Hydrogen Central

Equinor – Humber Hydrogen Production Plant Progresses

equinor humber hydrogen plant

Equinor – Humber hydrogen production plant progresses.

[Business Live] Contracts have been awarded to progress Equinor’s hydrogen production plant east of Hull.

The Norwegian energy major is behind a proposed 600MW facility, H2H Saltend, a key part of plans to decarbonise the Humber region’s heavy industry. It starts with the fuel-switching of an on-site power plant.

First revealed in July last year, it would be one of the world’s first at-scale facilities to produce the low carbon fuel from natural gas, operating in conjunction with carbon capture and storage technology. A total of 100 to 150 jobs are anticipated, with thousands in construction.

Read more:Q&A: Equinor chief on why Humber provides it with the best opportunity for energy transition

Pre-front end engineering and design study terms have been issued to three bidders, with one to be selected later next year – ahead of a financial investment decision in 2023. The study will also be used to support the delivery of a further 1,200 MW of low-carbon hydrogen production.

As reported, the tripling of output would provide the capacity to fuel the Keadby Hydrogen power station, which could be the world’s first large scale facility to use 100 per cent hydrogen to generate electricity. It is being developed with SSE Thermal.

If built out it would account for a third of the UK Government’s 5GW low carbon hydrogen production goal, with world leaders currently convening for COP26 in Glasgow to agree the framework to get to Net Zero. The Humber is the most carbon intensive UK industrial cluster, and second in Europe, with H2H a key tool in the ambition to be at the forefront of decarbonisation.

Dan Sadler, Equinor’s vice president for UK low carbon solutions, said:

Equinor is dedicated to delivering Hydrogen to Humber and to contributing to the development of the UK’s hydrogen economy through the H2H Saltend project and then expanding that experience with the Keadby Hydrogen project.

“Producing hydrogen from natural gas with carbon capture and storage provides a practical, scalable solution to decarbonise a wide range of sectors that currently depend on fossil fuel.”

The huge investment would underpin the Zero Carbon Humber proposal, with the East Coast Cluster it is a major part of selected in the sequencing competition run by the government last month to introduce carbon capture and storage.

It has opened up £1 billion of funding.

The contractors will participate in a competition to provide design proposals, as well as a lump sum front end engineering design and option for engineering, procurement and construction execution and operations.

The three selected contractors are KBR & Tecnimont consortium, Technip Energies consortium as well as Linde through its businesses at Linde Engineering and BOC UK.

Tanguy Cosmao, Equinor’s project director for the H2H project, told how there was “huge interest for the projects” and the consortia were chosen through a six month prequalification process.

Tanguy Cosmao

The selected contractors are renowned for their engineering, procurement and construction and operating capabilities in the hydrogen/ammonia and carbon capture sector.

“Our execution strategy enables adoption of proven technology and cost-competitive solutions for first-of-a-kind projects and early engagement of UK construction and service companies.”

Projections show the H2H Saltend project will enable fuel switching in 2026-2027 resulting in a CO2 emissions reduction of 1.1 million tonnes a year. Equinor plans to supply hydrogen to Keadby Hydrogen power station, expected to start-up in 2028-29, with a resulting CO2 emissions reduction of close to two million tonnes per year.

Equinor is working with Supply Chain Network and Catch to host supplier days later this month to highlight opportunities for other businesses, with the pre-FEED contractors hosting alongside the H2H team. Thanks for keeping up to date at Hydrogen Central.

Equinor – Humber hydrogen production plant progresses, November 2, 2021

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