A Dunsfold company is putting Surrey at the forefront of Britain’s emerging hydrogen economy after securing the UK’s first commercial sale of bulk hydrogen produced from cracked ammonia.

H-Power plc, based at Dunsfold Park, has signed a deal to supply 5,000 kilograms of green hydrogen to energy company Protium, with the fuel produced at its pilot facility in the village.

The agreement marks a significant milestone for the hydrogen sector and will see Dunsfold become a new distribution hub for green hydrogen across the South East.

Hydrogen is widely viewed as a key technology in the transition away from fossil fuels because it can be used to power vehicles, generators and industrial processes without producing carbon emissions at the point of use. But challenges around producing, storing and transporting hydrogen have slowed its wider adoption.

H-Power believes its technology offers a solution. The company produces hydrogen by “cracking” ammonia into hydrogen and nitrogen, allowing fuel to be generated closer to where it is needed. The hydrogen supplied under the new agreement will be produced from bio-ammonia and classified as green hydrogen.

The 5,000kg order will be produced at H-Power’s pilot ammonia cracking plant at Dunsfold Park. The company says the hydrogen will be supplied at 99.97 per cent purity, meeting fuel cell grade standards suitable for use in a range of clean energy applications.

The deal follows a recent amendment to the company’s environmental permit by the Environment Agency, allowing hydrogen produced at the Dunsfold facility to be sold to third-party customers until August 31 this year.

As part of the partnership, Protium will establish a “virtual depot” at Dunsfold Park, using the site to store and distribute hydrogen to customers across the UK. The move is expected to strengthen hydrogen supply networks in the South East and expand Protium’s delivery capabilities.

John Wilson, chief executive of H-Power, said: “We are delighted to have signed this agreement with Protium for H-Power to supply and sell 5,000 kilograms of fuel cell grade green hydrogen produced from H-Power’s ammonia cracker plant.

“This is a first in the UK, clearly demonstrating that H-Power enables the production of scaled volumes of low-carbon hydrogen reliably and safely from our ammonia cracker at a commercially viable price, without reliance on government subsidies or incentives.”

Christopher Jackson, chief executive and founder of Protium, said: “This collaboration effectively showcases how innovative technology and strategic distribution can overcome traditional pricing and logistics barriers, accelerating the path to a resilient and self-sustaining green hydrogen economy.”

The agreement also comes as H-Power continues development of its next-generation HY5 ammonia cracker, a containerised system capable of producing up to 500 kilograms of hydrogen per day. The company expects the technology to be available commercially later this year.

For Dunsfold, the announcement represents another chapter in the site's long history of innovation. Best known as a former RAF airfield and later home to aerospace and automotive testing, Dunsfold is now emerging as a centre for clean energy technology, with H-Power’s latest breakthrough placing the Surrey village at the heart of the UK’s growing hydrogen economy.