· Following the announcement of Protium’s flagship green hydrogen project in Teesside last year, the Tees Valley Net Zero Project is now expected to reach nearly 70MW of electrolysis capacity.
· The site will be developed in two phases, the first taking place in Q3 2025 including 1 array of the PEM electrolyser and the second in 2026 set to scale this to 4 arrays in total, reaching a maximum of 68.8MW capacity.
· This initiative is Protium’s largest announced green hydrogen project to date.
According to the company’s website press release on September 25, 2022, Protium, the UK’s largest green hydrogen energy company, today announces that it is expanding capacity at its flagship Tees Valley Net Zero hydrogen project to nearly 70MW.
The company announced its flagship green hydrogen project last year, located on Wilton Universal Group’s site in Teesside. Building a hydrogen production facility will provide Protium with the infrastructure necessary to generate renewable green hydrogen energy, with plans to supply local manufacturers once built. The project will also include the development of green hydrogen storage to support the largest PEM electrolyser in Teesside to enable local manufacturing and logistics businesses to transition from natural gas and diesel energy sources.
With an original expected capacity of 40MW, the Tees Valley New Zero Project has now been expanded to an ambitious 68.8MW of electrolysis capacity, including storage, upon completion; making this Protium’s largest green hydrogen project to date.
The project is due to be completed in 2026, subject to planning and engineering works, and will help to create jobs for the local community and wider region during the construction and sustained employment during its operation.
What does the project now entail?
The Teesside project is set to be developed in two phases. The first phase, scheduled to take place in Q3 2025, will include 1 array of the PEM electrolyser, equivalent to 17.2MW capacity. Early deployment of phase 1 will mean Protium will be the first movers of electrolytic hydrogen production in Teesside.
The second phase will scale-up the first phase of the electrolyser by 3 arrays, to have 4 arrays of the PEM electrolyser in total, equivalent to 68.8 MW capacity. It will utilise Protium developed renewable energy generators (including both solar and wind power) and is scheduled to take place in 2026. With phase 2 now being almost 70MW, the Tees Valley Net Zero Project is now Protium’s biggest green hydrogen project to date.
Protium will own, operate, and finance the project, whilst collaborating with planning, environmental and engineering partners up until the point of construction and operation, set to take place in 2025.
Alongside this project, Protium are also currently working on securing carbon emissive off-takers in order to reduce carbon emissions as much as possible and provide clean the air for the region.
Commenting on the latest development of the project, Chris Jackson, CEO of Protium, said:
“We are incredibly excited to share the news on the planned expanded capacity at the Tees Valley Net Zero project. Reaching nearly 70MW, this is now Protium’s biggest green hydrogen project to date. Given the current uncertainty in the energy sector, Protium is proud to lead the transition to a greener future.
“To reach the UK’s ambitious goals for Net Zero, we believe the technologies we have readily available today need to be implemented rather than waiting for new technology to be developed.
“We are looking forward to this project getting underway in order and support the local community and businesses in the region to decarbonise as well as broaden the green energy grid.”
With a backdrop of the ongoing energy crisis in the UK and growing concerns over energy security and costs for the future, the importance of the Teesside facility as well as its additional capacity, cannot be underestimated. The ambitious plan leading to the enhanced capacity of the development, has been a result of practical, electrical, and technical feasibility as well as the reaction to accommodating the higher hydrogen demand from off-takers in the area expected in the years to come.
As more and more businesses in the UK look to reduce their emissions across operations, logistics, and manufacturing, the Tees Valley Net Zero Project will enable heavy CO2 emitters in the Teesside area to significantly decarbonise their industrial heat and mobility requirements and consequently make a marked contribution towards the UK government’s goal of achieving net zero.
Protium will be hosting a launch event for the Tees Valley Net Zero Project in September to celebrate the development of this project and what this means for Teesside’s transition to a low carbon future.
