EET Fuels has announced its ambitious plans to build Europe's inaugural hydrogen-ready combined heat and power (CHP) plant at its oil refinery in Stanley, with the completion date set for 2027. This pioneering project underscores EET Fuels' commitment to transforming Stanlow into the lowest-carbon process refinery in the world.
The new hydrogen power plant is a cornerstone of EET Fuels' strategy to position itself as the UK's leading low-carbon hydrogen producer. This initiative is designed to provide cleaner energy solutions, aiding the region's industrial users to meet their decarbonisation goals.
The project is to be executed in two phases, culminating in a total capacity of 125MW of power alongside the production of 6,000 tonnes of steam daily. The hydrogen plant will replace the boiler units currently at Stanlow, which generate around 50MW of power for the refinery's operations.
Switching from hydrocarbons to hydrogen gas as the fuel source for the plant will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 740,000 tonnes annually. This transition is vital to EET Fuels' broader objective to slash emissions at Stanlow by 95% by 2030, thereby setting a new benchmark for low-carbon refinery operations worldwide.
This venture is a crucial component of the larger HyNet decarbonisation cluster, which aims to capture carbon dioxide from industrial processes and store it offshore in the Irish Sea. EET Fuels is investing a substantial $3 billion in energy transition projects throughout North West England, reflecting its bold vision for the future.
By spearheading the development of this hydrogen-ready CHP plant, EET Fuels is set to become the UK's first producer of low-carbon power derived from hydrogen. A portion of the electricity generated by the new plant will be integrated into the national power grid, marking a significant step forward in the country's energy transition efforts.