SSE Renewables and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy pick Far North wind farm for green hydrogen production site
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A Sutherland wind farm is set to play an important part in leading low-carbon energy company SSE's plans for the commercial production of green hydrogen.
SSE Renewables is joining forces with turbine supplier and green energy developer Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to use renewable energy from SSE’s 100MW-plus Gordonbush onshore wind farm to produce and deliver green hydrogen through electrolysis, using
Under the new plans, green hydrogen would be produced by SSE Renewables at Gordonbush using Siemens Gamesa’s Renewable Hydrogen Upgrade solution. The green hydrogen could then be used as a clean alternative to petrol, diesel or natural gas to help decarbonise sectors such as industry, transport and manufacturing.
The move follows last year’s agreement between both companies to explore opportunities to produce green hydrogen on co-located onshore wind farm sites.
Hydrogen is seen as having a key role to play in helping Scotland and the UK reach net zero carbon emission targets. While other fuels such as petrol, diesel or natural gas produce harmful carbon dioxide emissions when used, hydrogen emits only water vapour into the atmosphere.
Hydrogen produced from renewable sources can be stored and distributed to potential transport, heating and manufacturing customers.
The proposal will see Siemens Gamesa’s Renewable Hydrogen Upgrade with its electrolyser and ancillary technology, installed at Gordonbush near Brora. The facility would be capable of producing up to 2000 tonnes of green hydrogen each year using wind energy generated at Gordonbush, helping the UK and Scottish Governments in reaching their net zero targets, while supporting the UK’s goal of hitting 5 gigawatts (GW) of low carbon hydrogen production by 2030.
The overall development would also include a battery energy storage system which would be capable of storing any surplus renewable energy produced by the wind farm at times of excess wind on the electrical grid. This would allow such excess green energy to be stored in lithium-ion batteries for possible later use, including the potential to power the electrolyser for green hydrogen production or to dispatch to the national grid at times when the wind is not blowing.
Deployed at scale, the technology can help balance the grid by smoothing out the natural variability of wind – meaning wind power can provide both clean and secure energy supplies.
The project will also see SSE Renewables explore opportunities to unlock the full economic potential which green hydrogen offers the Highlands. This will include working with potential green hydrogen customers from high carbon sectors looking to decarbonise their energy and fuel supplies.
Annant Shah, SSE Renewables director of strategy and route to market, said: “Green hydrogen produced from renewable sources such as wind energy has the potential to play a revolutionary role in decarbonising power production, heavy industry and transport, as part of our journey towards net zero emissions.
“Combining electrolyser and battery technology with wind farms could be a game changer in solving the renewables variability challenge and shows the potential for wind power to help enhance energy security by reducing our reliance on imported gas. As an integrated group, SSE has a view across the whole energy value chain and is uniquely positioned to deliver.
“With this development at Gordonbush, we’ll be able to divert some of our abundant wind resource in the Highlands to begin production of a locally-sourced low carbon fuel for transport and heavy industry, develop a green hydrogen supply chain to support local job creation, and play our part in supporting Scotland’s emerging green hydrogen revolution.”
Paulina Hobbs, Siemens Gamesa’s Northern Europe and Middle East service chief executive, said: “We’re excited to work together with SSE on our journey to unlock the green hydrogen revolution and deliver the fuel for the future. We believe that green hydrogen is an outstanding technology for transferring the benefits of renewables beyond the electricity sector. Green hydrogen will be key in the decarbonization of hard-to-electrify, and thus hard-to-abate, sectors.
"Green electricity can be transformed into a transportation fuel, or used as feedstock in industrial processes, where currently no climate-neutral alternatives exist. It will play a crucial part in reaching our net-zero goal for 2045.”
SSE Renewables has now submitted a screening request to Highland Council to consider its plans for the proposed development.
A local public consultation will also be held in April to gather community and stakeholder feedback on the proposal which will help inform final detailed project designs.
A final planning application for the proposed electrolyser development is expected to be submitted to Highland Council this summer 2022 while a separate application is expected to be made to the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit later this year for the associated battery energy storage system.
