Public Invited to View Low-Carbon Hydrogen Storage Plans at Aldbrough
Members of the public are being invited to view proposals for a low-carbon hydrogen storage facility at Aldbrough which would contribute towards reducing carbon emissions in the region and helping the UK achieve its net zero targets.
Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage is a collaboration between Equinor and SSE Thermal which plans to store low-carbon hydrogen within underground salt caverns adjacent to the existing Aldbrough Gas Storage facility on the East Yorkshire coast. It could be in operation by the end of the decade, with enough initial expected capacity to power over 860 hydrogen buses a year.
Hydrogen is viewed by the UK Government and the Committee on Climate Change as being vital to reducing emissions and tackling climate change. Hydrogen can provide flexible power, support fuel switching in many sectors including in the Humber’s traditional carbon-intensive industries, offer an alternative to natural gas heating and contribute to sustainable aviation and maritime fuels.
Hydrogen storage will be pivotal in creating a large-scale hydrogen economy in the UK allowing cost effective balancing of hydrogen production and supply. It is particularly vital in supporting the development of ‘green hydrogen’, produced from intermittent renewable sources such as wind power.
The site at Aldbrough has unique geology which enables the storage of gases in salt caverns around a mile beneath the ground surface. Since 2011 the site has operated as a natural gas storage facility, supporting security of supply and meeting the demand for natural gas for heating and cooking in many of our homes as well as helping to power many of the region’s largest employment sites. The facility can now support the transition from fossil fuels to a low-carbon alternative.
A series of in-person events are being held at the following venues, where members of the local community and interested parties can read more about the project, view the findings from the Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Stage, ask the project team questions and provide feedback.
Wednesday 13th September 2023, 2pm – 7pm:
East Village Meadows, Northfield Farm, Garton, HU11 4QBThursday 14th September 2023, 2pm – 7pm:
Aldbrough Village Hall, Garton Road, Aldbrough, HU11 4QAFriday 15th September 2023, 1pm – 6pm:
Sproatley Village Hall, Park Road, Sproatley, HU11 4PU
All of the consultation documents will also be available online between the 4th and 29th September 2023 at www.aldbroughhydrogen.com.
Rachel Fox, SSE Thermal’s Stakeholder Engagement Manager at Aldbrough, said:
“Hydrogen storage will be essential as we move towards net zero and our project at Aldbrough can play a key role in unlocking this future. We look forward to welcoming people to our consultation events next month.”
Notes to editor
For more details please contact Rachel Fox on 07467 652088 / Rachel.fox@sse.com or Richard Royal on 07809367883 / rroya@equinor.com