Equinor and SSE Thermal have announced that they will construct two hydrogen power plants within this decade. The plants will significantly reduce the carbon footpront of the Humber industrial area and provide cleaner energy to over one million households.
The power plants will have carbon capture and storage filters from the start and help the U.K.’s shift to net-zero energy generation over the coming decades. Excess CO2 will be transported for storage under the Southern North Sea.
The peak demand for hydrogen at the power plants is expected to be 1,800 megawatts (MW). This will be a fully hydrogen-fired station, the first to use low-carbon hydrogen as its fuel. Supply for it will be provided from the H2H Saltend project.
The final go-ahead for the plants is subject to local policy approval, but the plan is likely to go through and is set to create demand for high-skilled construction, engineering and chemical industry jobs.
A Hydrogen Future?
The two companies hope to begin operations in 2027 with this being the third joint-venture between them after the Dogger Bank wind farm and the Aldbrough Gas Storage plant.
Equinor (as the new incarnation of Statoil) is still heavily involved in oil and natural gas projects, but has recently announced their ambition to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
As of 2020, the vast majority of hydrogen was generated from fossil fuels and more specifically by steam reforming of natural gas, partial oxidation of methane, and coal gasification.
Despite this, hydrogen seems to be winning new fans in many areas, with applications in auto, rail and aviation transport being announced almost every week. You can read more about companies staking their future on it here:
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Stocks Rally on Biden’s America Jobs Plan
ZeroAvia Raises $24.3 Million To Accelerate Its Hydrogen Fuel Cells Technology
