Essar Energy Transition announced the construction of the ‘first hydrogen power plant in Europe’.
Essar Energy Transition (EET) is set to be the trailblazer in terms of creating Europe's first (as per EET) hydrogen-powered combined heat and power plant (CHP) at its Stanlow refinery in the UK, with plans for it to become operational by 2027. Named EET Hydrogen Power, the project will be developed in two phases, ultimately achieving a capacity of 125MW of power alongside 6,000 tonnes of daily steam production. This will be a significant shift from hydrocarbons to hydrogen at the site, aiming to cut carbon emissions by 740,000 tonnes per year.
The upcoming facility will take over from the current boiler units that presently generate approximately 50MW of power for the refinery’s operations. By retrofitting these units and slashing emissions by 95%, EET is striving to establish the world's lowest carbon refinery. Tony Fountain, Managing Partner of Essar Energy Transition, highlighted the project's alignment with the company's goal to position the UK as a leader in low-carbon energy production.
This development is a central part of EET's broader $3 billion investment in energy transition projects across Northwest England. It also supports the HyNet industrial cluster, which focuses on hydrogen use and carbon capture initiatives. Upon completion, EET Hydrogen Power will operate as a standalone unit within EET, which encompasses several entities including EET Fuels, the owner of the Stanlow refinery, EET Hydrogen, and Stanlow Terminals, the UK’s largest independent bulk liquid storage terminal.
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Earlier this year, EET announced that it was finalizing discussions with the UK Government regarding its flagship HPP1 blue hydrogen plant in Ellesmere. This plant is expected to start with a capacity of 350 megawatts and will capture approximately 600,000 tonnes of CO2 annually, supplying hydrogen to various industrial customers in the Northwest of England.
