Uniper has announced plans for a hydrogen hub project in the Humber, UK, expected to become operational by 2029.
Located at the Killingholme site, the Humber H2ub® project will integrate 120MW of green hydrogen production, which has the potential to scale-up further. The company is aiming to boast more than 1GW of electrolyser capacity across its business by 2030.
Uniper entered into a collaborative agreement with Phillips 66 Limited with the aim of supplying green hydrogen to its Humber Refinery from 2029, reducing its Scope 1 operational emissions.
The project development and supply agreement with Phillips 66 Limited are subject to financial investment approval from the two companies’ management, and several preconditions would have to be met. These include securing the necessary planning consents and environmental permit, agreement on the terms for hydrogen offtake and a Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreement with the UK Government.
Duncan Hammond, Humber’s Decarbonisation Projects Manager at Phillips 66 Limited, claimed hydrogen refuelling will be a “big step in lowering the refinery’s emissions.”
“Energy security if vital for the UK,” Hammond added. “Utilising technologies such as low-carbon hydrogen produced by electrolysis and also carbon capture will enable us to continue to produce essential products for the transport sector and supply chain.”
Uniper UK’s Team Lead, Business Development Hydrogen, Guy Phillips, said, “Our Killingholme site is ideally placed with excellent utilities infrastructure.
“It has the potential to support the UK’s hydrogen and decarbonisation ambitions, creating new high-skilled employment opportunities and ensuring the site continues to make a valuable contribution to the regional economy.”
The Killingholme site has a significant position within the Humber region’s industrial cluster and possesses existing infrastructure such as grid connections, demineralised water and a cooling water system from existing power plants.
Uniper are developing “Energy Transformation Hubs” across Europe, to further modify existing power plants and storage facilities to enable security of supply and future decarbonisation. The company has hubs located in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK.
In 2021, the company unveiled plans for a hydrogen hub in Wilhemshaven, Germany, that could provide 10% of the country’s hydrogen demand.