Listen to this article here
|
A subsidiary of global chemical firm, Ineos, has announced investment plans to increase production of hydrogen from its Runcorn plant.
Inovyn, which has produced hydrogen by electrolysis at its site in Runcorn for over 100 years, is set to ramp up production as part of plans for a low-carbon industrial cluster and associated hydrogen fuel-cell infrastructure, HyNet North West, as part of the region’s efforts to achieve net-zero carbon.
Inovyn’s investment will deliver dedicated on-site facilities for the purification and compression of existing low carbon, fuel cell quality hydrogen for subsequent loading and transportation and distribution to fuelling stations across the UK. The firm is Europe’ largest operator of electrolysis technology, and produces clean hydrogen by separating water molecules to produce hydrogen and oxygen.
The firm’s Runcorn plant has the potential to provide low-carbon fuel to power over 1,000 buses or 2,000 trucks where range, payload and refuelling times make battery electric drive systems unsuitable.
Inovyn’s investment comes as part of a €2 billion investment into green hydrogen by its parent company. Ineos is working closely with governments across Europe to help replace carbon-based sources of energy with green hydrogen.
Geir Tuft, CEO of Inovyn, said:
Our expanding portfolio of clean hydrogen projects strengthens INOVYN’s sustainability strategy and supports the drive to net-zero across the UK and the rest of Europe. INOVYN is in a unique position to reaffirm its expertise in hydrogen production and electrolysis, and to progress the green energy transition through the use of clean hydrogen.”
The announcement to increase hydrogen production at Runcorn comes at the same time as the UK government has confirmed that HyNet North West’s carbon capture scheme will be eligible for a share of £1 billion of funding to support decarbonisation.