TVL and bp to trial green hydrogen in lithium process
The partners will evaluate the feasibility of further decarbonising TVL's processes and energy requirements via a switch from natural gas to green hydrogen.
Alkemy Capital Investments plc announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Tees Valley Lithium Ltd (TVL) signed an MoU with BP Alternative Energy Investments Limited (a member of the bp plc group of companies), which is focussed on the development of its large green-hydrogen electrolytic production facility in Teesside (HyGreen Teesside).
BP and TVL consider there to be significant potential to further decarbonise TVL’s process with the use of green hydrogen that bp plans to produce at it proposed Hygreen Facility in Teesside.
The MOU proposes a broad-based collaboration between bp and TVL to jointly evaluate TVL’s processes and energy requirements to decarbonise these via a switch of fuel from natural gas to green hydrogen.
More than 700 GW of gigafactories are planned for construction across Europe, requiring over 325,000 tonnes of Lithium Hydroxide and 325,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate per annum. Currently, there is zero Lithium Hydroxide capacity in Europe.
Construction of Train 1 of TVL’s Lithium Hydroxide processing facility at the Wilton International Chemicals Park in Teesside UK, the first of four trains planned for the site, will produce 24,000 tpa of battery-grade LHM. Once completed, all four trains will produce a total of 96,000 tpa LHM, representing around 15% of Europe’s projected demand by 2030. TVL’s innovative electrochemical process allows the flexibility to divert 20% of the refinery’s production capacity to produce lithium carbonate.
By sourcing low-carbon feedstock and powering an electrochemical process with offshore wind and green hydrogen, TVL aims to supply its customers with the world’s lowest-carbon Lithium Hydroxide.
Louise Kingham, SVP at BP, said, “The project will help transform local energy use, the local economy and skills development in the community. It will also help us deliver economic growth and the home-grown hydrogen that the UK needs.”
John Walker, CEO of Tees Valley Lithium, said, “Tees Valley Lithium is delighted to be partnering with bp in this initiative, which will seek to further decarbonise TVL’s Lithium Hydroxide production at the Wilton International Chemicals Park, in Teesside, UK.”
