Page 20 - Plastics News November 2021

CoMPANY NEwS

Essar Submits Planning Application For Borealis Pilots Zero

Hydrogen Production Plants Pellet Loss Scheme

orealis has carried out pilot audits
Bat two production operations
in Belgium to help test pellet loss
prevention standards. The audits are
the first to have been undertaken by a
polyolefins producer for (OCS), a global
initiative dedicated to preventing pellet
loss. This industry-led programme
is currently establishing unified and
equitable certification scheme for
pellet handlers across the entire value
chain. Successful pilot audits at Borealis
are an important step in finalising
the OCS certification programme,
whose pan-European deployment
ssar Oil (UK) Ltd announced that it the development, comprising the first is planned for 2022. As part of its
Ehad submitted a planning application process plant capable of producing ongoing commitment to OCS, Borealis
to Cheshire West and Chester Council, 350MWth of high purity low carbon has implemented a range of on-site
seeking approval for the construction of hydrogen. It will also request outline measures to prevent and address pellet
hydrogen production plants at its Stanlow planning permission for elements of loss should it occur, for example by
Manufacturing Complex in Ellesmere a supporting plant for phase 1, plus a installing retention measures like sieves,
Port. The proposed hydrogen plants will second hydrogen production plant with pellet separators, and skimmer ponds.
form a central pillar of the landmark a capacity of 700MWth of hydrogen and A recent EUR 6 million investment
‘HyNet North West’ initiative, a ground- supporting plant. In the following years,
breaking low carbon energy project that follow on capacity growth is planned to
will position the region at the leading reach 80% of the Government’s new
edge of the UK’s transition to net zero. target of 5GW of low carbon hydrogen
The construction of two blue hydrogen for power, transport, industry and homes
production hubs at Stanlow will attract by 2030. The application marks a major
£750 million in total investment and step forward in the planned evolution
support a hydrogen economy across of Stanlow as a low carbon energy
North West England and North East cluster. Together with HyNet, Essar
Wales. If approved, construction work has also announced plans to create a
is scheduled to begin on site by the end new facility to convert non-recyclable
of 2022, with hydrogen production household waste into sustainable aviation in an innovative water filtering system
set to commence by the mid-2020s. fuel (SAF) for use by airlines operating at Borealis productions in Schwechat,
Essar Chief Executive Officer, Deepak at UK airports. The project involves Austria, uses a custom-built solution to
Maheshwari, said, “Essar is committed to Essar, Fulcrum BioEnergy and Essar’s reduce the risk of pellet loss. It is just
delivering on its transition to low carbon subsidiary company Stanlow Terminals one example of how Borealis works
operations. The planned evolution of Limited and will convert several hundred with university research institutions to
our Stanlow Refinery is set to power the thousand tonnes of pre-processed waste, identify and employ the best available
UK’s low carbon revolution for years to otherwise destined for incineration or technologies for pellet retention.
come, creating jobs and helping local landfill, into approximately 100 million Borealis is also working on behalf of
communities flourish.” The application litres of low carbon SAF annually. Essar zero pellet loss to embrace other value
will request full planning permission is committed towards contributing in chain partners.
for the majority of the first phase of the decarbonisation of the UK economy.

20 PLASTICS NEWS NOVEMBER 2021