Pembroke Net Zero Centre PNZC

A new initiative on RWE's pathway to carbon neutrality

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RWE has a clear ambition - to be carbon neutral by 2040. Since 2012 in the UK, the company has closed its three coal-fired power stations and two oil-fired stations. On its journey to decarbonisation, the company reduced UK carbon intensity by 43% between 2012 and 2021.

Over the course of 60 years, RWE’s site at Pembroke in south-west Wales has completely transformed: from firstly hosting an oil-fired power station in the 1960s, to transitioning later in the 2010s to a highly efficient natural gas-fired power station that continues to produce the lowest CO2 intensity power of any gas plant in the UK.

Looking to the future, RWE’s pathway to carbon neutrality will require wide-scale investment in the decarbonisation technologies. These will be brought together in a new initiative: ‘The Pembroke Net Zero Centre’.

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Pembroke Net Zero Centre

RWE is a world leader in renewables, a market leader in the development of offshore wind and a key driver of the global energy transition. In turn, Pembroke is looking to continue its transformation as part of a decarbonisation hub under the title of the PNZC, linking-up with new innovative technologies needed for a low carbon future, including hydrogen production, Carbon Capture and Storage and floating offshore wind.

The PNZC will bring together all areas of the company’s decarbonisation expertise, including innovation, offshore wind, power engineering, trading and the development/operation of highly technical plants.

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Location: Pembroke Power Station

Located all in one place, the PNZC demonstrates RWE’s commitment to the decarbonisation of Wales and the UK.

PNZC will develop and implement four distinctive pillars:

  1. Decarbonisation of Pembroke Power Station, including carbon capture and storage (CCS) conversion feasibility studies and investigating burning hydrogen in the power station instead of natural gas;
  2. Green Hydrogen production, including feasibility studies for an initial 100-300 MW ‘pathfinder’ electrolyser on the Pembroke site whilst also looking at GW-scale opportunities;
  3. Floating Offshore Wind development in the Celtic Sea.
  4. Feasibility of a Multi-Utility Service Transit (MUST) infrastructure project connecting industry across the Milford Haven Waterway.
Pembroke power plant

How RWE’s Pembroke Net Zero Centre can benefit Wales

The Pembroke Net Zero Centre will help unlock the route to Net Zero in Wales, and help secure the future of existing industry, businesses and jobs, as well as providing a significant boost to the local economy.

Read more about the economic benefits in this report.

How RWE’s Pembroke Net Zero Centre can benefit Wales

Supporting Wales and the UK to reach net zero

The initiative draws on a dedicated team of experts. They will work with hundreds of technicians, planners and engineers across RWE’s UK and international businesses, looking at the deployment of state-of-the-art technologies to help decarbonise South Wales and support Wales and the UK to reach net zero.

Early analysis by Cardiff Business School indicates that PNZC could support up to around 1,500-2,200 Welsh jobs per annum during construction and boost regional Gross Value Added (GVA) by up to £70-100m p.a. During operation, by 2040 per annum PNZC could support c. 270-340 Welsh jobs and add £28-35m GVA to the regional economy. This is in addition to the 270 Welsh jobs and £28m GVA supported by the existing Pembroke Power Station in the longer-term.

Learn more about our hydrogen ambitions in the UK in this video

MUST – Multi-Utility Service Transit

Infrastructure project connecting industry across the Milford Haven Waterway

RWE, largest power generatior in Wales, and Dragon LNG, one of the three UK LNG terminals providing energy security into the UK, have formed a partnership to explore the potential construction of a Multi-Utility Service Transit (MUST) infrastructure project connecting industry across the Milford Haven Waterway.

Feasibility studies are underway and will explore the following options;

  • Establishing an export route for CO2 from a potential carbon capture plant being developed at Pembroke Power Station
  • Establishing an additional export route for blue and green hydrogen from the south to the north side of the Milford Haven waterway with potential hydrogen from RWE’s Pembroke Green Hydrogen projects
  • Full elimination of CO2 emissions from Dragon LNG’s regasification process by utilising the residual process heat from the generators at RWE’s Pembroke Power Station
  • Enabling the development of a CO2 liquefaction, storage and shipping capability at Dragon LNG
  • Developing options for other industries to access a key piece of infrastructure across the Milford Haven to enable broader industrial decarbonisation. This could include supply water, direct wire connection (potentially from offshore renewables) and other utilities or products.
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Feasibility studies are underway and will explore the following options;
RWE and Dragon LNG’S innovative project receives support from UK Research and Innovation

The MUST project is a key component of the South Wales Industrial Cluster (SWIC) Deployment and is supported by an award from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI’s) Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge programme, which will provide key support in the engineering and design phases of the project. 

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RWE is participating in various hydrogen projects in the UK and in several countries

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