Kimberly-Clark Allocates Over $165 Million for Sustainable Manufacturing through Green Hydrogen Implementation
In a significant stride towards sustainable manufacturing, Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland has announced ambitious plans to reduce natural gas consumption and carbon emissions across its UK production lines. The company aims to achieve a 50% reduction in natural gas consumption by 2027, with the help of green hydrogen.
The Barrow project, led by Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland, is one such initiative. This project, in partnership with Carlton Power and HYRO (a joint venture between Octopus Energy Generation and RES), is projected to deliver 100 GWh of green hydrogen annually. A green hydrogen facility will be installed next to the Barrow plant, and a separate facility will be built on the Northfleet plant.
Green hydrogen generated via electrolysis using renewable energy sources will replace natural gas used for steam generation at the sites. The Northfleet facility, also led by Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland, is projected to supply 47 GWh of green hydrogen annually.
The Barrow and Northfleit projects are significant steps in Kimberly-Clark's broader sustainability efforts, marking the first UK consumer goods manufacturer to embrace green hydrogen at scale. Combined, these projects are projected to reduce carbon emissions by 28,500 tonnes per year.
Following Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland, there are no specific mentions of other major UK consumer product companies with similar green hydrogen investments. However, the UK government has greenlit 10 hydrogen projects across various sectors, including industrial sites like tissue production (e.g., Kimberly-Clark’s), waste incinerators, distilleries, glass factories, and even bus fuel. These projects involve substantial private investment (£400 million) and represent growing industrial-scale green hydrogen deployment.
The UK Minister for Industry, Sarah Jones, stated that these projects are part of the government's plan to cut industrial emissions and support industrial renewal, creating thousands of jobs. Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland has signed long-term offtaker agreements for green hydrogen, and the company is investing over £125 million into green hydrogen infrastructure at its sites in Kent and Cumbria.
Kimberly-Clark remains committed to halving its global Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030. The company continues to expand its renewable energy portfolio across Europe and Africa. In a recent development, Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland has signed a 2023 power purchase agreement tied to a £75 million onshore wind farm in Scotland.
Dan Howell, Vice President and Managing Director at Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland, made a statement about the initiative, but no specific statement was provided in the paragraph. The Barrow and Northfleet projects were selected under the UK Government's Hydrogen Allocation Round One (HAR1) and received support through the Hydrogen Production Business Model and Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.
These green hydrogen projects are a key component in Kimberly-Clark's strategy to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% in the UK by 2027. The Northfleet and Barrow-in-Furness sites currently produce nearly one billion Andrex toilet rolls and over 150 million boxes of Kleenex tissues annually. The initiative is a significant step towards Kimberly-Clark's goal of creating a more sustainable future for its products and operations.
Science and technology will play pivotal roles in Kimberly-Clark's strategy to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% in the UK by 2027, as the company leverages green hydrogen technology to replace natural gas in its manufacturing processes, a significant shift towards environmental-science and sustainability. The finance sector is also involved, with Kimberly-Clark investing over £125 million into green hydrogen infrastructure and signing long-term offtaker agreements for green hydrogen, demonstrating a commitment tosource renewable energy and support industrial renewal, creating thousands of jobs.
