Essar seeks approval for blue hydrogen plants in the UK

Essar Oil (UK) Ltd has submitted a planning application seeking approval to construct hydrogen production plants at its Stanlow Manufacturing Complex in Ellesmere Port, UK.

Essar plans to build two blue hydrogen production hubs at Stanlow with a total investment of £750 million. The blue hydrogen production plants will play a key role in HyNet North West’ initiative, a low carbon energy project aiming to help the UK achieve its net-zero goal.

The proposal has been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester Council, and if approved, construction works will start by the end of 2022, with hydrogen production planned for around the mid-2020s.

The application requests full planning permission for most of the first phase of the development, including the first process plant capable of producing 350 MWth of high purity low carbon hydrogen. Besides the first phase, the application also seeks an outline planning permission for the second hydrogen production plant with a capacity of 700 MWth of hydrogen and a supporting plant.

In addition to HyNet, Essar also plans to develop a new facility to convert non-recyclable household waste into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the UK aviation industry. The plant will convert 100,000s tonnes of pre-processed waste into around 100 million litres/year of low carbon SAF. The project involves Essar, Fulcrum BioEnergy and Essar’s subsidiary company Stanlow Terminals Limited.

Deepak Maheshwari, Essar CEO, said, “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.”