Energy supplier Uniper has come to an agreement with Shell to produce blue hydrogen at the site of Uniper’s power station in Killingholme, north Lincolnshire.
Hydrogen is the most plentiful element in the universe, but it’s rarely found in gaseous form on our planet, so most hydrogen in use today is so-called grey hydrogen, which is produced from natural gas through a steam-reforming process that unfortunately results in carbon emissions.
The new planned 720MW facility at Killingholme will use the same basic process but employ carbon capture and storage technology to capture most, although not all, of the carbon emissions for storage underground, mostly likely in a depleted North Sea oil or gas well. The two companies claim that some 1.6 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions may be avoided each year due to this technology.
David Bunch, the country chair at Shell, pointed to his company’s wider ambitions for the UK energy sector:
“We plan to invest up to £25 billion in the UK energy system over the next decade subject to board approval—and more than 75% of this is for low- and zero-carbon technology. Hydrogen and carbon capture will be key to these plans.”
Low-carbon hydrogen presents promise for some sectors where electrification is unfeasible, but for now, we can still contribute by improving energy efficiency. At TrAchem, our specialist team can help ensure you’re getting the benefit of advanced lubricants designed to maximise energy efficiency, such as the Mobil DTE 10 Excel range of hydraulic oils.
