Eco hydrogen plan will ‘transform’ Highlands and whisky distilleries

SThis is an exciting milestone in our ambitions to support the growth of green hydrogen production...

cottishPower and Storegga, the firm behind the Acorn carbon capture project, have announced a green hydrogen partnership to “transform” industry in the Highlands.

They have agreed to develop, build and operate a series of green hydrogen production plants across Scotland, with the first to be focused in the Cromarty Firth, north of Inverness.

The first plant is expected to be operational in 2024, producing up to 20 tonnes of hydrogen a day, providing a green fuel for heating processes in whisky distilleries.

With potential to ramp up to 300 megawatts (MW) in a series of modular expansion phases, there are also potential applications for local manufacturing, food production and industrial heating.

The Cromarty Hydrogen Project follows a feasibility study between ScottishPower and Storegga along with distillers Diageo, Glenmorangie and Whyte & Mackay to take Scotland’s national drink greener.

ScottishPower and Storegga said similar discussions on green hydrogen are under way with other customers and industries.

The pair pointed to benefits of “home-made” green hydrogen for security of energy supply, as well as accelerating potential for cleaner industrial heating processes.

Green hydrogen could also potentially provide heavy transport with clean fuel, such as refuse trucks, buses and HGVs.

Barry Carruthers, hydrogen director at ScottishPower, said: “This is a really exciting milestone in our ambitions to support the growth of green hydrogen production across the country and the decarbonisation of heavy industry.

“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.

“We’re excited to be working with Storegga to help create a clean energy future for this stunning and vital economic region of Scotland.”

This is another major north of Scotland project for Storegga, which is developing the Acorn CCS project in Aberdeenshire, the backbone of the Scottish cluster to decarbonise heavy industry.

Andrew Brown, head of hydrogen at Storegga, said: “The 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.

“Storegga has been working with the distilling sector on the energy transition since 2014.

“In 2019, the Scotch Whisky Association’s Pathway to Net-Zero report identified that hydrogen would play a key role in enabling net-zero for the sector.

“Phase one of the Cromarty Hydrogen Project is expected to be the first of many as we develop a broader green hydrogen manufacturing capacity in Scotland this decade.

“Storegga is proud to be working with ScottishPower and the distillers on this groundbreaking project.”

POWER PLAY: Cromarty Hydrogen Project plans have been developed by ScottishPower and Storegga.