Up to 400 construction jobs and 100 permanent roles could be created under plans for the UK’s first commercial-scale waste-to-hydrogen facility.
The £120 million (€138 million) proposal, brought forward by Hydrogen TE (Manston) Ltd and the first of its kind, has been submitted as part of a full planning application for a site at Manston, Kent. The development would process around 44,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste each year, including household waste, commercial plastics, timber and decommissioned wind turbine blades.
The scheme would support growing demand for low-carbon hydrogen across industrial sectors, while providing an alternative route for residual waste streams that can’t be recycled through conventional means. By combining waste processing with hydrogen production at a single site, the development reflects increasing interest in integrated approaches to resource recovery and energy generation.
The facility is expected to produce up to 8,000 tonnes of hydrogen annually, supplying low-carbon fuel for industrial use. Alongside hydrogen production, the process would generate captured carbon dioxide for commercial use and inert aggregate for construction, with all outputs reused so that the process is 100% recyclable and reusable.
Working alongside specialist consultants, planning and development consultancy Lichfields led the planning and environmental impact assessment work, co-ordinating and submitting the planning application.
Rebecca Caines, a senior director at Lichfields, said: “Submitting this application for HTE marks a major milestone and represents an exciting step forward for this pioneering project. This is the UK’s first commercial-scale waste-to-hydrogen facility, bringing together waste management and energy production in a single scheme.
“Through the planning process, we have worked collaboratively to bring forward a proposal that demonstrates how non-recyclable waste can be managed more sustainably, while supporting the growth of the hydrogen sector and delivering investment, jobs and skills development.”
Plans also include an on-site education and innovation centre focused on skills, training and careers in hydrogen and renewable energy.
Michael Engsted, managing director at Hydrogen TE (Manston) Ltd, said: “The Manston facility has been designed to operate at commercial scale, using non-recyclable waste as a consistent feedstock for hydrogen production.
“It is intended to create a new route for materials that would otherwise be disposed of, while generating low-carbon fuel for industrial use, alongside capturing carbon dioxide and producing construction-grade aggregate to maximise resource efficiency.”
The application has been submitted to Kent County Council for consideration.
Plans for UK’s first commercial-scale waste-to-hydrogen facility
