Plans revealed for innovative West Dunbartonshire energy centre

Plans for an innovative £20M facility in West Dunbartonshire to turn waste plastic into hydrogen and support the UK’s energy transition to net-zero have been approved.

West Dunbartonshire Council have given the green light to the plant, the second of its kind in the UK. The plans were lodged by Peel NRE – part of Peel L&P – for the site at Rothesay Dock on the north bank of the River Clyde.

The 13,500-tonne facility will use Powerhouse Energy Plc’s pioneering technology to create a local source of sustainable hydrogen from non-recyclable plastics, destined for landfill, incineration or export overseas.

The hydrogen will be used as a clean fuel for HGVs, buses and cars, with plans for a linked hydrogen refuelling station on the site. It follows the Government doubling its hydrogen production target by 2030 as part of the recently-published Energy Security Strategy, so more clean and affordable energy can be produced in Britain as energy prices continue to rise globally.

Richard Barker, Development Director at Peel NRE, said: “This is a fantastic moment for West Dunbartonshire and the surrounding area. It shows how the UK is innovating when it comes to rolling out new net-zero technologies. The facility will address the dual challenge of both tackling our problem plastic whilst creating hydrogen, a sustainable fuel for future generations.”