BEIS’ Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply Competition
The results of Gigastack’s feasibility study in Phase 1 supported the consortium’s efforts in preparing for Phase 2 of BEIS’ Low Carbon Hydrogen Supply Competition. This competition provided the Gigastack consortium with the opportunity to address the challenges of scaling up the supply of renewable hydrogen through the development of new technologies, business cases and working relationships. Work on this project was concluded with the launch of the Gigastack Public Report in November 2021.
Overview of Phase 2
Gigastack Phase 2 began in November 2019 and involved a consortium of ITM Power, Ørsted, Phillips 66 Limited and Element Energy. Gigastack Phase 2 focused on accelerating the expansion of the UK’s renewable hydrogen sector by taking feasibility stage concepts through Front End Engineering Design for a 100MW electrolyser system, using renewable power from Hornsea Two – the world’s largest offshore windfarm – to provide renewable hydrogen to the Phillips 66 Humber Refinery to replace hydrocarbon-based fuels within industrial-scale fired heaters.
In Gigastack Phase 2, the Consortium worked to deliver:
Conclusions
The work in Phase 2 enabled the partners to gain valuable, in-depth knowledge of what is required to construct a hydrogen electrolysis facility at scale and the challenges that lie ahead. The video below shows the developed visualisation from the partners of what a renewable hydrogen plant could look like in the Humber.
The Gigastack consortium’s main goal is to now reach a final investment decision by Q2 2023 and work towards a commercial operating date in 2025, subject to a supportive policy environment. The consortium aims to work with UK Government over the next twelve-months to secure revenue support, agree specific deployment targets for renewable hydrogen and ensure the Gigastack deployment target of 2025 is achieved.
Once built, Gigastack will support the decarbonisation of the Humber region, the UK’s largest industrial cluster, and support the UK’s offshore wind and electrolyser supply chain competitiveness. Gigastack will also lay the groundwork for future expansion in the Humber region and will catalyse the renewable hydrogen sector by providing a blueprint for scalable electrolyser technology in the UK