SSE and Equinor’s first-of-a-kind hydrogen project advanced by Government

A first-of-a-kind project which would unite hydrogen production, storage and power generation in one location has been shortlisted by UK Government in a recent funding process.

Located at SSE Thermal and Equinor’s existing Aldbrough Gas Storage facility in East Yorkshire, Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder will support the evidence base for wider deployment of flexible hydrogen power in the UK by providing a meaningful-scale demonstration of the interactions between hydrogen electrolysis, hydrogen cavern storage and 100% hydrogen dispatchable power.

The concept would see clean power sourced from grid in compliance with the Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard. Hydrogen would then be produced via a 35MWe electrolyser before being stored in a converted salt cavern and then used in an open cycle gas turbine operating on up to 100% hydrogen, exporting flexible green power back to grid at times of system need. 

Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder is significantly advanced as a project, with front end engineering and design completed and a planning application currently under review. The project could be operational by 2029, subject to positive planning and final investment decision. As such, it is the only realistic option to introduce hydrogen to power onto the system ahead of the Government’s 2030 target for a clean power system. 

SSE Thermal and Equinor will now enter into a due diligence phase with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero as part of its ‘Hydrogen Allocation Round 2’ funding process. 

In addition to Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder, Equinor and SSE Thermal are also working on proposals for a larger-scale hydrogen storage site at Aldbrough which would enable the development of a hydrogen economy in the Humber and help to manage the intermittent nature of energy supply and demand. In future, hydrogen storage will also benefit off-takers in other sectors, for example in industry, heat or transport.

In May 2024, the two companies, along with Centrica Storage, unveiled plans to link East Yorkshire’s key energy facilities at Aldbrough, Saltend and Easington via a dedicated Humber Hydrogen Pipeline. This would represent the first stage of a wider buildout of larger-scale hydrogen infrastructure in the region and complement proposals for a carbon capture pipeline between Easington and Saltend, which would store carbon emissions under the seabed. 

Finlay McCutcheon, Managing Director of SSE Thermal, said: “The UK Government has been clear on the importance of hydrogen to the UK’s net zero aspirations and its potential role in a clean power system. Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder will help to showcase how individual aspects of the value chain interact, while also providing much needed electricity to the grid - and is the only realistic opportunity to have a 100% hydrogen-fired power station on the system by 2030.”

Dan Sadler, Director for Hydrogen & Ammonia at Equinor’s UK Low Carbon Solutions, said: “We’re delighted to hear that the Pathfinder project has been shortlisted and look forward to it progressing onto the next stage of the process. Hydrogen will be central to the decarbonisation of the Humber, helping to reduce emissions whilst future proofing industries and creating jobs. Hydrogen storage is essential for this to be rolled out fully, and this project will help to demonstrate that it can be delivered successfully.”