For the purpose of supplying green hydrogen to Kimberly-factory Clark’s in Barrow-in-Furness, the two companies have entered into a PPA.
The development of Carlton’s projected 35MW Barrow Green Hydrogen project in Cumbria will be supported by the collaboration with the manufacturer of Andrex, Kleenex, and Huggies.
Additionally, as part of Kimberly-global Clark’s decarbonization goal, it will lessen the company’s dependency on natural gas. Earlier this month, the Barrow Green Hydrogen plan was launched.
Together with the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Barrow Borough Council, Cadent Gas and Electricity North-West, Carlton Power saw the opportunity and is spearheading the development.
Kimberly-Clark and maybe other energy-intensive customers in the region will be able to use hydrogen provided by Barrow Green Hydrogen to power their operations.
A 35MW electrolyser will be the first component of this project, and it is anticipated that it will create about 3500 tonnes of hydrogen yearly, resulting in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 25,000 tonnes, or the equivalent of taking 580 trucks off UK roads.
The electrolyser will use electricity provided by renewable energy sources, notably wind and solar power, to make the hydrogen.
The Barrow Green Hydrogen project will be situated on land close to Kimberly-Barrow-in-Furness Clark’s manufacturing factory. The £40 million ($46 million) project has a 2025 target date for commercial operation, pending planning and funding.
The Barrow Green Hydrogen project will only be built if the UK government provides financial backing through its Hydrogen Investment Package (HIP), a multimillion-pound initiative to promote the development of the hydrogen industry in the UK.
Working jointly, Kimberly-Clark and Carlton Power will approach the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy for grant money and operational financial assistance (BEIS). Within the following three months, a submission to BEIS will be made.
Along with conducting stakeholder engagements on a local and national level, the two businesses will collaborate on the project’s numerous economic, technical, and engineering facets.
Recently, Kimberly-Clark revealed plans to use a PPA to decarbonize almost 80% of its electricity supply. As a result, a new onshore wind farm will be built in Scotland and go into operation in early 2023.
Eric Adams, Carlton Power hydrogen projects director, said “We are delighted to have entered a commercial agreement with Kimberly-Clark, who embrace the importance of green hydrogen in their operations at Barrow and potentially across their global operations.”
“The development of green hydrogen projects like our Barrow hub is critical if major energy users, like Kimberly-Clark, are to decarbonise their operations.
“At a regional level, our scheme forms part of Cumbria’s Clean Energy Strategy.
“It’s a catalyst to establish a hydrogen economy and drive the decarbonisation of local industry.
“We look forward to working with Kimberly-Clark and seeing Barrow Green Hydrogen as among the UK’s very first hydrogen hubs to enter operation.”
Dan Howell, the Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland vice president & managing director, said “Green hydrogen is a significant next step in decarbonising our operations and delivering our ambition of 100% renewable energy by 2030 in the UK and Ireland.”
“Kimberly Clark aims to lead the way on sustainability and deliver our purpose of better care for a better world.”
