Projects to drive innovation in the production, storage, and distribution of renewable hydrogen are to receive £7 million of Scottish Government funding.
First Minister, Humza Yousaf, announced the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme funding while addressing delegates at the All-Energy conference in Glasgow.
The investment will support 32 projects, including:
- Wood Group: Feasibility study for HyFloat, a floating wind platform that houses renewable hydrogen production equipment and stores the hydrogen within the buoyant structure.
- Fortescue Future Industries: Study focusing on onshore wind projects on the Isle of Lewis for green hydrogen production.
- Nova Innovation: Study examining the feasibility of using tidal energy around the Shetland Island of Yell for the production of hydrogen and oxygen production for local use, including as rocket fuel for the Saxavord Space Centre.
- Subsea7: A concept study programme that will focus on offshore production of green hydrogen on a floating hydrogen production unit (FHPU) located close to offshore wind farms.
- Invinity Energy: Feasibility study to establish the applicability of using offshore wind to power a novel decoupled electrolyser to support hydrogen production, energy storage, and on demand electricity generation via vanadium redox flow batteries.
The First Minister said: “We have committed £100 million, over this parliamentary session, to supporting the green hydrogen sector.
“Part of that funding has been allocated to the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme, which supports feasibility studies, technical demonstrations and testing facilities for new ideas about how to produce, store and distribute hydrogen.
“I am pleased to be able to confirm today that through this scheme, grants worth a total of £7 million have been allocated to 32 different projects.
“The projects cover a wide range of different areas – such as how to produce and store hydrogen on floating wind farms, and how to decarbonise agriculture and forestry work in rural areas. Together, they show the range of possible ways in which hydrogen can be produced, used and stored. They highlight the expertise and innovation that is already such an important part of the sector. And, of course, they demonstrate the scale of the opportunities that hydrogen can create.”
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, University of The Highlands (UHI) and Islands Outer Hebrides and PlusZero have been awarded £1.129 million for a green hydrogen production learning, test and research hub at Creed Park, Stornoway.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar Head of Municipal Services, David Macleod, said: “Project partners Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, UHI Outer Hebrides and PlusZero Ltd are delighted that the Creed Hydrogen Skills and Innovation Centre has been selected to receive funding.
“This ground-breaking public, private and university collaboration will help deliver the skilled workforce and robust hydrogen technology needed to support the Outer Hebrides ambitions to be Scotland’s leading green hydrogen production hub and play a key role in achieving the Scottish Government’s ambition for delivering 5 GW of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production by 2030.”
Source: Energy Global
