£200M hydrogen-from-waste plant approved for Thames Freeport | New Civil Engineer

A new GBP200M hydrogen production facility using residual waste is set to be built at the Tilbury Tax Site within the Thames Freeport. The project, delivered by Chinook Hydrogen and backed by Middle Eastern investors, aims to produce up to 12t of carbon-negative hydrogen a day for road transport and industrial use. The plant, which could be operational by 2028, will convert waste that would otherwise go to landfill into low-carbon hydrogen, cutting more than 50,000t of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

It will also reduce methane emissions typically released from decomposing landfill waste, contributing further to climate goals. The facility's innovative modular gasification technology has been designed to avoid major hazard regulations, streamlining its approval process. This investment marks the first phase of a broader GBP1bn plan to establish a national corridor of green hydrogen production sites across the UK's road network.

The corridor aims to support decarbonisation efforts for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light goods vehicles (LGVs) and cars, facilitating the rollout of hydrogen refuelling stations and ultra-fast hydrogen chargers. A related project in Doncaster will develop a 5t-per-day hydrogen-from-waste facility, incorporating off-grid ultra-fast EV hydrogen superchargers. Chinook Hydrogen anticipates creating over 150 skilled jobs in engineering, logistics, operations and clean technology, offering a boost to local employment at the Tilbury and Doncaster sites.

The move aligns with government strategies to foster clean industrial growth while reducing reliance on fossil fuels in freight and transport sectors, which remain significant sources of UK emissions. As the UK pushes towards its legally binding target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, developing a domestic hydrogen production capacity is seen as vital for heavy transport and industry - sectors that are harder to electrify fully. This latest investment underlines growing confidence in hydrogen's potential role in the energy transition and the burgeoning green economy.

The Thames Freeport site, located on the north bank of the River Thames east of London, is one of several designated freeports across the country aiming to attract investment by offering tariff advantages and simplified customs procedures to stimulate regional economic growth. This hydrogen project adds a significant sustainable energy dimension to the area's development plans. This news comes shortly after the government signalled that 10 UK green hydrogen projects are commencing construction[1], while National Gas has appointed WSP to design the first phase of a hydrogen transmission network[2].

Minister for Investment Baroness Gustafsson said: "The UK is a world leader in clean energy, and it's great to see this investment will not only deliver cutting-edge low carbon hydrogen technology but create 150 new skilled jobs, putting more money in people's pockets as part of our Plan for Change. "We're serious about fostering the benefits of net zero, which is why our modern Industrial Strategy is driving growth into our clean energies sector to attract even more investment and create jobs. Thames Freeport, one of our Industrial Strategy Zones, provides the perfect environment for this initiative to get started."

Chinook Hydrogen executive chairman Rifat Chalabi said: "By converting non-recyclable waste into clean hydrogen, we tackle the twin challenges of waste and decarbonisation in one stroke. Thames Freeport provides the ideal launchpad for this scalable solution to power sustainable industrial growth across the UK." Thames Freeport chair Ruth Kelly said: "This is the kind of strategic, future-focused investment our Freeport Strategy sets out to attract.

Chinook's commitment shows how Freeports can spark new industries, unlock global capital and build a greener, more resilient UK economy."

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References

1. ^ 10 UK green hydrogen projects are commencing construction (www.newcivilengineer.com)
2. ^ National Gas has appointed WSP to design the first phase of a hydrogen transmission network (www.newcivilengineer.com)
3. ^ To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. (www.newcivilengineer.com)