RES and Octopus Energy Generation’s joint venture, HYRO, is collaborating with Kimberly-Clark to revolutionize UK factories by replacing natural gas with green hydrogen.
This initiative aims to reduce emissions, enhance energy security, and contribute to the government’s green hydrogen targets. By leveraging local renewables, HYRO’s electrolysers will produce green hydrogen at Kimberly-Clark’s manufacturing facilities, providing a clean and reliable source of power for industrial processes.
The projects in Wales and Kent have secured spots on the government’s funding shortlist, highlighting their potential to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and contribute to the country’s clean hydrogen economy. With a combined capacity of 22.5 MW, the electrolysers will replace natural gas-fueled boilers, delivering the heat required for tissue and toilet paper manufacturing.
The partnership with Kimberly-Clark is a crucial step in HYRO’s broader plan to invest £3 billion in building green hydrogen plants in the UK. This investment will not only accelerate the growth of the clean hydrogen sector but also create green jobs and bolster the nation’s energy independence.
Rachel Ruffle, RES EMEA CEO, emphasizes that green hydrogen produced using renewable energy can offer industrial businesses a reliable and cost-competitive power source, driving the transition towards clean fuels and fostering economic competitiveness.
Alex Brierley, co-head of Octopus Energy Generation’s fund management team, underscores the significance of using green hydrogen as an alternative to polluting gas, particularly for industries that are challenging to electrify. By harnessing locally generated clean energy from wind and solar, hydrogen becomes a winning solution.
Oriol Margo, EMEA Sustainability Leader at Kimberly-Clark, highlights the transformative impact of these developments on the company’s ambition to rely solely on renewable energy for manufacturing household brands like Andrex, Kleenex, and Huggies in the UK by 2030. The selection of their green hydrogen projects for government funding represents a major milestone in their sustainability journey.
Kimberly-Clark’s collaboration with HYRO builds upon their existing relationship with Octopus, which already supplies them with green electricity from the Cumberhead wind farm in Scotland. This multi-faceted partnership exemplifies the commitment of both companies to decarbonize Kimberly-Clark’s UK operations and contribute to a future free from fossil fuels.
As RES assumes the asset management role for the Cumberhead wind farm, their expertise as the world’s largest independent renewable energy company will ensure effective technical, commercial, and financial management of this 12-turbine site.
