals Europe, said: “We have been supporters of EET Hydrogen and the low carbon hydrogen segment as a real opportunity to further reduce emissions at our world class CHP facility.”
Neil Syder, managing director of Pilkington UK, said: “We are fully committed to our NSG Group target of achieving carbon neutral by 2050. Firing the float glass furnace using hydrogen instead of natural gas is a key part of our strategy to reduce carbon emissions.”
Dr Angela Needle, director of strategy at Cadent, said: “We warmly welcome the announcement that EET Hydrogen has started FEED for its HPP2 plant, a major step in decarbonising industry in the North West.
“At Cadent we remain focused on developing the pipeline infrastructure in readiness to connect and transport hydrogen to industry whilst protecting the planet for our customers and the communities we serve.”
And Adrian Curry, managing director of Encirc, said: “This partnership with EET Hydrogen will help us to change the face of glass as we aim to produce Net Zero bottles from 2030.
“Glass is an incredible material and sustainable in so many ways. It has been around since 3500 BC, and by using hydrogen to decarbonise it, we believe it will be the packaging choice for centuries to come.”
