Immingham's bid to be a world-leading green port have progressed, with an early funding win to prove the feasibility.
Owner Associated British Ports is working in partnership with Uniper, Siemens Energy and Toyota Tsusho, with match-funding successfully secured from the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.
Project Mayflower, referencing the starting point for the historic pilgrimage to the 鈥楴ew World鈥 401 years ago, will develop a hydrogen-based decarbonisation model, with potential for 20MW of production by 2025.
Read more:Prax joins the Humber's race to Net Zero with Lindsey Oil Refinery
The feasibility study will now start this month, with the Innovate 海角视频 and Department for Transport backing confirmed. It will provide 拢70,000 towards the 拢140,000 cost as one of 55 projects sharing 拢23 million.
Henrik Pedersen, chief executive at Associated British Ports, said: 鈥淭his successful bid is an exciting and important step in the 海角视频鈥檚 journey to Net Zero. We believe that hydrogen will be a game-changer for decarbonising maritime and wider industry and we are delighted that ABP鈥檚 Port of Immingham can play a pioneering role.鈥
Hydrogen would be used as a direct replacement to diesel and heavy fuel oil, or for the production of clean shipping fuels. It tackles decarbonisation where electrification is not a viable solution.
As part of the project first revealed in June, Immingham could be the first step in the uptake of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels across the whole maritime sector.
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Uniper鈥檚 existing gas-fired power station is lined up to play a huge part in the Humber鈥檚 emerging hydrogen economy, sat alongside the port and the refining complex.
Mike Lockett, Uniper鈥檚 海角视频 chairman and group chief commercial officer for power, said: 鈥淭his is excellent news! We鈥檙e really pleased that we鈥檒l now be able to progress our feasibility study, with our partners, in this ground-breaking area. We believe that hydrogen could be an ideal solution for enabling the decarbonisation of those hard to reach sectors such as transport, heavy industry and maritime.鈥
The companies will now undertake a full feasibility study, reviewing the technical and economic elements of reducing port greenhouse gas emissions, while developing a clear plan for future development.
It will also assess key areas encompassing the conversion of existing infrastructure, the generation and storage of hydrogen and potential end uses of green hydrogen in and around the port.
Successful completion of the feasibility study could enable a front-end engineering design study to start in 2022, with potential financial investment decisions in 2023.
Steve Scrimshaw, vice president for 海角视频 and Ireland at Siemens Energy Ltd, said: 鈥淪ecuring this funding means we will be able to assess the full decarbonisation potential of hydrogen in the maritime sector, which has the potential to be replicated at other ports across the world.鈥
The company produces some of the world鈥檚 most advanced electrolysis units.
At Toyota Tsusho, the focus is the integration of port equipment.
Tsuyoshi Iwata, deputy managing director, said: 鈥淲e are very pleased with the result and look forward to working with the partners for the feasibility study. We鈥檙e excited to explore the potential for hydrogen to enable the decarbonisation of operations in and around the Port of Immingham.
鈥淲e strongly believe that hydrogen will be a solution to achieve the 海角视频鈥檚 target of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, and this project will contribute to it.鈥
Revealing the funding, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "As a proud island nation built on our maritime prowess, it is only right that we lead by example when it comes to decarbonising the sector and building back greener.
"The projects announced today showcase the best of British innovation, revolutionising existing technology and infrastructure to slash emissions, create jobs and get us another step closer to our decarbonisation targets."
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