Protium, a green hydrogen energy company, has entered into a strategic partnership with Canford Renewable Energy (CRE) to jointly operate the South Coast Hydrogen Facility in Dorset. This collaboration positions Protium as the lead for all sales, fulfilment, and customer contract management, significantly expanding its operational footprint across the South of England and Wales.
Reliable scale, delivered
The partnership adds an established over 350 kg/day of green hydrogen production to Protium’s portfolio, equivalent to over 120 tpy. Unlike intermittent projects, this facility offers unique resilience by combining solar power with landfill gas backup, ensuring consistent, 24/7 production. All fuel is delivered via Protium’s dedicated fleet of MEGC trailers, MT’s, and MCPs, providing a seamless, end-to-end 'production-to-pump' solution for industrial and transport customers.
Strategic synergy and regional growth
The partnership is built on a shared vision for regional decarbonisation. While CRE provides the critical infrastructure and strategic positioning in Dorset, Protium brings the operational scale required to service industrial-grade demand. Together, the companies are focused on unlocking additional capacity and growth local to CRE, ensuring the region becomes a primary engine for the UK’s hydrogen economy.
Immediate market availability and network resilience
Effective immediately, Protium is online and ready to supply multi-element gas containers (MEGCs) of green hydrogen. By operating a network-based approach rather than isolated sites, Protium reduces delivered hydrogen costs and guarantees resiliency through a multi-site offering. This connected hub strategy ensures that customers have uninterrupted access to fuel, removing previous industry concerns regarding security of supply.
Economic advantages for transport
A key differentiator in this offering is the unique Renewable Transport Fuel Certificate (RTFC) benefits available to transport customers. Protium’s integrated model provides pricing that is equivalent to, or more competitive than, traditional Hydrogen Aggregation Allocation (HAR) pricing models, offering a clear financial incentive for fleet operators to transition to zero-emission fuel today.
“This partnership with CRE is a major milestone in our mission to decarbonise the UK,” said Jon Constable, Chief Operating Officer at Protium. “By integrating the South Coast Hydrogen Facility into our connected network, we are providing real-world delivery capability. We are no longer just talking about the future of hydrogen; we are delivering it at scale, with the reliability that industrial and transport customers demand.”
The Protium service level offering
With three production sites, four distribution hubs, and over 100 distribution assets, Protium now operates as a scaled, trusted partner. The South Coast Hydrogen Facility allows Protium to offer a comprehensive service level package, including:
- Logistics and on-site gas management: managing the end-to-end delivery and 'last mile' logistics.
- Vendor managed inventory (VMI): a streamlined approach where Protium manages hydrogen levels and technical tie-ins at customer offtake points.
- Infrastructure Integration: seamless management of on-site gas requirements to ensure operational continuity.
Nathan Ross, Managing Director at Canford Renewable Energy, added: “Our collaboration with Protium ensures that the South Coast Hydrogen Facility reaches its full potential. Their expertise in sales and fulfilment, combined with our expertise in hydrogen production, renewable energy generation, and strategic local infrastructure, creates a powerhouse for green energy in the South West.”
The activation of the South Coast Hydrogen Facility marks a definitive shift in the UK’s energy landscape. By transitioning from localised pilot projects to a resilient, interconnected network, Protium and CRE are providing the commercial certainty required for industry to adopt hydrogen at scale. This partnership not only secures the energy needs of today’s forward-thinking businesses but establishes a repeatable blueprint for a low-carbon industrial future across the United Kingdom.
The South Coast Hydrogen Facility has been partly funded by a loan from Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership’s Growing Places Fund and a grant from Dorset Council’s Low Carbon Dorset programme.