An 800MW low-carbon hydrogen production plant is to be brought forward at the heart of the South Humber Bank’s industrial cluster.
Power station operator VPI Immingham and Air Products, the world’s largest hydrogen producer, have signed a joint development agreement for Humber Hydrogen Hub - H3 as it is to be known.
It would be used to clean up existing power production within the refinery set-up, with hundreds of jobs outlined in construction and operation.
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The majority of the hydrogen produced would replace gas on the existing 1.2GW Immingham Combined Heat and Power Plant’s third unit, with the balance made available to other industrial users.
Air Products’ chief operating officer, Dr Samir Serhan, said: “We are excited to be working with VPI, a strong proponent for decarbonisation in the Humber region.
“Having a partner who is committed to decarbonising their existing power production operations through the use of low-carbon hydrogen provides the secure hydrogen offtake that makes this an excellent opportunity for us to support them and the 海角视频 government’s broader sustainability targets.”
VPI is already a partner with Phillips 66 - the major power customer and original owner of the complex - on Humber Zero, the carbon capture plan for the zone.
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Together with other projects it is tackling the 海角视频’s most carbon intensive industrial cluster.
Humber Zero and H3 combined would save over two thirds of the emissions, with the latter looking to capture up to two million tonnes of CO2 a year.
VPI’s project director, Jonathan Briggs, said: “When Humber Zero was first developed over two years ago, a low-carbon hydrogen solution for VPI’s third train was a critically important part of our mission to decarbonise Immingham. By partnering with Air Products on H3, we are harnessing the expertise of the world’s largest producer of hydrogen - and the operator of one of the largest low-carbon hydrogen facilities in Port Arthur, Texas, USA - to ensure that we can make a substantial contribution to the decarbonisation of the Humber region. We are confident that, when appropriate government policy develops with respect to support of low-carbon hydrogen, H3 would materially contribute to meeting the 海角视频’s Net Zero goals.
“VPI is investing heavily in the energy transition and supporting the creation of a hydrogen economy in the 海角视频 as part of the overall drive towards achieving net zero in the coming decades.”
H3 joins plans from Uniper and Shell at neighbouring North Killingholme for 720MW, with potential for green hydrogen too, and the Gigastack green hydrogen project that could also sit metres away from the Rosper Road entrance, while Equinor has also proposed a second Humber site in addition to Saltend - also understood to be on the South Bank.
An application has been submitted for strand one funding for H3 as part of the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, which is being administered by 海角视频 Research and Innovation. It is progressing the government’s ambition for 10GW of low-carbon hydrogen production by 2030.
In a joint statement, Air Products and VPI said: “As both companies move towards an investment decision, this marks a significant step that could bring hundreds of new jobs to the region during construction and operation.
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“Air Products and VPI look forward to constructive engagement with the Government on how the H3 project can become a reality.”
Air Products is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and is a world-leading industrial gases company that has operated for more than 80 years, across 50 countries. It turned over £8.5 billion ($10.3 billion) in 2021 and already has a production and supply base at Stallingborough, beside Tronox.
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