Green hydrogen developer Protium has broken ground at its 2.5MWe electrolyser in South Wales called Pioneer 2, which is expected to be the UK’s largest installed PEM (proton exchange membrane) system.
The Pioneer 2 project uses “advanced high-pressure hydrogen compression and storage systems to enable more efficient logistics and downstream refuelling applications”, according to Protium.
This represents a technical advantage, the company said, enabling Protium to “better serve heavy-duty transport, maritime and industrial users, as well as off-grid systems where compact, high-pressure hydrogen solutions are essential”.
The 2.5MWe electrolyser, manufactured by global hydrogen company Nel is already on site and planning and permitting have been completed. Full commercial operations are expected to commence in early 2026, when it should start producing up to 1t of green hydrogen per day.
Protium says the progress made at the Pioneer 1 project, which has been operating for two years.
By adding Pioneer 2, it is creating a hydrogen network that is “designed to decarbonise the UK’s hardest-to-electrify sectors, such as heavy transport, logistics, off-grid power and large energy-intensive industries”. This has marksed “significant step forward in Protium’s mission to deliver reliable, scalable green hydrogen energy across the UK”.
The company added: “This will support off-grid power and transport applications, as well as continuing Protium’s proud tradition of supporting the scale-up of early-stage and novel applications such as H2 autonomous vehicles, e-fuel production and R&D facilities.
“By enabling green hydrogen access beyond the national grid, Protium is helping to decarbonise remote operations, construction sites, and temporary logistics hubs, sectors critical to reaching the UK’s broader net-zero targets.”
Project should represent 25x increase in hydrogen production capacity
Protium CEO Chris Jackson said: “Pioneer 2 is a key milestone for Protium and for UK green hydrogen.
“For the company, this represents a 25x increase in our existing hydrogen production capacity and for our customers, this means Protium will be able to support larger volumes of hydrogen and in a greater variety of storage products than ever before.
“Having operated Pioneer 1 for more than two years, we’ve seen the demand in the market for available green hydrogen, and we know that supply is now the constraint on further UK green hydrogen demand growth.
“That’s why we are proud to be leading the way, supporting our customers in South Wales and beyond in their net zero journey.”
Pioneer 2 will form ‘key part’ of hydrogen ecosystem
Net Zero Industry Wales CEO Ben Burggraaf said: “Since the inception of the South Wales Industrial Cluster (SWIC), it has been clear that hydrogen plays a key role in making Wales a leading clean energy transition hub and a cornerstone of the UK’s industrial base.
“We are delighted that this project has come to Wales — sited in Baglan in the heart of the South Wales Valleys, Pioneer 2 will support manufacturing jobs in the region and will form a key part of the region’s thriving hydrogen ecosystem.”
Government awards £7.5M Hydrogen Technical Advisor contract
Earlier in November 2025, WSP was awarded a £7.5M contract to advise the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on the development of the UK’s hydrogen economy.
The company said the ‘Hydrogen Technical Advisor’ contract would see WSP support the government to shape and deliver “policies to accelerate the deployment of low-carbon hydrogen projects across the UK.”
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