Project Humber H2ub

The Humber H₂ub® project is a proposed large scale low carbon hydrogen production facility at Uniper’s Killingholme site. The planned development will include hydrogen production capability with a capacity of up to 720 megawatts (MW), using gas reformation technology with carbon capture and storage (CCS).

The hydrogen produced could be used to decarbonize heavy industry, transport and power throughout the Humber region. The development of hydrogen production at Killingholme could see the capture of approximately 1.6Mt of carbon per year, contributing to the UK Government’s target to capture 20-30Mt of carbon per year by 2030.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a key part of the process in the production of low carbon hydrogen. It involves the removal and capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial and power plant emissions, transporting it away to be securely stored underground, often in aquifers or depleted oil and gas fields.

For the Humber H₂ub®, the captured carbon would be fed through proposed regional pipelines, and then be transported to permanent storage offshore in facilities in the UK’s North Sea.

In April 2022, Uniper signed an agreement with Shell to progress the plans to produce low carbon hydrogen at Killingholme through pre-FEED.

In December 2022, the project took a significant step forward, with the award of contracts to three companies, to deliver the process design studies; to include design of the main hydrogen production technology and carbon capture plant for the proposed Humber H₂ub® project.

The next stage in the project will be the front end engineering and design (FEED) phase, ahead of a final investment decision, which is expected to be taken in the mid-2020s. These plans could see the Killingholme site producing low carbon hydrogen later this decade.

Uniper’s plans would also contribute to the Humber’s emergence as a leader in clean energy production; future proofing the industry and creating skilled jobs in the region. Hydrogen will be at the forefront of helping the UK deliver its net zero ambitions by 2050 and Uniper, its partners and its Killingholme site can play a key role in making this happen.