As businesses globally strive towards decarbonisation, Essar Energy Transition (EET) stands at the forefront of this transformation in the UK. With a committed investment of US$3 billion over the next five years, EET is developing a suite of low carbon energy projects that will not only reshape the industrial landscape of the North West but also significantly contribute to the UK’s broader decarbonisation goals.
Located between Liverpool and Manchester, Essar’s initiatives aim to reduce approximately 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions—equivalent to nearly 20% of total industrial emissions in North West England. This commitment demonstrates EET’s role as a key player in the UK’s energy transition.
At the heart of Essar’s Energy Transition strategy is EET Fuels, the company’s refining and marketing business. EET Fuels is on track to make Stanlow the world’s first low carbon process refinery, investing over $1 billion in energy efficiency, carbon capture, and fuel switching to blue hydrogen. With a goal to cut emissions by 95% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040, EET Fuels is setting a new benchmark for global refining practices.
EET is also making significant advancements in hydrogen production through its EET Hydrogen division, which is developing 1.35 gigawatts (GW) of blue hydrogen for the UK market and developing green hydrogen. This initiative is designed to expand to a total capacity of 4 GW, making it a first mover in large-scale, low-cost hydrogen production. The initial 1.35 GW capacity, which comprises two production lines (HPP1 at 0.35 GW and HPP2 at 1.0 GW), is expected to capture around 1.8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year–this is like taking 750,000 cars off the roads. With the potential to meet 40% of the UK Government’s ambitious 10 GW hydrogen target by 2030, EET Hydrogen is laying the groundwork for a robust hydrogen infrastructure that may also support future green hydrogen exports from India.
Another element of this industry-leading approach, EET Hydrogen Power will construct Europe’s first hydrogen-ready combined heat and power (CHP) plant at the Stanlow refinery, with completion targeted for 2027. This investment supports EET Fuels’ plan to become the first low carbon process refinery globally and will also provide low carbon power to other industrial users in the region, supporting their decarbonisation efforts. The CHP plant, developed in two phases, will ultimately deliver 0.125 GW of power and 6,000 tonnes per day of steam, resulting in a reduction of 0.74 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Complementing these initiatives is Stanlow Terminals Ltd, which is developing critical storage and pipeline infrastructure to support the UK’s future energy needs. By investing in the country’s largest biofuels storage hub and leading efforts to develop hydrogen, carbon capture, and ammonia transport infrastructure, Stanlow Terminals is positioned to play a transformative role in the decarbonisation of the UK industrial landscape.
Essar Energy Transition’s ambitious investments in low carbon energy not only aim to accelerate the UK’s energy transition but also align with the government’s green energy superpower mission. These initiatives will create highly skilled employment opportunities, supporting economic growth and leverage the UK’s leading position in the global low carbon fuels market.