Air Products is partnering with Associated British Ports (ABP) to bring the first large-scale, green hydrogen production facility to the U.K.
The facility would import green ammonia produced by Air Products and its partners and use it to produce green hydrogen, helping to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors such as transport and industry, the company said.
“Globally, Air Products supports the energy transition by developing real, first-mover projects,” said Ivo Bols, Air Products’ president for Europe and Africa. “We are forging sustainable hydrogen supply chains with our partners and using our hydrogen knowledge and expertise to accelerate the energy transition. We are in positive talks with government ministers and officials about our plans to invest in U.K. green hydrogen.
“To enable our investment decision, we are seeking some policy assurances that a viable market will exist for our product.”
The U.K. government plans to have 10 gigawatts of low-carbon hydrogen in production or construction by 2030, but currently there is no significant domestic production in the country, Air Products said. So, as a “first mover,” the company aims to help drive progress toward the government’s sustainability targets. That’s why it is working with ABP to establish the new green hydrogen facility in the Port of Immingham on England’s east coast.
The location will provide the required infrastructure and good proximity to markets and required utilities, Air Products said. And ABP will invest in new infrastructure with a new jetty to service the import and export handling of liquid bulk products. In addition to handling green ammonia, the jetty is being designed so that it can accommodate other cargoes connected to the energy transition, including the import of liquified carbon dioxide (CO2) from carbon capture and storage projects for sequestration in the North Sea.
Immingham sits within the U.K.’s largest industrial cluster, close to proposed offshore transport and storage networks for CO2. The scheme builds on an existing Air Products plan to develop the country’s largest blue hydrogen facility in Immingham, making the Humber a major location for low-carbon energy production, businesses, and jobs.
Air Products and ABP predict the project will help eliminate up to 580,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
“ABP and the Humber are at the epicenter of the decarbonization agenda and we are delighted to work with Air Products on this project, which will help deliver the U.K.’s legal obligation to be net zero by 2050,” said Henrik L. Pedersen, ABP’s CEO.