A new hydrogen storage project near Glasgow has been backed by nearly £9.4m in UK Government funding.
The money will see the Whitelee green hydrogen project develop the UK’s largest electrolyser, a system which converts water into hydrogen gas as a way to store energy.
It will be located alongside ScottishPower’s Whitelee Windfarm, the largest of its kind in the UK, producing and storing hydrogen to supply local transport providers with zero-carbon fuel.
Developed by ITM Power and BOC, in conjunction with ScottishPower’s Hydrogen division, the facility should be able to produce enough green hydrogen per day - 2.5 to four tonnes - that, once stored, could provide the equivalent of enough fuel for 225 buses travelling to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh each day.
Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Hands said: “This first-of-a-kind hydrogen facility will put Scotland at the forefront of plans to make the UK a world-leading hydrogen economy, bringing green jobs to Glasgow, while also helping to decarbonise local transport.
“Projects like these will be vital as we shift to a green electricity grid, helping us get the full benefit from our world-class renewables, supporting the UK as we work to eliminate the UK’s contribution to climate change.”
Jim Mercer, business president at BOC UK & Ireland, said: “The project will help to shape the future of energy storage and demonstrate the value of hydrogen to Scotland’s growing low-carbon economy.
“It will also accelerate development across multiple disciplines – from production and storage, to transportation and end use.”
ScottishPower hydrogen director Barry Carruthers added: “This blend of renewable electricity generation and green hydrogen production promises to highlight the multiple ways in which society can decarbonise by using these technologies here and now.”
An additional £2.25m in UK Government funding will support the development of hydrogen skills and standards in the UK.
This will see the British Standards Institution (BSI) develop technical standards for hydrogen products, and a consortium comprising Energy and Utility Skills and the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers, will establish new standards and training specifications to facilitate the training of hydrogen gas installers.
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