Multinational oil and gas company BP plans to supply green hydrogen to a new electrochemical lithium refinery on Teesside.

Tees Valley Lithium, the new lithium refinery aims to produce the world’s lowest carbon lithium hydroxide by sourcing low carbon feedstock and powering an electrochemical process with offshore wind and green hydrogen.

Read more: Womble Bond Dickinson advises SeAH on Hornsea 3 contract

The North East development has partnered with BP to evaluate the feasibility of further decarbonising it’s processes and energy requirements via a switch from natural gas to green hydrogen.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) proposes a broad-based collaboration between BP and TVL to jointly evaluate TVL’s processes and energy requirements with the aim of decarbonising these via a switch of fuel from natural gas to green hydrogen.

More than 700GW of gigafactories are planned for construction across Europe, which will require over 325,000 tonnes of Lithium Hydroxide and 325,000 tonnes of Lithium Carbonate per annum: currently there is zero Lithium Hydroxide capacity in Europe.

Construction of Train 1 of TVL’s Lithium Hydroxide processing facility at the Wilton International Chemicals Park in Teesside UK, the first of four trains planned for the site, will produce 24,000 tpa of battery-grade LHM. Once completed, all four trains will produce a total of 96,000 tpa LHM, representing around 15% of Europe’s projected demand by 2030. TVL’s innovative electrochemical process allows the flexibility to divert 20% of the refinery’s production capacity to produce lithium carbonate.

By sourcing low carbon feedstock and powering an electrochemical process with offshore wind and green hydrogen, TVL is aiming to supply its customers with the world’s lowest carbon Lithium Hydroxide.

John Walker, CEO of Tees Valley Lithium, commented: “Tees Valley Lithium is delighted to be partnering with bp in this initiative, which will seek to further decarbonise TVL’s Lithium Hydroxide production at the Wilton International Chemicals Park, in Teesside, UK.

“TVL will source high value intermediate lithium products with a low embedded carbon footprint from around the world, and will provide customers in the UK and Europe with an independent and sustainable supply of low-carbon battery-grade Lithium Hydroxide and Lithium carbonate.”

Louise Kingham, BP’s UK head of country and senior vice president of Europe, added: “Our agreement with Tees Valley Lithium has great potential to support its exciting aim of supplying its customers with the world’s lowest-carbon lithium hydroxide. It reflects the strong support we’ve already had from customers, who see HyGreen Teesside as the best way to decarbonise their operations.

“The project will help transform local energy use, the local economy and skills development in the community. It will also help us deliver economic growth and the home-grown hydrogen that the UK needs.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Tees Valley Lithium and HyGreen projects are both moving at pace and, by signing this MoU – alongside others with major players in the cleaner, safer and healthier industries of tomorrow – these ground breaking firms can now work together to maximise opportunities and share expertise. 

“This will mark us out as the only place to do business in these innovative sectors and, ultimately, these developments will only encourage further investment and create high-quality, well-paid jobs for decades to come.”

 

Read next: