Fuels giant Essar acquires 66-acre site adjacent to the Stanlow Oil Refinery close to the Mersey as it gets set to invest £3bn into ‘low carbon’ hydrogen production. Tony McDonough reports

Fuels giant Essar has taken a major step forward in its energy transition programme with the acquisition of a 66-acre site.

Its Essar Energy Transition (EET) subsidiary has bought Thornton Science Park which is adjacent to the giant Stanlow Oil Refinery close to the River Mersey at Ellesmere Port.

This area of land will be the nerve centre of a £3bn hub that will produce so-called ‘blue hydrogen. It is a process where hydrogen is produced by burning natural gas and the resultant CO2 emissions are captured and stored instead of being released.

Once captured at Stanlow CO2 will be transported via a pipeline that will eventually take it out to depleted gas fields under Liverpool Bay where it will be stored indefinitely. This is part of the wider HyNet hydrogen project.

HyNet is awaiting final Government backing, due to come in the autumn. However, this method of producing hydrogen is seen as controversial with some experts calling into question the viability of carbon capture and storage on this scale.

EET plans for Thornton Science Park to serve as an energy transition hub. Thornton Science Park will be the UK headquarters for EET including:

• EET Fuels, which is transitioning Stanlow Manufacturing Complex to become the UK’s first low carbon refinery.
• EET Hydrogen, which is developing one of the first large scale, low carbon hydrogen production hubs in the world.
• EET Hydrogen Power, which is developing Europe’s first hydrogen fuelled combined heat and power plant.
• Stanlow Terminals, which is the UK’s largest independent bulk liquid storage terminal, and is developing enabling transport and storage infrastructure for biofuels and new energies.

Essar Energy Transition (“EET”) has signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire Thornton Science Park through its subsidiary EET Property.

Deepak Maheshwari, CEO, EET Fuels, said: “The acquisition of Thornton Science Park represents the latest step in our ambition to develop Europe’s foremost integrated energy transition hub.

“Leading by example, Essar Energy Transition is playing its part to ensure that the UK delivers on its climate change goals, enhances energy security, and maintains a strong, secure manufacturing base for fuels.”