Energy Minister to launch Orkney hydrogen project

Scottish Business, Innovation and Energy Minister, Paul Wheelhouse MP, is due to arrive in Orkney tomorrow (Wednesday) to mark the official launch of the Surf and Turf hydrogen project.

Mr Wheelhouse is expected to be one of 70 guests, travelling from as far as Malta and Spain, who are being given a chance to view the installations at the Kirkwall Pier and in Eday.

Based in Eday, the system draws renewable electricity either from tidal turbines at the tidal test site of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), or from the onshore wind turbine run by the Eday community.

An electrolyser uses the electricity to split water into its component parts hydrogen and oxygen.

As it is produced from renewable electricity, hydrogen is a clean fuel that causes no carbon emissions.

The project received £1.3m of Scottish Government funding through the Local Energy Challenge Fund, and has now installed the facilities to make, move and use the gas. The first hydrogen ever to be produced from tidal energy was generated this August.

Surf and Turf is led by the Kirkwall based team of Scotland-wide energy charity, Community Energy Scotland. They work closely with EMEC, Orkney Islands Council, Eday Renewable Energy, and ITM Power.

Prior to the launch, Mr Wheelhouse said that the Scottish Government was pleased to support this innovative project, which enables Orkney to store and make use of excess renewable energy.

“The project also adds to our growing understanding of the potential role of hydrogen in Scotland’s future energy system,” he added.