A new hydrogen-powered furnace has arrived in Liverpool and is heading for Stanlow in Ellesmere Port, to the south. It is the first of its kind, and part of a multimillion pound investment by Essar Oil UK (EOUK). This vital piece of equipment will be key in supporting the decarbonisation of their Stanlow operations.

The largest module of the furnace measures 26.5 metres in length, is 18.5 metres tall, and 14.5 metres wide. The largest single module will be transported to EOUK this summer via the Manchester Canal, the 58-kilometre-long inland waterway linking Manchester to the Irish Sea. It should be fully operational in 2023.

The furnace will replace three existing furnaces, to drastically decarbonise EOUK operations and cut their emissions. It will run off a 100% hydrogen fuel source from 2026, produced by Vertex Hydrogen, itself a joint venture between Essar and Progressive Energy, launched on site at Stanlow in January. Once it fully switches to hydrogen as fuel, the furnace has the potential to reduce 242,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. It will also improve energy efficiency and also reduce maintenance costs.

The furnace was commissioned by EOUK in line with their ambitions at Stanlow to be the UK’s first low-carbon refinery and be a net zero Port operator by 2040. Essar invests in several energy efficiency, low-carbon energy, and carbon storage initiatives. They also play a leading role in the HyNet consortium, the UK’s leading industrial decarbonisation project. This project has the potential to position Liverpool and the North West at the forefront of greener energy production.