Centrica and Equinor have signed a cooperation agreement to explore developing a low-carbon hydrogen production hub at Easington in East Yorkshire, according to a press release.
The Centrica-operated area at Easington could transition to a low carbon hydrogen production hub over the coming decade. Currently up to one third of the UK’s total gas supply enters via Easington, much of it from Equinor’s Norwegian facilities. Easington is also situated close to large offshore wind farms.
The area is also earmarked as a landing point for the East Coast Cluster’s carbon capture pipeline, which would transport CO2 for storage deep under the seabed. It is a key location within the Zero Carbon Humber partnership which is planned to provide regional hydrogen and CO2 pipelines between the area’s major energy producers and carbon intensive industries.
Centrica is also advancing plans to convert its Rough offshore gas storage facility for hydrogen storage as part of its transition to a net zero future.
The UK government recently doubled its 2030 hydrogen production ambition to 10GW capacity, with at least half coming from electrolytic ‘green’ hydrogen. Equinor has ambitions to deliver nearly one fifth of this national target by generating 1.8 GW of hydrogen production within the Humber region by 2028, beginning with its flagship H2H Saltend project.
Centrica and Equinor expect that the conversion of the Easington Terminal could produce an additional 1GW of low carbon hydrogen production coupled with the around 200MW off-taker demand.
