New Delhi, Feb 9 (FN Agency) Ruias-controlled Essar Oil UK on Wednesday announced to build the UK’s first refinery-based hydrogen furnace with an investment of £45 million. Essar Oil UK is UK-focused downstream energy company of Essar group. “With an investment of £45 million, the new furnace forms a key part of the company’s strategy to reduce its own carbon emissions. The furnace is unique in that it will have the capability to run entirely off hydrogen, becoming the first of its kind based at a UK refinery,” the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
The hydrogen furnace is proposed to be installed in 2022 and become fully operational next year. “From 2026 onwards it will be fuelled by hydrogen produced at Stanlow as part of the HyNet North West decarbonisation cluster,” said Essar Oil UK. Essar’s new joint venture, Vertex Hydrogen, will develop the world’s first and largest blue hydrogen production plant at Stanlow. Its Stanlow refinery – which supplies 16 per cent of the UK’s road transport fuels – sits at the heart of HyNet North West. “We have hugely ambitious plans for Stanlow and are committed to making it the UK’s first low carbon refinery. By affecting a significant and rapid transition to hydrogen, we are securing the long term future of this vitally important national asset whilst also playing a key role in supporting the UK’s plans for building the low carbon economy of tomorrow,” said Deepak Maheshwari, Chief Executive Officer at Essar Oil UK.