AN ambitious project to create the country’s first low carbon hydrogen hub at Stanlow could be about to move a step closer.

Essar Oil UK, which owns the Ellesmere Port site, has applied to Cheshire West and Chester Council for permission to add oxygen and natural gas to its production process, as well as increase the amounts of hydrogen and other substances which it said are classed as ‘flammable gasses and environmentally hazardous’.

The application is part of its partnership with Progressive Energy, developers of HyNet North West, to produce low carbon hydrogen for use across the region.

If the changes go ahead, natural gas and fuel gasses from the refinery will be converted into low carbon hydrogen, with carbon dioxide captured and stored offshore in sub-surface reservoirs in Liverpool Bay.

Hydrogen is classed as a clean fuel because its only waste product is water.

The proposed hydrogen production hub will provide Stanlow with its own decarbonised power source, as well as deliver clean energy to industry, fuel buses, trains and heavy goods vehicles, provide heat to homes and generate electricity.

It would initially produce three terawatt-hours (TWh) of low carbon hydrogen each year from 2025. This would be followed by a facility twice this size giving a total capacity of over 9TWh of hydrogen per year, equivalent to the energy used for heating across the whole of Liverpool.

Developing the two hydrogen production hubs is expected to cost in the region of £750m.

The application said: “The HyNet Project as a whole is designed to meet the challenge of reducing carbon emissions from industry, domestic heating and transport.”

The plans can be viewed here.

The public can comment on the application up until September 26 by emailing: planning@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk