The project will capture some 1.8m tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year and reduce more than 10% of the region’s industrial emissions – the equivalent to taking 750,000 cars off the roads. It will see over £2bn of direct investments in the hydrogen plant and associated regional hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure. Vertex Hydrogen is a joint venture between Essar Oil UK and Progressive Energy.

Hydrogen demand comes from global businesses operating in the region, who are looking to become the first low carbon operations in a number of key sectors by switching their current high carbon fuels to low carbon hydrogen, which will be produced at the Stanlow Manufacturing Complex in Ellesmere Port (pictured), using Johnson Matthey’s LCHTM technology.

These consumers are substantial direct and indirect contributors to the 340,000 people employed in manufacturing in the North West. It also includes innovators in the sustainable aviation fuels, glass and cement industries.

Joe Seifert, CEO of Vertex Hydrogen, said: “We have always said that Vertex is demand-led from leading industrial companies and we have now signed agreements for over 1,000MW of hydrogen – our entire expected production capacity from the initial phases of our project. This milestone gives us huge confidence in the economics of the project and the long-term demand for low carbon hydrogen in the coming decades.”

Vertex Hydrogen’s partners include Encirc, Tata Chemicals Europe, Pilkington UK, Fulcrum BioEnergy, SOG Group, Carrington Power ESB, Cadent and Warrington Ingevity.

Adrian Curry, Managing Director of Encirc, said: “This partnership with Vertex Hydrogen will help us to change the face of glass as we aim to produce Net Zero bottles by 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.”

Deepak Maheshwari, CEO of Essar Oil UK, added: “This offtake agreement, and our other initiatives, are continuing examples of us taking clear actions to deliver our strategic goals. We are proud to be a leader in the region and the UK more broadly in industrial decarbonisation.”

Martin Ashcroft, Managing Director of Tata Chemicals Europe, sees Vertex and the low carbon hydrogen segment as a real opportunity to further reduce emissions at its CHP facility. “This agreement marks the next step in our relationship as we continue our journey as a leader in industrial decarbonisation,” he said.

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

Jeff Ovens, Managing Director of Fulcrum BioEnergy, said it is working closely with Vertex to supply low carbon hydrogen to its Fulcrum NorthPoint SAF facility at Ellesmere Port, adding that SAF is the “only realistic solution” to decarbonise aviation and using low carbon hydrogen as part of its SAF production process, will further improve the overall net CO2 reduction benefits of Fulcrum’s fuel.

John Lewis MBE, Managing Director of SOG Group, said access to reliable sources of low carbon energy is absolutely vital to our Net Zero aspirations.

He said, “The agreement we have now signed with Vertex Hydrogen ensures our entire Heath Park project will be ultimately powered by low carbon energy. I view this as a landmark agreement that will enable us to deliver a world-leading business and community environment in the North-West which will benefit future generations.”

Mo 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 Vertex Hydrogen as we work towards decarbonising our Carrington plant, and the many benefits that will bring.”

Darren Elsom, Director of Hydrogen Operations at Cadent, said: “We warmly welcome the announcement that Vertex has signed agreements for over 1000MW of low carbon Hydrogen, which is 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.”

Paul Shelley, Site Manager at Warrington Ingevity, said it is working with HyNet Northwest and Vertex to cut areenhouse gas emissions associated with the manufacture of its Caprolactone range of specialty chemicals at its Warrington site.

Prashant Ruia, from Essar, said securing over 1000MW of low carbon hydrogen demand from leading UK industrial sites and innovators is a vital step in delivering the project. “Essar continues to invest in an array of industry leading projects from hydrogen production, biofuels, industrial decarbonisation and infrastructure leveraging our infrastructure, expertise, capital and desire to be a world leader in decarbonisation.”