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Equinor has awarded two huge contracts for its Humber hydrogen production project.

Linde Group has secured both packages of work at the Saltend site, where the energy giant intends to produce 600MW of low carbon fuel by 2027. Its Linde Engineering entity has been awarded the front-end engineering design works, with group company BOC set to operate and maintain the plant for the first five years.

Both were part of a design competition, which included scope for engineering, procurement and construction of the plant, a kickstarter project for the wider Zero Carbon Humber ambition.

Read more: Prax unveils £300m carbon capture plan for Lindsey Oil Refinery

H2H Saltend will produce hydrogen with carbon capture technology integrated, a first of its kind and scale. First revealed in July 2020, it is seen as pivotal to helping establish the Energy Estuary as an international hub for such operations - with infrastructure stretching from there to Drax, and back to Easington, supplying the cleaner fuel longside a storage and transport solution for the harmful emissions the Humber’s industrial might produces at record º£½ÇÊÓƵ levels.

It will reduce emissions at the energy-intensive chemicals park to the east of hull by a third, replacing natural gas for several operations, specifically the power plant Equinor recently acquired with SSE Thermal.

Asbjørn Haugsgjerd, Equinor’s project director for the H2H Saltend project, said: “We are delighted to be working alongside Linde, who have demonstrated their expertise and commitment throughout the rigorous selection process over the last year and through their previous work with this technology and operations.

“H2H Saltend is a vital first step in creating a low carbon hydrogen economy and achieving net zero in the Humber, safeguarding local industries and creating greater opportunities, whilst helping the º£½ÇÊÓƵ to tackle climate change. With Linde Engineering, BOC and Johnson Matthey on board we are even better positioned to deliver this vision.”