INEOS Unveils £30 Million Hydrogen Overhaul, Slashing Hull Emissions by 75%

Image Credit: INEOS

INEOS has completed a £30 million transformation of its Hull manufacturing site, successfully converting the facility to run on clean-burning hydrogen instead of natural gas. It represents a significant leap forward in the company’s efforts to reduce emissions and achieve net zero, well ahead of the 2050 target.

The impact is significant. By switching to hydrogen, INEOS has reduced carbon emissions from the site by an estimated 75 per cent. That’s roughly the same as taking 160,000 petrol-powered cars off the road. It’s not just a technical upgrade; it’s a significant statement about the company’s direction.

This investment is part of a broader effort by INEOS to decarbonise its operations across both the UK and Europe. The Hull facility is home to INEOS Acetyls, the only industrial-scale producer in Europe of essential chemicals like acetic acid, acetic anhydride, and ethyl acetate. These substances play a critical role in daily life, from clean drinking water to pharmaceuticals.

Thanks to the upgrade, the Saltend-based site now has a significantly smaller environmental footprint. What makes the transition even more efficient is the use of hydrogen that’s already being produced as a co-product during other manufacturing processes. Rather than letting that resource go to waste, INEOS is using it to power the site, an approach it sees as an innovative blueprint for other parts of the industry.

David Brooks said: "We've put £30m into Hull to do the right thing – cut emissions, clean up the site, and future proof our operations. We’ve slashed CO₂ by 75 per cent. That’s not a plan. That’s a result. 

"Like most chemical businesses in the UK, we are working hard to compete in global markets while facing some of the highest energy and carbon costs in the world. This investment is another step in  our plans to supply the UK and European markets with highly reliable and low-carbon products." 

The Hull project is just one piece of a much larger decarbonisation puzzle. INEOS is also advancing similar efforts at key sites, such as Grangemouth in Scotland and Köln in Germany. The company is making it clear it doesn’t just intend to meet climate goals, it wants to beat them.

INEOS Acetyls employs over 500 people globally, with more than 300 based in Hull. The site also supports hundreds more jobs through its extended supply chain, making this not just an environmental win, but an economic one for the region.