Essar Oil is seeking approval for the construction of hydrogen production plants at its Stanlow Manufacturing Complex in Ellesmere Port.
On 14 October, Essar announced it had submitted a planning application to Cheshire West and Chester Council for two blue hydrogen plants that will form a central pillar of HyNet North West, which is set to place the region at the front of the UK’s transition to net zero. The proposed plants would attract £750mn in investment, supporting a hydrogen economy across North West England and North East Wales.
If granted approval, construction work would begin on the site by the end of 2022, before hydrogen production then commences during the mid-2020s.
The application is seeking full planning permission for the majority of the first phase of development, which includes the first process plant capable of producing 350MWth of high purity low carbon hydrogen. It is also requesting outline planning permission for elements of a supporting plant for the initial phase, along with a second hydrogen production plant with a capacity of 700MWth of hydrogen and supporting plant.
