Final Investment Decision: Plug Power Supplies Electrolysers for a UK Industrial Decarbonisation Project – Shares Decline

Slingerlands (USA) – The expansion of industrial hydrogen projects in Europe continues to gain momentum. Several countries are developing projects for the production and use of green hydrogen for industrial applications. Large-scale electrolysis technologies are increasingly being deployed, including those from providers such as Plug Power.

Plug Power is involved in several hydrogen projects in the United Kingdom and is supplying electrolysers for these initiatives. The company is positioning itself as a provider of hydrogen technology for industrial applications. Shares of Plug Power, which is listed in the regenerative stock index RENIXX World, declined in today’s trading and are currently down 1.23 percent at EUR 2.808.

Final Investment Decision for UK Hydrogen Project Barrow

The 30-megawatt “Barrow Green Hydrogen” project in Barrow-in-Furness, UK, has reached its Final Investment Decision (FID). This clears the way for construction of the industrial hydrogen production facility to begin. The project is being developed by Green Hydrogen Energy Company (GHECO), a joint venture between Schroders Greencoat and Carlton Power. US hydrogen and fuel cell company Plug Power will supply electrolysers with a total capacity of 30 MW, providing the project’s core hydrogen production technology.

The facility is a key component of the UK’s hydrogen strategy and is supported through the government’s “Hydrogen Business Model” under HAR1. Once operational, the project is expected to serve as a reference model for the industrial use of green hydrogen in sectors that are difficult to decarbonise.

Industrial Application at Kimberly-Clark and New Energy Agreements

The hydrogen produced will primarily be supplied to Kimberly-Clark’s production site in Barrow, where products such as Andrex and Kleenex are manufactured. According to the project partners, the facility is expected to deliver around 100 GWh of green hydrogen annually. This could reduce natural gas consumption at the site by up to 50 percent, alongside a reduction in CO₂ emissions of approximately 18,300 tonnes per year.

At the same time, a long-term electricity supply agreement has been signed with SEFE to ensure the electrolysers are powered with renewable energy. Production will take place using six 5-MW PEM units from Plug Power’s GenEco series, which use renewable electricity to generate hydrogen.

The project is part of a larger order totalling 55 MW of electrolysis capacity across three UK projects (Barrow, Trafford and Langage). With the FID now secured, Barrow will be the first project to move into implementation, while the other two projects remain in the planning and decision-making stages.

Scaling the Hydrogen Strategy and European Expansion

For Plug Power, the investment decision marks another step in its European expansion strategy. The company points to a global project pipeline worth more than USD 2 billion, as well as projects in the UK and other European markets, including Spain.

“With Barrow now having reached FID, we are moving our largest UK project from award into execution,” said Plug CEO José Luis Crespo. “This milestone reflects continued confidence in our GenEco electrolyser technology and its proven performance at scale across projects.”

The project developers also view Barrow as a benchmark for the financing and structuring of future hydrogen projects. According to Schroders Greencoat, the project combines government support, long-term power purchase agreements and industrial demand into a secure infrastructure investment.

The project will also strengthen Barrow-in-Furness as a hub for the emerging hydrogen economy in northwest England. The combination of industrial off-taker, secured power supply and technology partner is considered a blueprint for future hydrogen projects in the United Kingdom.

Source: IWR Online, 21 May 2026