ABP, HiiROC and px Group team up to deliver low-carbon hydrogen through thermal plasma electrolysis

Associated British Ports (ABP), HiiROC and px Group have announced a strategic collaboration agreement to develop a new hydrogen production plant at Saltend Chemicals Park to meet local industrial demand.

The plant will use HiiROC’s proprietary thermal plasma electrolysis process to produce affordable, low-carbon hydrogen, which uses a fraction of the electricity of water electrolysis and produces no CO2 emissions.

The plant will initially produce 10 tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen per day, with the potential to increase in the future. The plant will be located at px Group owned Saltend Chemicals Park – a hugely strategic location in the heart of UK heavy industry. 

Occupying a 370-acre site on the banks of the River Humber, the park is adjacent to the UK’s busiest port and close to Hull, the home of HiiROC.

Tim Davies, CEO of HiiROC said: “This partnership marks a significant milestone in our mission to accelerate Net Zero by delivering on the promise of affordable clean hydrogen.

“ABP and px Group are leaders in the UK in their respective fields and this collaboration enables us to fast track our first commercial deployment at scale, derisking its delivery and providing significant potential to scale-up in the future.”

Each partner brought critical capabilities to the table.

HiiROC specialises in low-carbon hydrogen production using a transformative, proprietary process known as thermal plasma electrolysis;

ABP is a leading port operator, enabling potential carbon export as well as a significant landowner in the area and other parts of the UK;

px Group brings significant project development and engineering expertise as well as operations and maintenance experience at critical infrastructure sites across the UK and Europe.

HiiROC is in discussion with local and central government regarding potential support for the project as well as other private sources of capital.

Max Harris, Head of Strategy and Sustainability at ABP, said: “We are excited to support the development of this leading British technology on the Saltend site, in close proximity to our port. This project demonstrates the potential of true cross-industry collaboration.

 “Together, we can address complex challenges no single entity could tackle alone.” said Max Harris, Head of Strategy and Sustainability at ABP.”

Geoff Holmes, px Group CEO, added: “Saltend Chemicals Park is at the heart of the UK’s energy transition, and this collaboration with HiiROC and ABP is a powerful example of how we can unlock innovation to deliver real, scalable impact.

“By combining our operational expertise with HiiROC’s breakthrough technology and ABP’s strategic infrastructure, we’re enabling a new era of low-carbon hydrogen production that supports industry, jobs, and Net Zero goals.”

For more information, visit www.abports.co.uk, www.hiiroc.com and www.pxlimited.com.