Scottish Power has partnered with carbon capture and storage developer Storegga to build a series of green hydrogen plants in the Scottish Highlands to decarbonise industry and transport in the region, including a number of whisky distilleries.
The initial phases of their plans will focus on the Cromarty Firth area to the north of Inverness, with the first project being a 50MW electrolyser facility that they intend to begin operating from 2024.
The Cromarty Hydrogen Project follows a feasibility study by Scottish Power and Storegga that was undertaken in collaboration with the major distillers Diageo, Glenmorangie, and Whyte & Mackay, all of which have operations in the area.
As well as supplying green hydrogen for the heating processes of their distilleries, the plant will also support the decarbonisation of other local industries and transport. Subject to customer demand, Scottish Power said the plant could eventually be scaled up to 300MW in size through a series of modular expansions.
Barry Carruthers, hydrogen director at Scottish Power 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.”
Andrew Brown, Head of Hydrogen at Storegga 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.
“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 distilling sector.
“Phase 1 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 Scottish Power and the distillers on this ground-breaking project.”