ScottishPower and Storegga have teamed up to develop, build, and operate green hydrogen production plants across Scotland, with the potential to revolutionise industry and transportation in the Highlands.

The Cromarty Hydrogen Project, located just north of Inverness in Cromarty Firth, will be the first to move forward.

From 2024, the project is expected to deliver up to 20 tons of green hydrogen per day, with the ability to scale to 300MW in a series of modular expansion phases, depending on customer demand.

According to ScottishPower, it will replace existing fossil fuel sources and enable the flow of green hydrogen into distilleries' heating processes, with additional potential applications in local manufacturing, food production, and industrial heating.

The Cromarty Hydrogen Project kick-started after a successful feasibility study conducted by ScottishPower and Storegga in partnership with distillers Diageo, Glenmorangie, and Whyte & Mackay, all of which have businesses in the Cromarty region.

Green hydrogen will decarbonise production processes, helping to make Scotland's national drink greener, as part of reaching aggressive carbon reduction targets set by one of Scotland's most valued exporting sectors. Similar projects for other clients and industries are also being discussed.

ScottishPower hydrogen director Barry Carruthers 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 the industry in the Highlands – making a long and lasting difference for people, businesses and communities."

Storegga head of hydrogen, Andrew Brown, 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."

Source: renews.biz