UK Green Hydrogen Project Welcomes Customers
A new renewables project in south-west Scotland which could help kickstart a UK hydrogen economy is seeking potential customers for when it commences operation in 2025.
The project, which was one of only a few to be awarded a UK government grant through the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, will feature a 2.5 megawatt site which will use wind energy to produce green hydrogen through electrolysis.
The site will be based in Knockshinnoch near New Cumnock in Ayrshire, and is expected to begin production of green hydrogen in summer 2025.
Ahead of this, potential buyers are currently being sought, and are being offered access to the green hydrogen to be produced.
Customers interested in partaking in commercial discussions should have prospective demand volumes of up to six tonnes of green hydrogen per week.
The site’s location in Knockshinnoch also makes an example of the benefits of producing hydrogen in remote locations, in that it negates the need for what can be costly grid connection infrastructure works.
In demonstrating the advantages of its remoteness, the project goes some way to unlock the UK’s off-grid renewables opportunities.
Leading the development of the project is global renewable energy developer and operator Renantis, who have a presence in over 40 countries and a total installed capacity of 1,420MW by the end of 2022.
They are joined by Logan Energy, who manufacture and install hydrogen energy systems, and HIVE Hydrogen, a hydrogen project and supply chain developer.
The project could have a multitude of positive outcomes for the sector and community
It is hoped that the green hydrogen produced at the site could be used by local authorities and transport firms to power fleets of hydrogen tricks and buses, which would produce only water as a waste product.
In addition, using hydrogen as fuel will ensure eligibility for claiming Renewable Transport Fuel Certificates, helping them to satisfy UK Government requirements to increase use of renewable fuels in the transport sector.
Furthermore, in replacing fossil fuel energy or existing fossil-intensive feedstocks with green hydrogen, industrial processes, such as those used in manufacturing, could also stand to benefit from the site’s production output.
Opportunities for local communities to co-invest in green hydrogen will also enable any future successes to be shared.
Stefano Socci, hydrogen lead at Renantis, said: “Green hydrogen has the potential to play a significant role in the UK’s future energy mix, which is why projects like this are so important.
The sector is still in its infancy and there are many challenges to be overcome, but this project is at the vanguard of how green hydrogen could be produced and used locally without the need for a grid connection
“By opening discussions with potential customers who share our vision of a completely renewable future, we move another step closer to producing green hydrogen at a scale which not only has commercial benefit for all parties but helps to decarbonise the energy sector over the long-term.”
Josh Williamson, Director of HIVE Hydrogen, who will be leading the project’s off-taker engagement process, also commented : “This project represents a great opportunity, not only for UK’s off-grid renewables, but also to realise emissions savings in critical end-user areas.”
