ELIRE Infra and Partners Secure £1 Million UK Government Funding to Develop Hydrogen Floating Power Hubs for Greener Port Operations

Recently, ELIRE Infra and its Consortium partners, secured £1 million in UK Government funding 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.

The Hydrogen Floating Power Hub Feasibility Programme, will explore the development of hydrogen-powered floating microgrids to decarbonise port operations and accelerate the UK’s transition to net zero.

Pioneering Clean Energy for Ports

The 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, the project could lead to the UK’s first operational Hydrogen Floating Power Hub by 2028, a milestone for both hydrogen innovation and maritime decarbonisation.

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

A World-Class Consortium of Industry Leaders

The project is being delivered by a consortium of industry leaders, led and coordinated by ELIRE Infra. 

Each partner brings specialist expertise to overcome technical, regulatory, and commercial barriers:

• Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult – business case, compression and storage innovation.

• Ricardo UK – hydrogen balance of plant and power conversion systems.

• Rux Energy UK – nanoporous hydrogen storage modules.

• Schneider Electric – advanced electrical and automation system design.

• Triton Anchor Europe – innovative mooring technologies.

• University of Strathclyde – naval architecture, structural testing, DC microgrids.

• Sealand Projects – transport, installation and maintenance strategies.

Together, the consortium will design and model a zero-emission, grid-independent shore power solution, laying the foundation for global deployment.

Scalable, Modular, and Transformative

The Hydrogen Floating Power Hub combines hydrogen fuel cells with renewables such as solar and biofuel-powered microturbines, delivering up to 5MW of clean energy in a modular, floating format.

This adaptability makes it suitable for a range of port environments, from dense urban harbours to remote coastal hubs.

“Hydrogen’s power density far exceeds that of traditional industrial batteries,” said Luke Jenkinson, Founder of ELIRE Infra.

“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.”

Strategic Impact for the UK

The project has identified the River Thames as a potential early deployment site, leveraging its unique role in logistics and industrial infrastructure.

By the end of the feasibility programme 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.

• A strong business case to attract investors for full-scale deployment.

Beyond emissions reduction, the project will contribute to:

• Job creation in engineering, fabrication, and operations.

• Acceleration of hydrogen adoption across shipping and logistics.

• Replicable clean energy models for ports worldwide.

Backed by UK SHORE and Department of Transport UK

The project is supported through CMDC Round 6, part of the wider UK SHORE programme, which has invested over £230 million since 2022 in more than 247 clean maritime projects.

James Lovett, Innovation Lead for Future Maritime Technologies at Innovate UK, said:

“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 commented:

“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.”