United Kingdom – Toyota Tsusho UK (TTUK), in collaboration with Germany’s Uniper, Siemens Energy UK&I, and the United Kingdom’s Associated British Ports (ABP), has launched Project Mayflower, a feasibility study looking at the decarbonization potential of hydrogen, at the Port of Immingham in the United Kingdom in September 2021.
The project was chosen for the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition, which was sponsored by the UK Government’s Department for Transport and carried out in collaboration with Innovate UK.
Hydrogen possibilities
The technological and economic feasibility of producing, supplying, and using hydrogen will be validated at the Port of Immingham, which handles the most cargo volume in the UK, in order to create a decarbonization model within the port using hydrogen with the goal of formulating a commercialization plan in the future. This will specifically look at the potential possibilities for hydrogen production, delivery, and storage, as well as as a substitute fuel source for diesel and heavy fuel oil used in transportation via fuel cell conversion. In addition, prospective hydrogen applications for port cargo handling technology will be studied and evaluated.
The project will be carried out by a collaboration of four companies: Uniper, Siemens Energy, ABP, and TTUK. Uniper is in charge of project management and technical feasibility. The goal is to harness renewable energy to manufacture green hydrogen using cutting-edge water electrolysis technology from Siemens Energy. ABP will use its knowledge obtained through operating 21 ports in the United Kingdom, including Immingham, to assist the usage of hydrogen at ports.
According to the project plan, feasibility will be investigated from September 2021 to March 2022, and commercialization, including financing, will be investigated beginning in 2022, with the goal of commercialization with production of 20 MW of green hydrogen for use at the Port of Immingham by 2025.
UK aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050
The United Kingdom, the first G7 country to legislate zero CO2 emissions, has committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 78 percent compared to 1990 by 2035 and reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Transport (including ports) accounts for 30 percent of overall GHG emissions, the highest share among business sectors. In preparation for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), which will be held in the United Kingdom in November, the government is collaborating with industry to reduce GHG emissions, including the establishment of subsidy schemes.
