£40m Cumbria green hydrogen hub secures govt support

Carlton Power’s plan for a hydrogen plant in Barrow-in-Furness was one of 20 projects to land a spot on the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund shortlist.

The shortlist aims to support initiatives to generate hydrogen in a green way. This is done through electrolysis, where electricity is used to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.

Also on the government’s shortlist: Carlton Power’s Trafford Green Hydrogen scheme, INOVYN’s Quill 2 in Runcorn, and Progressive Energy’s Cheshire Green Hydrogen project east of Ellesmere Port.

These projects will receive financial support through the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s Hydrogen Business Model.

Carlton Power is aiming to make its Barrow Green Hydrogen Hub operational in 2025. Plans were submitted for the £40m plant in December to Barrow Council and are awaiting approval. The scheme has already received support from Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Barrow-in-Furness Council, Cadent Gas, Electricity North West, and multiple MPs.

If planning permission can be achieved, the Barrow Green Hydrogen Hub would be built on five acres at the Meeting Industrial Estate off Park Road. Renewable energy would be used to power the electrolysis process. The resulting hydrogen would be supplied to a nearby Kimberly-Clark’s manufacturing facility, reducing the factory’s need for natural gas.

Hydrogen would be used to power the factory’s manufacture of Andrex, Kleenex, and Huggies products.

More than just Kimberly-Clark could benefit from the hydrogen produced at Barrow Green Hydrogen Hub, according to the scheme’s planning statement. The hub would be capable of creating approximately 3,000 tonnes of hydrogen every year, enough to supply power to 10,000 homes. With that capacity, the hub could also supply other energy-intensive users access to its hydrogen fuel.

Eric Adams, Carlton Power’s hydrogen projects director, said the team was “delighted” by the news it had landed a spot on the government’s shortlist.

“Everyone could see that Barrow Green Hydrogen would be a catalyst for inward investment and the development of the hydrogen economy in Cumbria,” Adams said.

“Today’s decision will encourage industry and transport operators in the area to embrace the energy transition and Net Zero with confidence,” he continued. “We aim to have the scheme enter commercial operation in 2025, employing around 200 people during its construction, and around 10 people full-time once in operation.”

The team at Kimberly-Clark echoed Adams’ optimism.

Oriol Margo, who is the company’s sustainability transformation leader for Europe, Middle East, and Africa, said: “This is a significant milestone for decarbonising our operations as we aim to deliver on our ambition of 100% renewable energy in the UK and Ireland by 2030.

“The Barrow Green Hydrogen project will reduce the reliance on natural gas significantly at our nearby manufacturing facility, so we’re pleased to see that it’s been received positively by local MPs and businesses,” Margo continued.

“We’re looking forward to continuing our work with Carlton as we move onto the next stage of the project.”

Those interested in learning more about Barrow Green Hydrogen can look at its planning application by searching application reference number B09/2022/0869 on the Barrow-in-Furness Council planning hub.