United Kingdom – Eni UK and Uniper have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore decarbonization measures in North Wales collaboratively.
In accordance with the UK government’s ten-point strategy for the green industrial revolution, the cooperation will study the technical and commercial viability of working together on future low-carbon project projects in the region.
Investigating hydrogen potential
Eni UK now owns and operates the oil and gas fields in Liverpool Bay, supplying gas from the fields to the Uniper-owned Connah’s Quay power station in Flintshire. The MOU will help Uniper investigate future potential for blue and green hydrogen production at its location, collecting any CO2 created as a byproduct of the process. Eni UK will transport and store the CO2 in Liverpool Bay using its infrastructure.
Uniper’s Connah’s Quay facility is ideally located for low carbon hydrogen production because it has access to gas from the national transmission system and is close to existing Eni UK pipeline infrastructure, which is being repurposed to transport CO2 as part of Eni UK’s move into Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as part of the larger HyNet North West project.
CO2 storage
Eni UK has a CO2 storage appraisal license and intends to use its offshore operations in Liverpool Bay as a permanent CO2 storage site. Eni UK established a new business, ‘Liverpool Bay CCS Limited,’ a wholly owned subsidiary of Eni UK, earlier this year to be the vehicle for future authorized operations under the Government’s proposed regulated system for CO2 transit and storage.
Net Zero by 2050
Uniper is a hydrogen pioneer with the technological expertise and experience to play an increasing role in assisting the UK in meeting its aim of reaching Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Uniper will contribute by investing in carefully selected projects, offering its significant expertise in the development of hydrogen production and usage, and assisting in the upskilling of the UK workforce through its Engineering Academy. Uniper vowed in 2020 to make its own European power generation portfolio carbon-neutral by 2035. Connah’s Quay power plant is well positioned to play a role in Uniper’s and the UK’s future hydrogen story, with hydrogen technology as a cornerstone of its strategy. The memorandum of understanding with Eni UK is part of Uniper’s hydrogen expansion plan in the UK, and it is one of several collaborations the company has in place across the country.
