Planning permission is being sought to install replacement boilers and chimney stacks at the Low Pressure Boiler House (LPBH) in its Barrow plant.
The LPBH currently houses three boilers, which were initially fuelled by coal when installed in 1984 but were converted to natural gas in 1994.
However, their efficiency is presumed to be very low as they were not originally designed for natural gas.
The installation of new steam boilers with 100 per cent hydrogen firing capability is part of Kimberly-Clark’s wider sustainability strategy.
The existing chimney stacks will be replaced with new ones to accompany the new boilers.
Other planned changes include minor alterations to the building elevations, such as the addition of roller shutters, an external stair, and access to roof level.
The proposed dual-fuel boilers will primarily use green hydrogen, supported by natural gas as a back-up option.
The hydrogen will be supplied by a local hydrogen electrolyser situated to the south of Kimberly-Clark’s mill complex.
Green hydrogen is a form of hydrogen that is produced by separating hydrogen from oxygen through electrolysis of water using energy from renewable sources.
This method produces hydrogen that can be stored or used in industrial processes without any CO2 emissions.
The existing boilers will remain operational until the final phases of the project, ensuring a smooth transition to the new facility during a testing and proving period.
Following the completion of the new boilers’ operational validation, the High Pressure Boiler House (HPBH) will be decommissioned and stripped of its existing plant.
The proposed green hydrogen-fuelled dual-fuel boiler system is set to result in the removal of the large single chimney stack to the rear of the High Pressure Boiler House, which will be repurposed as a new spare building for future use.
The planning statement states: “The proposed development therefore marks the critical phase in ongoing investment at the Barrow in Furness site as Kimberly-Clark seek to build clean energy infrastructure to decarbonise what is a hard-to-electrify, energy intensive industry.”
The Barrow Mill complex currently houses two tissue machines, the largest consumers of steam on the Barrow site, with steam primarily used to heat the cylinders in the paper manufacturing process.
Public consultation will start on Thursday, April 23, and is set to end on Saturday, May 16.
