H-Power plc (renewable energy company) has signed a supply agreement with Protium (green hydrogen energy company) to sell 5,000 kilograms of fuel cell-grade green hydrogen produced from cracked ammonia, marking what both companies describe as the first commercial sale of bulk hydrogen to a third-party customer from cracked ammonia in the United Kingdom.

A Landmark Deal for the UK Hydrogen Sector

H-Power, which trades on AIM under the ticker HPOW and describes itself as a provider of ammonia-based low-carbon hydrogen production and hydrogen-to-power solutions, announced the agreement.

The deal with Protium, described as one of the UK's leading green hydrogen energy companies, covers hydrogen that will be produced at H-Power's pilot ammonia cracker plant at Dunsfold Park in Surrey.

The hydrogen to be supplied under the contract will be derived from bio-ammonia and classified as green hydrogen. It will be produced to a purity of 99.97%, certified under ISO 14687 Grade D, making it suitable for PEM fuel cell applications.

To put the volume in context, H-Power stated that 5,000 kilograms of hydrogen is sufficient to run its LC30 fuel cell generator, rated at 30 kilowatts, continuously at full power for more than 100 days.

H-Power's CEO, John Wilson, said the agreement demonstrates that the company can produce scaled volumes of low-carbon hydrogen reliably and safely from its ammonia cracker at commercially viable prices, without reliance on government subsidies or incentives.

Regulatory Change Enabled the Sale

The commercial transaction was made possible following an amendment to H-Power's environmental permit at its Dunsfold facility. The Environment Agency granted a revision to the facility permit, as H-Power had previously announced on 18 February 2026, permitting the sale of hydrogen produced from the ammonia cracker to third-party customers for a period running until 31 August 2026.

H-Power characterised the permit revision as evidence of how the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency are supporting the scale-up of innovative ammonia and hydrogen technologies.

The company also described the deal as a practical result of the Government's Clean Power mission, pointing to policy frameworks that it says are enabling businesses to invest in and scale clean energy projects.

Protium to Operate a Virtual Depot at Dunsfold

Beyond the hydrogen supply contract itself, H-Power and Protium have entered into a separate agreement to create what they are calling a virtual depot for Protium at the Dunsfold facility. That arrangement has been struck for an initial period of 12 months, with the option to extend by mutual agreement.

Under the virtual depot arrangement, a number of Protium's hydrogen storage and logistics assets, including multiple cylinder packages, will be stored at Dunsfold Park and filled with hydrogen produced from ammonia via H-Power's cracker plant.

H-Power said that operating Dunsfold as an additional regional distribution base will significantly expand Protium's delivery capability throughout the South East, enabling the supply of green hydrogen to customers across the UK.

HY5 Portable Cracker Unit Remains on Track

Alongside the Protium agreement, H-Power used the announcement to provide an update on the development of its HY5 decentralised portable cracker unit. The company said the development and launch of the HY5 remains on track, with commercial availability targeted by the end of calendar year 2026.

The HY5 is designed to produce up to 500 kilograms of hydrogen per day and is built around a containerised footprint. H-Power described it as being based on the technology and learnings from its existing pilot plant, with a refined architecture intended to deliver higher throughput within a smaller physical envelope. The company said the unit features a proprietary dual-heat-source ammonia cracker with enhanced efficiency.

H-Power positioned the HY5 as an alternative to a 1.2 megawatt electrolyser and stated it will provide what the company claims will be the lowest cost bulk fuel cell grade hydrogen available to industrial customers in the UK without the need for government subsidy.

The company said the forthcoming product has already generated significant numbers of enquiries, which it attributed to the unit's potential to address the twin challenges of hydrogen logistics and hydrogen pricing.

Demonstrating Commercial Viability Without Subsidy

A recurring emphasis throughout the announcement was H-Power's assertion that the sale to Protium has been achieved without reliance on government subsidies or financial incentives.

The company framed the agreement as evidence of growing demand for low-carbon hydrogen in the UK and of the commercial viability of ammonia cracking as a hydrogen production pathway.

Wilson said the partnership with Protium is unlocking the joint challenges of hydrogen logistics and hydrogen pricing, and described the arrangement as enabling customers and industries to decarbonise today.

Protium's CEO and Founder, Christopher Jackson, was also cited in the announcement, though his full remarks were not available in the published source material.

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