EET Hydrogen has announced that its HPP2 production project has commenced Front End Engineering & Design (FEED). At up to 1,000MW capacity the plant is expected to be the largest in the UK and one of the largest in the world and will produce some 230,000 tonnes of low carbon hydrogen every year for local industrial and power generation customers.

This follows from HPP1 (350MW capacity plant) that completed FEED in September 2021 and was selected by the government in March 2023 as one of two initial large low carbon hydrogen plants in the UK. HPP2 is the catalyst for investment across the UK North-West for infrastructure that will transport and store hydrogen and for industrial and power generation customers who will ‘fuel switch’ to this low carbon fuel. This will deliver the first low carbon refining, glass and chemicals manufacturing sites in the world. HPP2 will be adjacent to the HPP1 plant, benefiting from the synergies and helping to deliver value for money.

Many of the leading names in UK manufacturing as well as new emerging businesses are supporting the project – a number are quoted below:

Martin Ashcroft, Managing Director of Tata Chemicals Europe, commented: “We have been supporters of EET Hydrogen and the low carbon hydrogen segment as a real opportunity to further reduce emissions at our world class CHP facility.”

Deepak Maheshwari, CEO of EOUK, added: “We are delighted to be an anchor customer for the EET Hydrogen business as we develop and implement a number of sector leading hydrogen use cases and decarbonise our operations and manufacturing processes.”

Adrian Curry, Managing Director of Encirc, said: “This partnership with EET Hydrogen will help us to change the face of glass as we aim to produce Net Zero bottles from 2030. Glass is an incredible material and sustainable in so many ways. It has been around since 3500 BC, and by using hydrogen to decarbonise it, we believe it will be the packaging choice for centuries to come.”

Mo El-Moussaoui, Carbon Reduction Manager, Carrington Power, ESB, said: “In line with our Net Zero to 2040 strategy, we are decarbonising the carbon intensity of our generation fleet. We are delighted to work with EET Hydrogen as we work towards decarbonising our Carrington plant, and the many benefits that will bring.”

Neil Syder, Managing Director of Pilkington United Kingdom Limited said: “We are fully committed to our NSG Group target of achieving carbon neutral by 2050. Firing the float glass furnace using hydrogen instead of natural gas is a key part of our strategy to reduce carbon emissions.”

Paul Shelley, Site Manager at Warrington Ingevity: “Ingevity is proud to partner with HyNet Northwest and EET Hydrogen as we work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the manufacture of our Caprolactone range of specialty chemicals at our site in Warrington.”

Jeff Ovens, Managing Director of Fulcrum BioEnergy said: “As a leading pioneer in the commercialisation of waste based sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), we are working closely with EET Hydrogen to supply low carbon hydrogen for our Fulcrum NorthPoint SAF facility at the Essar Manufacturing Facility, Ellesmere Port. SAF is the only realistic solution to decarbonise aviation, particularly long haul flight and using low carbon hydrogen as part of our SAF production process, will further improve the overall net CO2 emission reduction benefits of Fulcrum’s fuel.”

Dr Angela Needle, Director of Strategy at Cadent said: “We warmly welcome the announcement that EET Hydrogen has started FEED for its HPP2 plant, a major step in decarbonising industry in the North West. At Cadent we remain focussed on developing the pipeline infrastructure in readiness to connect and transport hydrogen to industry whilst protecting the planet for our customers and the communities we serve.”