Southampton has hydrogen potential

The Port of Southampton’s potential as a hydrogen super-hub is being explored as part of a new project UK gas company SGN is working on in partnership with Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG).

SGN said “Our Southampton Water project will scope the site’s suitability as a centre of excellence for hydrogen production and distribution, carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), and other green technologies.”

The project’s ultimate aim is to support and facilitate the decarbonisation of local industry and transport, laying the groundwork for the full decarbonisation of SGN in the south of England. Engineering firm WSP have been commissioned to undertake the project.

Around 2.6m tonnes of CO2 are emitted in and around Southampton each year from industry and customers connected to the SGN domestic heating network. A scheme incorporating CCUS technology could reduce these emissions significantly, while local hydrogen production could further cut emissions from high-polluting sectors such as industry and shipping.

Hydrogen and CCUS technologies are at the heart of the UK’s plans for decarbonising the economy, as set out in the UK government’s December 2020 Energy White Paper. Up to GB£240m has been committed as part of a new Hydrogen Fund, and a 5GW hydrogen production target by 2030 has been set. The Government also aims to support up to 220,000 jobs in the next 10 years in infrastructure projects for CCUS and hydrogen.