Utility SSE Renewables has scrapped a proposed electrolyser venture on the subsidy-free Gordonbush onshore wind farm in Scotland, after failing to safe authorities funds for inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing.
SSE had been one of many losers within the UK authorities’s first “hydrogen allocation spherical” (HAR1) for subsidies per kilogram of H2 produced, with each its Gordonbush and the Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder initiatives excluded from the listing of winners after negotiations.
The utility had deliberate to put in wind turbine producer Siemens Gamesa’s Renewable Hydrogen Improve answer at Gordonbush as a way to produce inexperienced hydrogen throughout hours when the wind farm’s output would in any other case be curtailed.
“In periods of excessive wind, the Nationwide Grid compensates wind farms for being turned off, and as Gordonbush Extension is likely one of the least expensive wind farms to show off, it should probably expertise greater than common ranges of constraint,” SSE mentioned in a scoping report for the venture.
“Moderately than lose this power, it’s thought of {that a} extra environment friendly use could be to provide inexperienced Hydrogen [sic] from the underutilised producing potential of the wind farm.”
Nevertheless, whereas the Gordonbush inexperienced hydrogen venture had been introduced in April 2022, particulars stayed murky for one more 12 months, regardless of guarantees that these elements could be finalised in a planning software with the Highland Council.
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For instance, SSE by no means clarified the precise dimension of the electrolyser nor which sectors it anticipated would purchase H2 produced at Gordonbush — solely that it might transport the compressed gasoline off-site through road-going tube trailers.
Equally, the precise output capability that the utility promised the venture would produce dwindled from as much as 2,000 tonnes a 12 months on its preliminary announcement, to 1,600 tonnes a 12 months in a planning software discover filed in September 2022, to 1,300 tonnes a 12 months in its scoping report.
Whereas the UK doesn’t require electrical energy provide from newly constructed renewables for inexperienced hydrogen to qualify for manufacturing subsidies, initiatives with further renewable power are weighted barely greater throughout grant scoring, which can have put Gordonbush at an obstacle for future auctions.
As such, a spokesperson advised Hydrogen Perception: “Following a evaluation SSE Renewables has determined to not progress with the submission of Gordonbush Hydrogen venture into Division of Vitality Safety and Web Zero (DESNZ) Hydrogen Allocation Spherical 2 scheme.”
Nevertheless, the Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder venture in northern England has been submitted to the public sale.
“We stay dedicated to Hydrogen initiatives and imagine they’ve the potential to play a key function in Scotland’s decarbonisation and delivering Web Zero for Scotland,” mentioned the spokesperson. “We proceed to think about all potential different areas for growth to attain this.”
SSE had additionally earlier this month introduced with co-developer Equinor that the fourth part of Dogger Financial institution, the world’s largest offshore wind farm, wouldn’t energy inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing after a location for an onshore grid connection was confirmed.
Hydrogen Perception has reached out to verify whether or not Aldbrough Hydrogen Pathfinder remains to be in growth or has additionally been cancelled.
- This text was revealed first by Hydrogen Perception
