Green hydrogen plant to power decarbonisation at Port of Tilbury

The green hydrogen plant will support the decarbonisation of one of the UK’s most important logistics hubs and makes Tilbury one of the first major British ports to host commercial-scale hydrogen production for heavy industrial use.

Enabled by £2m of Thames Freeport seed capital, the project aims to support the decarbonisation of port operations and establish Tilbury as a testbed for low-carbon fuel use in heavy industry.

Under a 10-year agreement, which has an option to extend, GeoPura is developing an initial 1MW low carbon hydrogen production plant at Tilbury.

The facility will generate hydrogen via electrolysis which is planned to be powered by on-site solar panels, creating a secure, locally produced supply of zero emission fuel for port operations and the wider Thames Estuary.

This will also bring significant investment and skilled green jobs, supporting the skills transition and long-term capability in hydrogen production to the area.

The UK Government has a goal to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Transportation accounts for over a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions, including HGVs and non-road mobile machinery.

As a major port operator, Forth Ports said it is looking for new and innovative sustainable solutions to ensure effective energy transition as it works towards its goal to become net zero by 2042.

Tilbury handles millions of tonnes of cargo each year. The diverse operations utilise an array of plant and equipment, including reach stackers, forklifts and HGV tractor units to keep goods moving.

Decarbonising these operations presents an opportunity, not only to reduce carbon emissions, but also to improve local air quality and protect worker health.

Andrew Cunningham, GeoPura chief executive, said the Tilbury project builds on the company’s track record of repurposing strategic industrial sites to produce low carbon fuel:

“Following on from our work at HyMarnham Power, where we’re transforming a former coal fired power station into a large scale low carbon hydrogen production site, Tilbury is another powerful example of how the UK can use its existing industrial infrastructure to produce renewable fuels for the future.

“It’s great to see the clear commitment of the Port of Tilbury to decarbonise its operations. It’s a perfect location to support hydrogen adoption across the Thames Estuary, improving air quality and creating new high quality clean energy UK jobs.”

The decision to establish the facility comes after GeoPura was awarded the contract to supply 2,5000 tonnes of hydrogen to the Lower Thames Crossing scheme.

The new facility will support the project’s goal of becoming the first major project in the UK to be carbon neutral in construction by replacing over 12 million litres of diesel, and strengthen the resilience of its supply chain by providing a secure, strategically located source of clean fuel to support construction activity at scale.

David Webster, Tilbury regional director, commented: “Forth Ports has a track record of delivering market-leading solutions across low-carbon logistics, sustainable construction and on-site power generation as we pursue our intentionally ambitious goal of becoming a net zero carbon emissions operation by 2042.

“We are excited to be working with the GeoPura team to deliver green hydrogen generation which represents another significant step on this journey.”

GeoPura brings established production and delivery capability to the project. Through its involvement in HyMarnham Power, the company is already developing large scale low carbon hydrogen production in the UK, alongside its growing fleet of hydrogen power units deployed across construction, infrastructure and broadcast projects nationwide.

Stuart Rimmer, Thames Freeport interim CEO, said: “Hydrogen has a clear role in decarbonising heavy industry and logistics.

“By supporting this demonstrator at Tilbury, Thames Freeport are demonstrating clear leadership in this area and helping create the conditions for wider adoption, new investment and skilled jobs across the region.

“This project shows how freeport programmes can bring together industry partners to test and scale new technologies in real operating environments.”

This marks the start of the Port’s hydrogen adoption journey, opening up future use cases as hydrogen production scales and demand grows across port operations, logistics and the wider region.

By combining renewable electricity, electrolysis and practical end use applications at Tilbury, GeoPura and the Port are creating a scalable model for industrial decarbonisation.

The project aims to support skilled green jobs in engineering and operations, stimulate the regional hydrogen supply chain and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.