Hydrogen TE UK Ltd (HTE) has revealed ambitious new plans for a dedicated education and training hub alongside its proposed waste-to-hydrogen facility in Manston, Kent.
The announcement comes as the £120m project continues to gain strong backing from local businesses, community groups and Kent County Council, who have praised its long-term environmental and economic benefits for the region.
Councillor Luke Evans has been among those to publicly express support, describing the plans as “a huge opportunity for Kent” in a recent social media post.
If approved by Kent County Council, the 13-acre site will become the UK’s first plant to convert household and commercial waste into clean hydrogen, creating at least 100 full-time jobs.
The facility will also help local councils and businesses transition their transport fleets to hydrogen power, providing a faster, cleaner and more cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels.
But HTE’s vision goes far beyond green energy production. The firm has announced detailed proposals for a community outreach and educational programme.
This includes a visitor centre and field trip opportunities for schools, giving students first-hand experience of green energy in action; partnerships with schools, colleges and universities to promote STEM careers and provide training opportunities; a new training hub creating 30 additional roles, designed to establish Manston as a centre of excellence for the UK hydrogen sector; and support for local charities, sports clubs and community groups.
Michael Engsted, managing director of HTE, said: “We’ve been hugely encouraged by the positive reception to our plans, and we want to build on that momentum by showing just how wide-reaching the benefits will be.
“This is not just about clean energy, it’s about jobs, skills, education and creating local pride in a facility that puts Kent and Thanet on the map as a leader in the hydrogen sector.
“At Hydrogen TE (UK) Ltd, we are not just building a waste-to-hydrogen plant; we are building a promise. A promise that industrial innovation can be clean, responsible and community-driven.
“We are passionate about what we do because we know the stakes: people, planet and the future we all share.
“Every element of this facility has been designed to minimise environmental impact, maximise community value and set a new benchmark for sustainable industry. This is not simply a hydrogen plant. It is a community asset, a local resilience hub and a blueprint for sustainable progress.”
The training hub will help address a shortage of STEM-related opportunities in Thanet, reducing the need for young people to leave the area to pursue careers in science, engineering and green technologies.
Michael added: “Our aim is to inspire the next generation, while ensuring local people are at the forefront of the hydrogen transition. By creating both immediate job opportunities and a pipeline of future skills, we believe this project can deliver long-lasting social and economic value.
“Our plans are being built for the future, rooted in the community. Together, we are shaping a legacy that delivers cleaner energy, stronger communities and a brighter tomorrow.”
HTE’s plans also include support for hydrogen adoption across local transport networks, from buses and waste collection vehicles to HGVs and school transport, helping the county accelerate towards the UK’s net zero targets.
The proposed 13-acre site at Manston, which has been designed to blend in with the surrounding Kent countryside, will turn household and commercial waste into hydrogen, vastly reducing the amount of waste currently sent to landfill sites and conventional carbon-producing incineration.
Using a ground-breaking heating process to break down the waste to atomic levels before converting the resulting syngas to clean hydrogen, the plant would create zero to very low emissions and would be virtually self-sustaining with approximately 70% energy recovery.
The firm expects its planning application for the Manston facility to be determined by Kent County Council in 2025.
