Essar Oil (UK) has submitted a planning application to Cheshire West and Chester Council for construction of hydrogen production plants at its Stanlow Manufacturing Complex in Ellesmere Port.
The proposed hydrogen plants will form a central pillar of the HyNet North West initiative, a low carbon energy project.
According to Essar, the construction of two blue hydrogen production hubs at Stanlow will attract £750m in total investment and support a hydrogen economy across North West England and North East Wales. If approved, construction work is scheduled to begin on site by the end of 2022, with hydrogen production set to commence by the mid-2020s.
Essar chief executive officer Deepak Maheshwari commented: “Essar is committed to delivering on its transition to low carbon operations. The planned evolution of our Stanlow Refinery is set to power the UK’s low carbon revolution for years to come, creating jobs and helping local communities flourish.”
The application will request full planning permission for the majority of the first phase of the development, comprising the first process plant capable of producing 350MWth of high purity low carbon hydrogen.
It will also request outline planning permission for elements of a supporting plant for phase 1, plus a second hydrogen production plant with a capacity of 700MWth of hydrogen and supporting plant.
In the following years, follow on capacity growth is planned to reach 80% of the government’s new target of 5GW of low carbon hydrogen for power, transport, industry and homes by 2030.
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