Page 17 - Gi flipbook March 2018

The strategy also sets out an
ambition for a low carbon economy
to propel the UK to the global

forefront of new technology and
innovative energy solutions

PROJECT DESIGN CONCEPT sites have already used hydrogen as a
The Liverpool-Manchester Hydrogen fuel for their onsite boilers, directly
Cluster provides a clear pathway for displacing natural gas with hydrogen.
the deployment of hydrogen into the Two known pipelines in the area
gas network – financed and under already transport hydrogen, meaning
construction in the early 2020s. It is there are pre-existing skills and
designed to represent a low cost, ‘no capability related to its production,
regrets’ step forward and has the handling and use. Some of these
potential for extension to allow current sources of hydrogen, along
further long-term decarbonisation of with the existing pipelines, may be
the Liverpool-Manchester region’s available, if required, to support initial
gas network and potentially beyond. demonstration projects.
The first stage of the project will It is envisaged at this stage of
cause minimal disruption to conceptual development that the
domestic and commercial gas hydrogen production facility will need
consumers as no change will be to be designed to deliver between
needed to their gas appliances. 580MW of hydrogen during summer
The project includes the production months (when one production line
of 5-6TWh/annum of low carbon can be offline for maintenance), and
hydrogen production with CCS. The 760MW during winter months to
hydrogen would be delivered to cater for increased demand from the
industry to displace natural gas and distribution network. An initial
would deliver major CO reductions project could deploy a range of
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for a tranche of large industrial gas methods to manage fluctuations in
users in the area. A lower percentage network demand. These include both
of hydrogen, blended with natural gas, a small amount of production
would then be fed into the flexibility and linepack within the
distribution network to a population hydrogen pipeline along with,
of up to five million domestic and potentially most importantly, ‘flexing’
has committed to meet tough carbon businesses users. of the proportions of hydrogen and
reduction targets by 2050 and, even natural gas supplied to industry via
more pressing, has now outlined its CONSISTENT DEMAND dual-fuel supply. This approach
fifth carbon budget (covering the AND EXISTING HYDROGEN presents the opportunity to avoid the
period 2028 to 2032). Its Clean PRODUCTION IN THE need for expensive underground salt
Growth Strategy, published in CLUSTER AREA cavern storage. However, it should be
October, highlighted the production The Liverpool-Manchester region is noted that extensive salt deposits in
and use of low carbon hydrogen, home to 11 per cent of Britain’s the Cheshire Basin are already used
alongside carbon capture and storage existing industrial gas use, largely in a for major natural gas storage, so
(CCS), as a potential pathway to corridor that runs parallel to the could enable significant future
achieving significant carbon reductions Manchester Ship Canal. In 2016, extension of the Cluster.
in the UK. The strategy also sets out 4,856GWh of gas was consumed by The project will require the
an ambition for a low carbon economy the 10 largest (distribution-network transport and storage of over 1.5
to propel the UK to the global connected) industrial gas users in the million tonnes of CO /annum from
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forefront of new technology and area, with no significant seasonal the hydrogen production facility
innovative energy solutions. variation. A substantial proportion of (located between Runcorn and
Conversion from natural gas to the industrial gas use is associated Ellesmere Port) to the offshore CO
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hydrogen offers a potential route to with the production of high and low storage site. All available evidence
long-term widespread decarbonisation temperature process heat, with a suggests that the Liverpool Bay
of the gas distribution networks. It relatively flat demand profile. complex of hydrocarbon fields located
presents a major opportunity for There are a number of existing in the East Irish Sea, off the coast of
industrial growth and valuable sources of hydrogen production Merseyside, could be repurposed to
technical skills development for within the cluster area, some of which provide extensive CO storage. It is
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export outside the UK. are also major gas users. Two of these understood that the fields are likely to

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