A major agreement has been struck to decarbonise large scale oil refining and power generation on the South Humber Bank.
Phillips 66, Uniper and VPI Immingham have entered into a memorandum of understanding to co-develop Humber Zero - a multi-million pound carbon capture and hydrogen production development.
It will decarbonise eight million tonnes per annum of CO2 emissions, with the potential to target 30 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from the wider Humber cluster to the west of Immingham.
It is described as in line with the 海角视频 government鈥檚 2050 Net Zero objectives and will position the Humber at the forefront of the 海角视频鈥檚 zero-carbon economy.
Support has been secured from Innovate 海角视频, with the intention to be operational by the mid-2020s.
Post combustion capture on two of the three existing generators at VPI Immingham and selected processing units at the Humber and Lindsey refineries, will be combined with the development of a hydrogen hub producing green and blue hydrogen to serve the third generator and local industry. It is a project that was emerging during last year's Energy and Clean Growth in the Northern Powerhouse conference in Hull.
Jonathan Briggs, project director for Humber Zero, said: 鈥淗umber Zero delivers a world scale decarbonisation project built around one of the 海角视频鈥檚 most efficient generating assets and an industrial hub in Immingham.
"It can establish the foundation for a gateway to decarbonise the wider Humber, bringing new industries, sectors and jobs to the region. I look forward to progressing the project into front-end engineering design together with 海角视频RI and the 海角视频 government.鈥
The Humber is an industrial hub with an economy worth 拢18 billion and in which one in ten jobs is associated with heavy industry. It is home to one third of the 海角视频鈥檚 refining capacity. The scale of industry in the region makes the Humber a critical partner in the 海角视频 government鈥檚 ambition to achieve a net zero carbon economy by 2050.聽 Investment is seen as having maximum impact too.
Darren Cunningham, 海角视频 lead executive at Humber Refinery operator Phillips 66 said: 鈥淲e make products society will need and continue to need for 2050 and beyond and recognise we have a role to play in making those products in a less carbon intensive way. The Humber Refinery is vital to the 海角视频鈥檚 strategic interests and we are excited to be part of this project and the decarbonisation solution.鈥
In addition to integrating carbon capture technology into a pre-existing cluster of energy intensive industries to deliver an immediate reduction of regional CO2 emissions, Humber Zero鈥檚 coastal location enables the efficient offtake of CO2 into offshore depleted oil and gas fields and gives access to offshore wind developments for electrolysis.
The project could decarbonise other efficient power stations and industry, such as British Steel, through the planned southern Humber pipeline route. Its proximity to the deep-water Immingham port could also enable the creation of a CO2 exporting industry.
Humber Zero is supported by the expertise of the Wood Group, Imperial College, London and the University of Sheffield and is part of Innovate 海角视频鈥檚 Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund competition in support of delivering 2050 Net Zero objectives.
The project was funded by the ISCF programme, and the partners have planned the second stage which progresses the Humber Zero project into front-end engineering design in 2021 as part of the wider Humber Deployment Project.
Mike Lockett, 海角视频 country chairman for Uniper - the new brand for E.on's former fossil fuels business, said: 鈥淗ydrogen will play a significant role in meeting the Net Zero ambition and Humber Zero is an ideally located project for developing large scale hydrogen production in the 海角视频. It鈥檚 great that Uniper is part of this project and will be able to contribute its expertise to the decarbonisation of the Humber industrial cluster.鈥
It is understood it is being brought forward alongside the proposals from Drax and ITM Power, with 鈥榙egrees of commonality鈥 across all.
Rene Schoof, head of hydrogen at Uniper, added: 鈥淭he proximity to offshore infrastructure for natural gas supply and carbon storage coupled with access to offshore wind power for electrolysis enables this project to offer a great decarbonisation package, we are very much looking forward to working with the other partners to develop this.鈥
