Say no to grey hydrogen production at Albury

IGas has applied for planning permission to install a Steam Methane Reformation (SMR) unit to produce hydrogen at the Albury wellsite in Surrey.

Surrey County Council is consulting on the plans. Please look at the application documents and send the Council your views. You can do this online here: on the Council’s Planning Portal.

Or send your views to mwcd@surreycc.gov.uk, quoting Planning Application SCC Ref 2021/0130.

Points you might like to make include:

  • This proposal to produce high carbon, “grey” hydrogen at this site should be refused.
  • Numerous claims in this application are misleading and some are untrue.
  • “Grey” hydrogen has one of the highest levels of carbon dioxide emissions as a by-product. (The emissions from coal are higher.)
  • The production of high carbon “grey” hydrogen is likely to increase the carbon footprint locally and to add to climate change.
  • Government support for hydrogen production from natural gas requires the use of carbon capture, use and storage. IGas currently have no plans to capture and store carbon emissions at Albury.
  • Although IGas claim they are looking into the possibility of deploying CCUS at a future date, it is questionable, given their high costs and therefore long payback times, whether carbon capture technologies will ever be adopted at this site as it is currently due to cease operations in 2033.
  • If these proposals go ahead, they are likely to lead to a significant increase in direct emissions from the site, affecting Surrey County Council’s ability to achieve its net-zero carbon by 2030 target.
  • Government energy and climate change policies do not support this form of hydrogen production.

The Weald Action Group is objecting to the proposals. You can read our objection in full here: Objection to Planning Application SCC Ref 2021.

Read a briefing by the Weald Action Group on IGas’s hydrogen plans for Albury and Bletchingley: Igas hydrogen proposal.

 

3 Replies to “Say no to grey hydrogen production at Albury”

  1. Energy prices soaring
    Millions facing fuel poverty
    Demands for yet more subsidies (to be paid for by future generations)
    Putin gaining even more power over Europe
    Meanwhile the potential energy under our feet remains undeveloped largely because of the antics of selfish nimbys.
    Weak governments of both parties allowed an activist minority to scupper the British nuclear industry in the 1960s now they allow eco warriors to block the M25, having failed to deal with protests at drilling sites elsewhere.
    The Green lobby have achieved nothing for the environment but have done much damage to our economy, energy security & our least well off fellow citizens.
    Time the authorities got some backbone & put the Nation before a virtue signalling elite.

    1. Alternatively…

      – despite the obvious reliance on fossil fuels for electricity, homes and in heavy industry, the UK has some of the lowest amounts of gas storage capabilities in Europe

      – a main power cable used to import electricity from France has shut down after a fire

      – in 2010 the Coalition Government gave permission for private suppliers to construct up to eight new nuclear power plants, but the market doesn’t seem keen to build them without vast subsidy

      Not to mention the axing of the Green Homes Grant, which was meant to help people cut their heating bills, and the complete failure to get a home insulation programme up and running

      The ‘Green lobby’ has been busy trying to ensure the world stays in a fit state for ‘the Nation’ to continue to function.

      Who are the ‘elite’ that are apparently to blame for everything these days?

      1. I do not blame the Greens for everything. As culpable are spineless Governments who have allowed a fanatic minority free range to damage our economy to no purpose.
        If UK went zero carbon tomorrow it would make not a jot of difference to world climate. China would laugh at our economic collapse and build more coal powered generators.
        If instead we & others made a success of shale gas we might introduce the technology to coal burning nations & ACTUALLY make a difference to world emissions.
        Not so much fun as blocking roads but a contribution to our economy AND to the environment.

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