Page 26 - October 2019

making hydrogen happen

Carbon capture utilisation and storage periods of time. It can be transformed to towards energy security. Building on the
The report from the CCC suggests ammonia and transported. Pressurised HyDeploy programme, it will develop
160MTe pa of CO₂ must be captured hydrogen can be stored in several ways a full deployment plan for hydrogen
and stored to meet net zero carbon and efficient hydrogen storage is an active blending on the gas network.
in 2050. Industry has developed research area. For use in the gas network, A waste plastic-to-hydrogen facility
regional concept studies, primarily hydrogen can be stored as pressurised is proposed at Peel Environmental’s
in the North West, North East and gas ready for use in pipes, or at larger Protos site in Cheshire. Using pioneering
Scotland to develop multi MTpa CCS scale in salt caverns. The HySecure PowerHouse Energy technology
projects. Government, through BEIS, project is looking at how hydrogen could developed at Thornton Science Park
is developing the industrial cluster be stored in salt caverns in Cheshire. next door, Peel Environmental, part of
concept; one or more of these clusters Peel L&Ps, has plans for a further ten
may receive matched funding to Hydrogen in the North West facilities across the UK.
develop their project to mid-2020s The North West has all the elements While much remains to be done in
completion. The HyNet Phase 1 CCS to be the UK’s first hydrogen economy, this transition to net zero, hydrogen
project in the North West is amongst with energy intensive industry, a skilled can play a critical role in large scale
the lowest cost scale CCS projects with workforce, engaged academia, and decarbonisation. Realising this huge
a flexible and scalable approach to collaborating city regions. It is close to opportunity will require government
capture and store up to 20Mt of CO₂ pa, salt caverns for storage, the nearby East assistance in the development of early
initially from two existing industrial Irish assets for CCS and, critically, is well stage projects; demand side initiatives
facilities. The methane reformation placed for the development of connecting to encourage societal acceptance; and
project in Phase 2 of the project would infrastructure and the supply chain. industrial transformation incentives,
then utilise this CCS infrastructure The region has committed to amongst other things. The North West
as well as further CCS connectivity to becoming the UK’s first low carbon is well placed to lead the UK charge to
regional industry. industrial cluster by 2030, rising to decarbonise energy and in doing so
Clearly, we should be seeking to the government’s Industrial Clusters offer a replicable and exportable set of
minimise the quantity of CO₂ being Mission challenge. HyNet is a central skills and technologies to help meet the
stored underground with a primary component of the North West’s bid, challenge of net zero carbon by 2050.
focus on carbon utilisation. Applications which along with other projects, could
for fuel transformation, building deliver 33,000 jobs, over £4 billion The North West of England is poised
materials and many other uses are being investment and save 10 million tonnes to be the UK’s primary region for the
actively researched, with photosynthesis of carbon per year. development of a hydrogen-based
one of the most easily deliverable. Project Centurion has received economy. The region’s reputation as the
government funding to advance a industrial North – including the necessary
Hydrogen storage possible 100MW power-to-gas energy industries, academia, innovation, skills
Peak demand for heat in winter is storage project at Inovyn’s Runcorn site, and natural assets – means it is in pole
about five times more than in summer which already produces hydrogen as a position to grasp the opportunity of
and natural gas storage manages and co-product of the chlor-alkali process. hydrogen use. For more information, visit
modulates daily and seasonal imbalances. Project partners ITM Power, Inoyvn, www.nwhydrogenalliance.co.uk
Work is underway in the North West to Storengy, Cadent and Element Energy
plan how hydrogen storage will integrate are exploring how energy storage
into the hydrogen supply chain. can produce low carbon hydrogen References
Hydrogen can be stored as a gas or as for heat, decarbonisation of industry, 1. www.theccc.org.uk/publication/net-zero-
a liquid, in large amounts and for long and transport fuels and contribute technical-report

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