Green hydrogen facility to open by 2024

SCOTTISHPOWER and Storegga have formed a partnership to develop, build and operate green hydrogen production plants across Scotland.

The first project to be progressed will be the Cromarty Hydrogen Project, north of Inverness.

The project is designed to deliver up to 20 tonnes of green hydrogen per day from 2024 and has, subject to customer demand, the scope to scale to 300MW in a series of modular expansion phases.

It is claimed the move has the potential to transform industry and transportation in the Highland region.

It will displace existing fossil fuel sources and enable the supply of green hydrogen into the heating processes of distilleries, with additional potential application to other local manufacturing, food production, and industrial heating applications.

The Cromarty Hydrogen Project follows a successful feasibility study by Scottishpower and Storegga, undertaken in collaboration with major distillers Diageo, Glenmorangie, and

Whyte & Mackay, all of which have operations in the Cromarty region.

Barry Carruthers, hydrogen director at Glasgow-based Scottishpower, said: “We can now get to work on turning plans on paper into tangible and deliverable projects that will transform industry in the Highlands – making a long and lasting difference for people, businesses and communities.”

The Cromarty Firth is the focus of the first project that is expected to be followed with facilities across the country.

Andrew Brown, head of hydrogen at West Sussex headquartered Storegga, said: “The Cromarty Green Hydrogen Project is expected to be the UK’S largest green hydrogen facility when it commences operations in 2024, and is expected to rapidly expand thereafter.” Green hydrogen is set to power more vehicles such as refuse collection trucks, buses, and HGVS. It is also a suitable alternative for rail, air and shipping.