For those investment planning in Cheshire’s green economy, Essar Energy Transition (EET) has confirmed that its Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port is set to welcome Europe’s first wholly hydrogen-fuelled power plant.
In its drive to decarbonisation, the energy giant’s goal is to have the EET Hydrogen Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) ready by 2027.
This will be achieved by taking refined hydrogen and converting it into an operational power and steam energy source to fuel the site. Not only will this reduce carbon emissions, but it will also enable it to provide low-carbon energy to other major industries nearby.
It is envisaged EET’s hydrogen power will ultimately reach a capacity of 125 MW of power with 6,000 tonnes per day of steam, and help cut Stanlow’s emissions by 740,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
The company’s ambitious objective is to reduce total emissions almost entirely by 95% by 2030 to create “the world’s lowest carbon refinery” in a wider HyNet industrial cluster in the North West – a rapidly emerging global leader in green energy.
The planned conversion is estimated to cost EET around $3 billion in energy transition costs at Stanlow and affiliated sites. In a statement, its CEO Rob Wallace said that as Europe’s first 100% hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine plant, EET Hydrogen Power will contribute hugely to regional emissions reductions targets.
EET is a specialist in hydrogen, decarbonisation, new energy infrastructure and biofuels, and runs Vertex, EET Future Energy, Stanlow Terminals Ltd and Essar Oil UK.
