Hydrogen switching demonstrated in UK
Unilever has launched a demonstration of 100% hydrogen power for manufacturing at its Port Sunlight site in northern England.
The initiative, part of the HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching programme to decarbonise industry, is aimed to demonstrate the potential for switching to low carbon hydrogen in manufacturing and other industrial processes.
As part of the trial, believed to be a world first, both 100% hydrogen and a blend of natural gas and hydrogen is being used to fire a boiler which provides steam for the production process.
Unilever’s Port Sunlight site on Merseyside is the company’s main research and development facility and manufacturing site for personal and home care products in the UK.
Have you read?
GB gas operators ready to supply blended hydrogen from 2023
UK has ‘fired the starting gun on scaling hydrogen’
Madeleine McLeod, Port Sunlight Factory Director, says that Unilever is adapting and innovating its factories and processes to help reduce its impact on the planet and to progress its climate commitments.
“We’re working towards our commitment to have zero emissions by 2030. The results will help us to better understand the role hydrogen could play in decarbonising our factory sites and provide insight and learnings to support wider-industry action towards net zero too.”
The project is being led by clean energy consultants Progressive Energy.
David Parkin, Director of Progressive Energy and HyNet North West Project Director says that HyNet is fully focused on providing a route for industry to decarbonise.
“This demonstration shows how close we are to hydrogen becoming a reality. HyNet will not only substantially reduce the level of carbon dioxide emissions entering our atmosphere but will kick-start a low carbon hydrogen economy across the northwest and northeast Wales.”
HyNet North West is planned to provide the infrastructure to produce, store and distribute low carbon hydrogen across the heavily industrialised northwest of England and into north Wales along with carbon capture and storage.
The initiative is being implemented by a consortium of sector and industry players including the gas network operator Cadent, which is developing a 100% hydrogen network comprised of both new and upgraded infrastructure, and Vertex Hydrogen, which will supply the low carbon hydrogen.
The Port Sunlight demonstration is expected to provide important evidence for the wider decarbonisation of the industrial sector in the UK.
Among other trials in the HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching programme, in August 2021 a demonstration was launched with Pilkington to produce sheet glass using hydrogen.
Most recently Essar Oil has announced a £45 million (US$58.7 million) investment in a 100% hydrogen fuelled refinery furnace.
