UK industrial conglomerate, INEOS, commits $40 million to decarbonize its chemical facility in the UK.
INEOS's Hull Manufacturing Site Goes Hydrogen, Aiming for a Greener Future
INEOS, a leading chemical company, has taken a significant step towards decarbonizing its operations with the conversion of its Hull manufacturing site in the UK. The site, which is a key player in producing acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and ethyl acetate, will now run on hydrogen instead of natural gas, resulting in a 75% reduction in carbon emissions [1][2][3][4][5].
David Brooks, CEO of INEOS Acetyls, announced that the company is focusing on supplying products with low carbon emissions. The £30 million investment at the Hull manufacturing site is part of INEOS's wider strategy to decarbonize its operations across the UK and Europe [3][4].
The hydrogen used at the Hull site is mainly blue hydrogen, produced as a co-product of existing processes at the facility and sourced from BP since 2021 [1][2][3]. This approach allows INEOS to integrate hydrogen while leveraging existing chemical industry infrastructure, paving the way for a scalable model for decarbonizing other sites.
The reduction in carbon emissions of the plant will help manufacturers address their own supply chain emissions. The Hull project is one of several decarbonization projects underway across INEOS's sites and is an example of INEOS's commitment to reducing emissions and decarbonizing its operations [1][2][3].
INEOS has a company-wide GHG management system in place to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050 [3][4]. The company is also investing in renewable energy sources such as wind power to reduce fossil fuel reliance further and cut emissions by over one million tonnes of CO2 in the long term [4].
However, challenges remain in sourcing hydrogen without generating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The current use of blue hydrogen involves natural gas reforming with carbon capture but still associated with some emissions depending on capture efficiency and methane leakage, meaning it is not entirely carbon-free [3]. Producing green hydrogen (from electrolysis powered by renewable energy) at scale remains costly and infrastructure-intensive, limiting its immediate availability for heavy industrial uses like chemical manufacturing [3].
Securing sufficiently low-cost and reliably sourced green hydrogen is a systemic challenge industry-wide, requiring expanded renewable capacity, storage solutions, and infrastructure upgrades. Thus, while INEOS’s use of blue hydrogen is a major step in emission reduction, the full decarbonization of hydrogen supply depends on transitioning to green hydrogen and overcoming economic and technical barriers in its production and distribution [3].
INEOS believes that the model of producing hydrogen as a co-product from existing manufacturing processes can be replicated across the industry. The Hull project demonstrates that even in sectors where renewable energy solutions such as wind or solar are less practical, hydrogen can be a viable alternative in the pursuit of a cleaner energy future, particularly for industrial and transport sectors [1][3].
[1] INEOS. (2021). INEOS Acetyls Hull site to become world first hydrogen-powered chemical plant. Retrieved from https://www.ineos.com/press-releases/ineos-acetyls-hull-site-to-become-world-first-hydrogen-powered-chemical-plant/
[2] BBC News. (2021). INEOS to convert Hull chemical plant to run on hydrogen. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56482342
[3] INEOS. (2021). INEOS Acetyls Europe's Hydrogen Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.ineos.com/sustainability/our-approach/our-strategy/hydrogen-strategy/
[4] INEOS. (2021). INEOS Acetyls Europe's Climate Change Strategy. Retrieved from https://www.ineos.com/sustainability/our-approach/our-strategy/climate-change-strategy/
[5] The Guardian. (2021). INEOS to convert Hull chemical plant to run on hydrogen, cutting emissions by 75%. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/nov/11/ineos-to-convert-hull-chemical-plant-to-run-on-hydrogen-cutting-emissions-by-75
- Science and engineering are essential for decarbonizing INEOS's operations, as demonstrated by the conversion of their Hull manufacturing site to hydrogen power.
- In the pursuit of a greener future, INEOS is focusing on supplying products with low carbon emissions, investing in renewable energy sources like wind power, and decarbonizing their operations across the UK and Europe.
- The Hull manufacturing site's shift to hydrogen, a key player in producing acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and ethyl acetate, is expected to significantly reduce emissions.
- The financing and infrastructure required to produce green hydrogen at scale is a challenge that the entire industry must address to achieve full decarbonization of hydrogen supply and a cleaner energy future for industrial and transport sectors.
