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Tilbury to host first port-side green hydrogen plant

[ March 31, 2026   //   ]

Forth Ports has signed an agreement with GeoPura to produce green hydrogen at the Port of Tilbury starting this year. The plant will make it among the first major British ports to host commercial-scale hydrogen production for heavy industrial use.

Enabled by £2m of Thames Freeport seed capital, the project will support the decarbonisation of port operations and establish Tilbury as a testbed for low-carbon fuel.

Under a ten-year agreement, with an option to extend, GeoPura is developing an initial 1MW low carbon hydrogen production plant that will generate hydrogen by electrolysis, powered by on-site solar panels.

Transportation accounts for over a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions, including heavy goods vehicles and other mobile machinery and Forth Ports is looking for new sustainable solutions as it works towards its goal to become net zero by 2042.

Tilbury operates an array of plant and equipment, including reach stackers, forklifts and HGV tractor units and decarbonising these will be an opportunity, not only to reduce carbon emissions, but also to improve local air quality and protect worker health.

GeoPura chief executive, Andrew Cunningham, said: “Tilbury is an powerful example of how the UK can use its existing industrial infrastructure to produce renewable fuels for the future. It’s a perfect location to support hydrogen adoption across the Thames Estuary, improving air quality and creating new high quality clean energy UK jobs.”

GeoPura has already beenb awarded the contract to supply 2,5000 tonnes of hydrogen to the Lower Thames Crossing, to support the project’s goal of becoming the first major project in the UK to be carbon neutral in construction.

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