ITM Power secures 12.5 MW green hydrogen project from Octopus

European green hydrogen firm ITM Power has announced to have signed a contract with a project managed by Octopus Energy Generation to deploy its NEPTUNE V containerised green hydrogen systems at Kimberly-Clark’s Northfleet manufacturing plant in Gravesend, Kent.

ITM Power held that the project will produce green hydrogen to decarbonise the paper-making process used to manufacture Andrex products. The green hydrogen will power a new dual-fuel boiler system at the mill, which can operate on hydrogen or natural gas to generate the steam needed for paper manufacturing.

The Northfleet system will be financed through funds managed by Octopus Energy Generation and is being developed through HYRO, Octopus’s dedicated green hydrogen development vehicle, created to drive decarbonisation across hard-to-electrify, energy-intensive industries.

ITM Power mentioned in official statement that HYRO was awarded funding under the UK Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round 1 (HAR1), and this contract with ITM further advances the project. The facility is anticipated to be operational by the end of the calendar year 2027.

Dennis Schulz, CEO of ITM Power, said, “We are proud that Octopus has selected us for this ground-breaking project, which will showcase the role of green hydrogen in the decarbonisation of the hard-to-electrify parts of the UK’s manufacturing industry.”

Alex Brierley, Co-Head of Octopus Energy Generation’s funds team, said, “Heavy industries are a big part of global emissions, and with HYRO, we’re determined to tackle this challenge head-on. Seeing Northfleet take shape is a fantastic signal, showcasing how building clean energy infrastructure and strengthening UK industry go hand in hand.”

Dan Howell, Vice President and Managing Director at Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland, stated that the this is a significant investment into a green hydrogen solution, and alongside other investments that support their ambition to move their UK manufacturing operations to 100% renewable energy.

He added, “We are delighted to be the first UK consumer goods manufacturer to really embrace green hydrogen, showing that an energy-intensive industry can take the lead and overcome the technical challenge and adopt green hydrogen at scale.”