Government-backed funding will enable the commercial-scale project in Denton, Greater Manchester, UK.
© Wienerberger UK & Ireland
The funding will part‑support a £6 million conversion programme for natural‑gas‑fired brick kilns to run on 100% green hydrogen. This will reportedly make Denton the first commercial‑scale hydrogen‑fired brick plant in the world.
The project includes the retrofit of two tunnel kilns – replacing 224 natural gas-powered burners, installing new hydrogen supply infrastructure, and upgrading electrical and control systems – without altering the structural integrity of the existing kilns.
Linked to the Hydrogen Allocation Rounds (HAR), hydrogen will be supplied under a 15‑year agreement with Trafford Green Hydrogen, jointly developed by Carlton Power and Schroders Greencoat. Deliveries will be made via tube trailers to a dedicated onsite hydrogen offloading and pressure‑reduction station.
The target is for one kiln to be fully operational, or both kilns partially converted, to hydrogen firing by Autumn 2027. The complete transition to 100% hydrogen firing across the entire site is scheduled to commence in Autumn 2028.
Once fully operational, the switch from natural gas to green hydrogen is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by over 11,600t per year, equivalent to a 9% reduction in Wienerberger Limited’s annual Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions.
This investment supports the company’s long‑term strategy to reach net‑zero carbon emissions and helps to meet rising demand for low‑carbon building materials across the UK.
As Denton prepares for hydrogen-fuelled firing, its onsite teams will undergo training to enhance their skills, focusing on newly implemented safety systems and updated operational procedures.
Thorough testing carried out through a government-funded, cross-industry research programme, led by Ceramics UK, provided confidence that the strength, appearance, and wider technical performance of the clay bricks will remain unchanged. This ensures that the switch to hydrogen firing will have no significant impact on product quality or performance.
