UK pushes renewable energy with green hydrogen plant and pumped storage upgrade

Ramboll has been appointed owner’s engineer for the 30 MW Barrow Green Hydrogen Project in Barrow‑in‑Furness, Cumbria. The plant, built by the Green Hydrogen Energy Company—a joint venture of Schroders Greencoat and Carlton Power—will supply about 100 GWh of green hydrogen each year to nearby Kimberly‑Clark facilities, cutting the site’s natural‑gas use by up to half and avoiding roughly 18,300 tonnes of CO₂ annually. Plug Power will provide 30 MW of GenEco electrolyzers, while EDF subsidiary Dalkia Engineering handles construction under the UK Hydrogen Business Model.

Separately, GE Vernova and First Hydro Company (a joint venture of ENGIE and La Caisse) have agreed to replace two 315 MW units at the Dinorwig pumped‑storage hydro plant in North Wales. The upgrade will extend the plant’s life by at least 25 years, enhancing reliability and efficiency for the UK grid. Dinorwig, Europe’s largest pumped‑storage facility, can deliver up to 1,800 MW within a minute, providing fast, flexible low‑carbon power to support renewable integration and grid stability.