Shell, Uniper team up on UK blue hydrogen project

Shell and Germany's Uniper have signed a cooperation agreement to work together on producing blue hydrogen at the latter's power plant in Killingholme in northeast England.

Under the Humber Hub Blue project, the pair plan to develop a 720-MW blue hydrogen production facility at the site of Uniper's existing Killingholme B gas-fired power station, Shell said in a statement on April 12.

Once the hydrogen is produced using gas reformation, the resulting 1.6mn metric tons/year of carbon emissions will be captured and transported for offshore storage via the proposed Zero Carbon Humber pipeline, which is due to be built as part of the East Coast Cluster carbon capture and storage (CCS) project.

East Coast Cluster is set for initial government support under the first phase of the government's cluster sequencing process for decarbonising heavy industry, and Humber Hub Blue recently was cleared as eligible for the second phase of the process. If shortlisted for funding, a final investment decision could be taken in 2024 and the facility could be up and running by 2027.

"The development of a hydrogen production hub at Killingholme represents a significant step towards decarbonising the UK's largest industrial cluster," Uniper's country chair for the UK, Mike Lockett, commented. "Future proofing the industry, this investment has the potential to secure and grow the region's economy."