INEOS awards Atkins low carbon hydrogen plant contract

INEOS has taken a huge step forward in its drive to deliver sustainable net zero manufacturing operations with the awarding of a contract to Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, to design a world-scale low carbon hydrogen plant at its site in Grangemouth.

The new hydrogen plant, slated for operation in 2030, will see INEOS remove more than one million tonnes of carbon emissions from its already improving performance since it acquired the site in 2005, and comes on top of other significant investments at its site in Grangemouth.

Fundamental to INEOS’ Hydrogen project will be access to the Scottish Cluster carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure. The CO₂ from the hydrogen plant will be sent directly offshore to be permanently and safely stored in rock formations deep below the North Sea.

In addition to the Scottish Cluster, the company is actively involved in the Forth Green Freeport bid, which if successful, will further support the early development of a hydrogen production facility and INEOS’ ambition to achieve greater than 60 percent carbon reduction by 2030 on the road to its net zero commitment by 2045.

Michael Matheson, net zero and energy secretary, said: “Scotland has the resources, the people and the ambition to become a world leader in hydrogen production – for both domestic use and for export to Europe. It will play an increasingly important role in supporting our just transition to a net zero economy and deliver good, green jobs for our highly skilled workforces.
 
“Low-carbon hydrogen meanwhile offers a route for our critical industrial sector to decarbonise, and I welcome this latest step in the INEOS road map to cut emissions, and their continued investment into the sustainability of our largest manufacturing site.

“The plan clearly demonstrates how important carbon capture technology will be to the sector’s energy transformation over the coming decades and the Scottish government will continue to press the UK government to accelerate the Scottish Cluster’s place in its cluster sequencing process, while standing ready with our own support to help deliver this vital technology.” 

Colin Pritchard, INEOS’ sustainability director at Grangemouth, said: “Atkins is a world-renowned engineering company with the skilled and experienced people to deliver this next phase in our ambitions to develop a hydrogen production hub at Grangemouth. The construction of our hydrogen plant is a vital component of our sustainability road map, underpinning plans for net zero manufacturing operations at Grangemouth.

“We will displace hydrocarbon-based fuels in our processes with clean low-carbon hydrogen and establish a hydrogen hub to enable others to benefit and reduce their emissions too. Alongside our support and active involvement in the Forth Green Freeport bid and the Scottish Cluster (carbon capture and storage) project, INEOS is at the forefront of actions and investments to reduce emissions in Central Scotland.”

David Cole, market director of net zero energy at Atkins SNC Lavalin, said: “We are delighted to have been selected to deliver the design phase of INEOS’ low carbon hydrogen plant. Hydrogen has the potential to play an important role in industrial decarbonisation: our team has global experience in the technology, and we look forward to working with INEOS to bring this element of their net zero road map closer to realisation.”

For more information visit www.ineos.com