To support the decarbonisation of local industry in South Wales, RWE is progressing proposals to develop a green hydrogen production facility on its land adjacent to Pembroke Power Station. Hydrogen can be used as a clean energy alternative for local industrial processes, displacing their current fossil fuel usage, and reducing their carbon emissions.
The consultation on RWE’s plans launches Monday 22 April 2024 and will end on Monday 20 May 2024. RWE is asking the community for their views on these plans and has launched a consultation where local people can provide feedback on the planning application see here.
RWE’s plans include a circa 110Mwe electrolysis green hydrogen production facility and a 1.5km pipeline running west to connect to nearby industry. Once operational, the site will be capable of producing two metric tonnes of hydrogen every hour with oxygen as the only significant by-product from the plant.
By displacing fossil fuel consumption in local industrial activities, hydrogen generated at RWE Pembroke Green Hydrogen will reduce local CO2 emissions by approximately 93,000 tonnes every year, the equivalent of removing 18,600 cars from the roads.
The UK Government has set a target to deliver 6 gigawatts (GW) of green hydrogen production capacity by 2030, and has identified South Wales as a suitable location, as it could help to secure a more sustainable future for South Wales’ long-standing industrial heritage.
RWE Pembroke Green Hydrogen is further technology coming forward as part of RWE’s vision for Pembroke Net Zero Centre – a new hub of low-carbon innovation and clean energy generation at their power station site.
RWE has outlined its ambition to be carbon neutral by 2040. As part of this commitment, the company will be looking to decarbonise current operations at the power station, while investing in new innovative technologies at the site, including hydrogen, battery energy storage systems, and floating offshore wind.
RWE’s ambitions for Pembroke Net Zero Centre will build on Pembrokeshire’s local energy heritage, safeguarding existing jobs at the site, while delivering a significant local economic investment and creating new jobs throughout construction and operation.
Commenting on wider vision for Pembroke Net Zero Centre, Richard Little, Pembroke Net Zero Centre Director, said: “Green hydrogen generation is the first of three new technologies coming forward at RWE’s Pembroke Power Station site, forming our vision for Pembroke Net Zero Centre. These technologies will each play a unique role in supporting Wales’ pathway to Net Zero.
“To secure the future of industry in South Wales, and safeguard local jobs, we need to provide clean energy alternatives, locally. Our proposals for Green hydrogen generation will do just that, helping to reduce CO2 emissions in local industrial activities by approximately 93,000 tonnes every year.
“We strongly encourage the community to get involved in the consultation process, to learn more about our proposals for green hydrogen technology, our wider ambitions for Pembroke Net Zero Centre, and to have their say on the proposals.”
Members of the community can contact the project team and leave feedback via the project website, telephone, or via email or by writing to ’Freepost PNZC Consultation’, with no stamp needed.
Furthermore, local residents have the opportunity to schedule a private discussion with the project team to discuss the plans in more detail, and to ask any questions. Please call or email to arrange this meeting.
RWE is the largest power producer in the UK, and a leading renewable generator with a diverse operational generation portfolio of onshore wind, offshore wind, hydro, biomass and gas. RWE is developing ~1GWe hydrogen opportunities across the UK. and is targeting 2GW of green hydrogen electrolyser capacity in its core markets by 2030.
