Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Essar Group to set up UK's biggest hydrogen production hub for £750m

Essar Group to set up UK's biggest hydrogen production hub for £750m

INDIA's Essar Group in partnership with clean energy specialist Progressive Energy will invest £750 million to build the UK's biggest low carbon hydrogen production hub at Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

The investment in two plants, next to Essar's Stanlow refinery, will be part of the HyNet scheme, a project to supply low carbon hydrogen to industrial sites and homes in north-west England.


The first plant will open in 2025 while the second is expected in 2027.

According to a statement, natural gas, and fuel gases from the refinery will be converted into low carbon hydrogen, with carbon dioxide captured and stored in depleted undersea gas fields 60 km offshore in Liverpool Bay.

"The project will provide Essar Oil UK with low carbon hydrogen to decarbonise its own energy demand in addition to creating a hydrogen economy across north-west England and north-east Wales," the statement said.

"The hydrogen production hub will deliver clean energy to the industry in the HyNet 'low carbon cluster', as well as to fuel buses, trains, and heavy goods vehicles, to heat our homes, and to generate electricity when the sun is not shining or the wind blowing."

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

A joint statement said that follow on capacity growth is planned to reach 80 per cent of the government's new target of 5GW of low carbon hydrogen for power, transport, industry and homes by 2030.

"Delivering net zero requires a transformation of our energy system. HyNet offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create real change in energy production and consumption, creating a cleaner world for future generations. It will unlock the low carbon hydrogen economy in the North West, reducing emissions and creating and safeguarding jobs," said Chris Manson-Whitton, director at Progressive Energy.

Stein Ivar Bye, chief executive officer, Essar Oil UK, said: "HyNet and hydrogen production is integral to Stanlow's strategy and will set it on a journey to be the UK's first net zero emission refinery with the ambition to avoid emissions of over 2m tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere per year, the equivalent of taking nearly a million cars off the road."

More For You

India and UK flags
Getty Images/iStockphoto

UK-India finance group marks one year, calls for steps to attract global investment

INDIA must take an investor-centric approach to attract global funding for its growing sustainable infrastructure needs, the UK-India Infrastructure Financing Bridge (UKIIFB) said in a report released in London on Monday.

The UKIIFB, co-chaired by NITI Aayog and the City of London Corporation, completed one year this week. The group was launched in September last year to help bridge the gap between global investor interest and infrastructure projects in India.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump CEOs

Sitting at the centre of a long table, Trump was flanked by First Lady Melania Trump and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on one side, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the other. (Photo: Getty Images)

At White House dinner, Trump lauds Nadella, Pichai

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump praised Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Google CEO Sundar Pichai during a White House dinner with top technology executives on Thursday. The two Indian-American leaders thanked him for his leadership and for policies in the technology and AI sectors.

Trump described the gathering as a “high IQ group,” calling the executives “the most brilliant people.” Sitting at the centre of a long table, Trump was flanked by First Lady Melania Trump and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on one side, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the other. Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook sat across from him, while Nadella was seated toward one end of the table.

Keep ReadingShow less
 India-EU-iStock

The visit coincides with the 13th round of India-EU negotiations on a proposed free trade agreement, which both sides aim to finalise by December. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

EU envoys to hold strategic talks in India, focus on trade and security

THE EUROPEAN Union's Political and Security Committee (PSC), made up of envoys from the 27 member states, will begin a five-day visit to India on Wednesday. The visit will focus on strengthening overall ties, including efforts to conclude a free trade agreement that has been under negotiation for years.

The committee, headed by Ambassador Delphine Pronk, is visiting India for the first time. It will hold strategic discussions with senior Indian government officials, defence industry representatives, civil society organisations and leading think tanks.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uber

Takeaway apps have become a source of employment for undocumented migrants

Getty Images

Uber warns UK food delivery costs could rise amid crackdown on illegal migration

Highlights:

  • Uber warns Home Office rules targeting illegal gig economy workers could increase takeaway delivery costs in the UK.
  • Undocumented migrants have historically used food delivery apps for work, exploiting limited right-to-work checks.
  • Companies like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat have introduced stricter checks, including facial recognition and document verification.
  • Compliance and administrative costs have contributed to a fall in Uber UK profits despite rising revenues.
  • Government enforcement includes thousands of interviews and hundreds of arrests for suspected illegal working.


Uber’s UK accounts at Companies House welcomed the Home Office’s efforts to deter migrants and people smugglers from risking Channel crossings. However, the company cautioned that “new legislative requirements could have an adverse impact on our business, including expenses necessary to comply with such laws and regulations.”

Takeaway apps have become a source of employment for undocumented migrants, attracted by historically limited right-to-work checks. Delivery riders have sometimes sold or rented their accounts on social media to “substitutes” who may be working illegally.

Keep ReadingShow less
Co-op and Bestway strike new deal to back independent retailers

Dawood Pervez (L), managing director at Bestway Wholesale and Katie Secretan, managing director of Co-op Wholesale

Co-op and Bestway strike new deal to back independent retailers

A NEW partnership has been formed between Co-op Wholesale and Costcutter Supermarkets Group (CSG) to support independent retailers across the UK.

Goes beyond the standard supply deal, it aims to bring the combined expertise and resources of both businesses together, helping local retailers compete in an increasingly tough convenience market, a statement said on Thursday (4).

Keep ReadingShow less