Flint: Plans submitted for the innovative Coleshill Green Hydrogen Project

In a bid to accelerate the UK’s shift towards green energy, HYRO, a joint venture between RES and Octopus Energy Generation, has submitted a planning application to Flintshire County Council for the innovative Coleshill Green Hydrogen Project.

The project features a green hydrogen electrolyser production and storage facility, set to be located near Kimberly-Clark’s Coleshill paper mill in Flint.

The scheme operates by utilising electricity generated from renewable sources to conduct electrolysis on water, producing green hydrogen.

This hydrogen will be used to fuel a new boiler, replacing the mill’s current natural gas-fuelled boiler.

The upgraded infrastructure aims to provide the necessary steam and heat for the paper manufacturing process at the mill.

Iain Buchanan, Development Project Manager for the Coleshill Green Hydrogen Project, elucidated the importance of the development.

He stated, “Green hydrogen projects are a critical component of the broader strategy to deliver energy security and create green economic growth across Wales and the UK.”

The project also aims to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of hard-to-electrify sectors, offering them a cost-competitive, environmentally friendly fuel alternative for the future.

Adding to the momentum, Oriol Margo, Kimberly-Clark’s Sustainability Transformation Leader for the EMEA region, said, “This development at our Coleshill Site in Flint and our partnership with HYRO represents a huge step towards our ambition to move solely to renewable energy to manufacture Andrex, Kleenex, Huggies, WypAll and Scott in the UK by 2030.”

Before submitting the planning application, HYRO undertook a pre-application consultation (PAC) in April and May 2023.

The consultation engaged statutory consultees and the public, allowing them to view the project’s details, ask questions and give comments.

Following the PAC, HYRO analysed the feedback received and used it to finalise their design.

This development signifies a remarkable step towards a sustainable future for the UK, underscoring the integral role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in the race towards a carbon-neutral economy.