ELIRE Infra, part of the UK’s ELIRE Group, and its consortium partners have secured £1 million (around €1.152 million) in UK Government funding to develop hydrogen floating power hubs aimed at decarbonizing port operations and supporting the UK’s transition to net zero.

The funding was awarded under the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) Round 6, delivered by Innovate UK in collaboration with the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE), part of the Department for Transport.

As disclosed, the ‘Hydrogen Floating Power Hub Feasibility Programme’ will run from September 2025 to March 2026, assessing the technical and commercial potential of deploying floating, off-grid hydrogen power systems as a replacement for fossil fuel-based port energy infrastructure. If successful, it could lead to the UK’s first operational hydrogen floating power hub by 2028.

Led and coordinated by ELIRE Infra, this project includes the following industry players: Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Ricardo UK, Rux Energy UK, Schneider Electric, Triton Anchor Europe, University of Strathclyde, and Sealand Projects.

Over the next decade, the initiative aims to cut 500,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions globally, while improving local air quality and port energy resilience, ELIRE said.

It is understood that the hydrogen floating power hub combines hydrogen fuel cells with renewables such as solar and biofuel-powered microturbines, reportedly delivering up to 5 MW of clean energy in a modular, floating format. According to ELIRE, this adaptability makes it suitable for a range of port environments, from dense urban harbors to remote coastal hubs.

Luke Jenkinson, Founder of ELIRE Infra, noted: “Hydrogen’s power density far exceeds that of traditional industrial batteries. This allows us to create smaller-footprint, scalable systems ideal for ports with grid or space constraints. We see this as a transformative step for maritime decarbonisation globally.”

Chris Carlisle, Project Lead at ELIRE Infra, added: “This is more than technology—it’s a new energy model for ports. By integrating hydrogen storage, renewable power, and microgrid systems on a floating platform, we’re creating a blueprint that can scale worldwide.”

To note, the project has identified the River Thames as a potential early deployment site, and by the end of the feasibility program in March 2026, the consortium aims to deliver detailed system designs ready for regulatory approval, vendor-selected, costed equipment lists, validated platform structural and seakeeping assessments, and a strong business case to attract investors for full-scale deployment.

Beyond emissions reduction, the project is expected to contribute to job creation in engineering, fabrication, and operations, acceleration of hydrogen adoption across shipping and logistics, and replicable clean energy models for ports worldwide.

James Lovett, Innovation Lead for Future Maritime Technologies at Innovate UK, commented: “Hydrogen Floating Power Hub is an excellent example of UK-led innovation tackling a hard-to-abate sector. This consortium has the expertise to develop a commercially viable zero-emission solution for port operations.”

Maritime Minister Mike Kane stated: “It’s exciting to see investment in green fuels driving innovation, skills, and manufacturing across the UK. This £30 million round of funding is crucial to cleaning up sea travel and trade as we chart a course to net zero shipping by 2050.”