ABLE Shortlisted for Innovation of the Year at the Humber Renewables Awards 2026
ABLE is pleased to share that Able UK has been shortlisted for the Innovation of the Year award at the Humber Renewables Awards 2026 for the Killingholme Marshes Drainage Scheme (KMDS). This recognition places KMDS among the region’s leading renewable and climate-resilience innovations, following a record number of entries this year.
The Humber Renewables Awards celebrate outstanding projects, organisations and individuals driving renewable energy excellence across East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, forming the grand finale to the Offshore Wind Connections conference at Hull’s DoubleTree by Hilton on 30 April.
Technical Excellence Behind the KMDS Project
KMDS is a major £15 million strategic infrastructure scheme designed to provide long-term, climate‑resilient protection across Able Humber Port and surrounding industrial assets. Its technical capabilities represent a new benchmark in regional flood defence engineering:
Advanced Pumping Infrastructure
The Killingholme Marshes Pumping Station currently houses four high‑capacity electric pumps, with provision for two additional pumps to be installed in 60 years, future‑proofing the asset for more than a century of operation.
The pumping system is engineered to handle a 20% increase in river flows, aligning with high-end climate‑change projections.
Crucially, the system can discharge surface water during 1-in-100 rainfall events even against the highest River Humber tide levels, ensuring full operational resilience during extreme combined rainfall–tidal surges.
Climate-Proof Hydraulic Design
The scheme is built to manage major abnormal rain inundation events, supporting continuous operation under severe storm conditions.
The design horizon extends beyond 100 years, incorporating worst‑case climate scenarios in both rainfall intensity and tidal behaviour.
Strategic Land and Job Protection
KMDS safeguards over 640 hectares (1,582 acres) of land from flood risk, supporting current and future development across the Humber energy and industrial cluster.
It protects 1,557 existing jobs and underpins the creation of more than 3,200 new roles, including those within the 177.7ha Able Humber Freeport Tax Site.
Environmental and Ecological Benefits
As part of the works, drainage channels across Able Humber Port were widened, creating new wetland and riparian habitats that strengthen biodiversity and improve ecological connectivity across the marshes.
These enhancements support wildlife while improving overall hydraulic efficiency.
Recognition of Regional Impact
Being shortlisted for this award demonstrates the importance of the ABLE KMDS scheme not only as a flood‑resilience project, but as a critical enabler of future growth across the Humber’s low‑carbon economy. It showcases how engineering innovation, climate adaptation planning and economic development can align to deliver long-term regional value.
We look forward to joining fellow nominees at the Humber Renewables Awards ceremony and celebrating the achievements of organisations across Britain’s Energy Estuary.