Green Hydrogen Trialling as a Power Source at Insulation Factory

RESEARCH into a new innovation in low carbon technology will test the potential for replacement of natural gas with green hydrogen in the manufacturing process of ROCKWOOL insulation at its Bridgend factory.

The project is a partnership between ROCKWOOL Ltd, Marubeni Europower and Mott MacDonald to develop a potential end-to-end hydrogen solution in South Wales.

The current process for the manufacture of the company’s stone wool insulation uses natural gas in the combustion systems and curing ovens. This new scheme will investigate the viability of converting natural gas usage to on-site produced green hydrogen.

By including electrolytic hydrogen production from local wind and solar renewable power in Bridgend, the project could demonstrate the viability of green hydrogen as an end-to-end fuel solution in industrial processes.

Green Hydrogen Power

ROCKWOOL says this combination of research into green hydrogen use and a viable on-site production solution could demonstrate real opportunities and deliver ‘proof of concept’ for this approach, not only for other ROCKWOOL production but also for other industrial sectors across the United Kingdom.

The project is funded by the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) under the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy through the Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator programme. BEIS are supporting the consortium with nearly £400,000 in funding and strategic support for the project as part of a wider announcement of investments into industrial hydrogen projects across the UK.

Rafael Rodriguez, Managing Director of ROCKWOOL Ltd and Senior Vice President of ROCKWOOL Group, said: “Action is needed now on climate change. We already produce a net negative product with data showing that over their lifetime, ROCKWOOL insulation products sold in 2022 will save over 100 times more carbon than was emitted during their production.

“However, we want to do more to reduce our operation impact. ROCKWOOL Group has set ambitious decarbonisation targets verified and approved by the Science Based Target initiative, and in line with this, we are looking forward to enhancing our own understanding about the potential for green hydrogen use in our business.”

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