UK to build world's first hydrogen-fired brick kiln to cut emissions

The UK is set to build the world’s first commercial-scale hydrogen-fired brick kiln at Wienerberger’s Denton brickworks in Greater Manchester, marking a significant step toward decarbonising heavy clay manufacturing. Supported by the UK Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, the £6 million project will retrofit two existing tunnel kilns, replacing 224 natural gas burners with hydrogen-compatible systems powered entirely by green hydrogen. Hydrogen fuel will be supplied under a 15-year agreement with Trafford Green Hydrogen, with full site-wide conversion expected to begin in autumn 2028. This initiative positions Wienerberger as a leader in low-carbon industrial heat innovation and provides a scalable model for emission reductions across the ceramics sector. Once operational, the hydrogen-fired kiln is projected to reduce CO₂ emissions by over 11,600 tonnes annually, equivalent to cutting 9 percent of Wienerberger’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions or the emissions from heating nearly 5,000 UK homes for a year. Extensive testing has confirmed that the