Kraft Heinz has announced a collaboration with Carlton Power to explore the development of a renewable green hydrogen plant at its Kitt Green manufacturing facility in Wigan, Greater Manchester. This initiative marks the company’s first venture into green hydrogen projects. Further, it aligns with an aim to reduce its carbon footprint.
The proposed 20MW green hydrogen plant is anticipated to supply over half of the facility’s annual natural gas requirements. With this, the plant’s carbon emissions could potentially be diminished by approximately 16,000 tons per year.
“Our agreement with Carlton Power is an important step forward in our efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve our global goal of net zero emissions by 2050, with a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030,” said Jojo Lins De Noronha, Kraft Heinz president in Northern Europe. “We’re excited to partner together to develop our first, renewable hydrogen energy project globally and hope to see more projects like these in the future.”
Kraft Heinz and Carlton Power: An opportunity to support the transition to Net Zero
The hydrogen for this project will be produced through electrolysis, using electricity derived from renewable sources like wind and solar energy. Carlton Power, having a portfolio of green hydrogen developments in the UK, sees this partnership as an opportunity to support British manufacturing’s transition to Net Zero emissions.
The project is estimated to cost 40 million British pounds. The financial viability of the project hinges on acquiring support from the UK government’s Hydrogen Production Business Model. This is designed to promote the hydrogen economy and aid industries in adopting hydrogen as an alternative energy source. Subject to obtaining planning permissions and securing the necessary funding, it is expected to commence operations in 2026.
The next steps for Kraft Heinz and Carlton Power involve engaging with local and national stakeholders, pursuing planning permissions, and applying for governmental grants and operational support.
This scheme is part of a series of initiatives by Carlton Power in the North West of England. It further aligns with Kraft Heinz’s environmental objectives detailed in its 2021 announcement to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its operations and global supply chain by 2050.
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