The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Lamenting lack of local input
The whisky industry has been quick to see the potential for green hydrogen to reduce its carbon footprint. A raft of projects aimed at using the renewable fuel to heat stills are ongoing.
But while such schemes could be revolutionary in bringing down operational emissions, there are concerns that the industrial benefit to Scotland of the technology will be limited.
Industry veteran Dick Winchester lamented the lack of domestic companies capable of producing the technology, “beyond the systems engineering” aspect.
He claims the “core technology” must be imported. “That we can’t supply the technology to help our most iconic industry decarbonise is something that, as a country, Scotland should get pretty peeved about,” he said.
His comments follow last month’s allocation of government funds to whisky decarbonisation schemes.
Green hydrogen firm Protium bagged £2.65 million from the Green Distilleries Competition to aid its plans for Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay.
It proposes to use a zeroemission hydrogen boiler, made in the UK, to reduce the site’s carbon footprint.
In future phases there are plans to install a green hydrogen electrolyser, with Protium identifying an “EU-based company” to supply the technology.
Meanwhile, renewables company Locogen and hydrogen technology specialist Logan Energy were awarded £3m to draw up plans to decarbonise the Arbikie gin and whisky distillery, near Montrose.
Although Logan couldn’t give details about the electrolyser supplier, the company said: “We’re manufacturer-independent and choose the best technology and supplier for the specific job.”
A third project to secure funding is WhiskyHy, a consortium led by start-up Supercritical, alongside Beam Suntory and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC).
It was awarded £2.94m for its plans to carry out an industrial hydrogen trial at the Glen Garioch distillery in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire.
When asked about local content Supercritical said: “The electrolyser advancement and any electrolyser technology used will be built by Supercritical in the UK.”
But Mr Winchester says the scheme is “a long way in the future” and urged industry bodies to “develop a ‘conventional’ electrolyser design so Scotland can start the process of building a manufacturing supply chain”.