Vertex Hydrogen has signed a Heads of Terms offtake agreement for over 200 megawatts (MW) of low-carbon H₂ with Northwich-based Tata Chemicals Europe (TCE). TCE is one of Europe’s leading producers of sodium carbonate, salt, sodium bicarbonate and other products used in the manufacture of food and animal feed, glass, detergents, chemicals and several other industry applications.

In June 2022, Tata opened the UK’s first industrial scale carbon capture and usage plant. The £20-MM investment captures 40,000 tpy of CO₂–the equivalent to taking over 20,000 cars off the road. Under the new offtake agreement, Vertex will supply TCE with H₂ as the manufacturer continues to decarbonize its operations in the UK with a target of achieving net-zero manufacturing by 2030.

Joe Seifert, CEO of Vertex Hydrogen, said, “We are thrilled to sign these Heads of Terms with TATA Chemicals Europe, as an industry leader driving tangible change to reduce emissions. This agreement marks another major step forward in the Northwest’s energy transition, as Vertex continues to help build the UK’s low carbon energy future.”

Martin Ashcroft, Managing Director of Tata Chemicals Europe, said, “We have been supporters of Vertex and the low carbon hydrogen segment as a real opportunity to further reduce emissions at our world class CHP facility. This agreement marks the next step in our relationship as we continue our journey as a leader in industrial decarbonization.”

Vertex is proud to be helping the UK lead the development of low-carbon H₂ production as an integral part of HyNet–the UK’s leading industrial decarbonization cluster. It will help to solve our urgent need to drastically reduce carbon emissions in our manufacturing sector–securing and growing vital industry.

Vertex is:

• Delivering an initial 1,000 MW of low-carbon H₂ capacity–enough to provide the fuel consumed by a city the size of Liverpool.
• Capturing 1.8 MMtpy of CO₂ at full capacity–equivalent to taking 750,000 cars off the roads.
• Investing around £1 B in the Northwest of the UK and facilitating the investment of a further £1 B or more of associated infrastructure.
• Playing a leading role in kickstarting the UK low carbon, large scale H₂