RWE, a German multinational energy company and the UK’s largest power generator, Mitsui, a global trading and investment firm, and the UK’s Port of Tilbury are working together on an innovative hydrogen project in Essex, a county in southeast England.
In particular, the three parties recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for two green hydrogen projects.
Hydrogen is a vital component for decarbonising many industrial sectors and will play a critical role in assisting the UK in meeting its 2050 Net Zero goals, according to RWE.
The three partners will complete two work streams under the MoU, including a small-scale ‘proof of concept’ demonstrator project to create green hydrogen for decarbonising port equipment by converting from fossil fuels to hydrogen.
Additionally, research on a 10-megawatt green hydrogen plant is being conducted. This facility will be built on land previously occupied by a coal-fired power station at the Port of Tilbury, changing an area historically associated with fossil fuel power generation into a green hydrogen production hub at the heart of the Thames Freeport.
Furthermore, the initiative will consider alternatives for scaling up development to 100 megawatts over a ten-year period. In addition to supplying green hydrogen, the hydrogen would be utilised for port infrastructure and operations.