World's First Green Hydrogen Brick Kiln to Launch by 2027 in UK

Wienerberger UK & Ireland has secured funding to build the world's first commercial brick kiln powered entirely by green hydrogen. The project, based at the company's Denton plant, aims to prove that high-temperature manufacturing can be made carbon-neutral by 2027. It marks a significant step in the push to decarbonise heavy industry. The initiative will retrofit two existing tunnel kilns to run on 100% green hydrogen, replacing 224 traditional gas burners with specialised hydrogen alternatives. New control and safety systems will also be installed to support the transition. Once fully operational in autumn 2028, the site is expected to cut over 11,600 tons of CO₂ emissions each year.

The project is a public-private partnership, backed by around €7 million from the UK's Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF). Government funding helps reduce the high upfront costs of adopting future technologies. If successful, the model could be replicated across Wienerberger's other production sites in Germany and Austria, though specific details on further retrofits remain unclear.

Aligned with the UK's hydrogen strategy, the project seeks to demonstrate that existing industrial infrastructure can be adapted for climate-friendly operations. The goal is to create a blueprint for the heavy clay industry, potentially triggering similar upgrades across Europe. The Denton plant's conversion will serve as a test case for hydrogen-powered brick production. By proving the feasibility of decarbonisation in heavy manufacturing, it could pave the way for wider adoption in the sector. The project's success would mark a shift toward cleaner industrial processes without requiring entirely new facilities.