With plans to utilise electrolysis in order to generate green hydrogen at Gordonbush, the clean energy carrier is expected to be used as a means to fuel domestic transportation, industry and manufacturing sectors.

This will support Scotland in becoming a hotspot for hydrogen technologies and additionally integrate zero-carbon solutions into the heart of the country.

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The facility would be capable of producing up to 2,000 tonnes of green hydrogen each year using wind energy generated at Gordonbush, helping the UK and Scottish Governments.

This will help to reach net zero targets, while supporting the UK’s goal of hitting 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production by 2030.

The overall development would also include a battery energy storage system which would be capable of storing any surplus, or constrained, renewable energy produced by the wind farm at times of excess wind on the electrical grid.

Annant Shah, Director of Strategy and Route to Market of SSE Renewables, said, “Green hydrogen produced from renewable sources such as wind energy has the potential to play a revolutionary role in decarbonising power production, heavy industry and transport, as part of our journey towards net zero emissions.

“Combining electrolyser and battery technology with wind farms could be a game changer in solving the renewables variability challenge and shows the potential for wind power to help enhance energy security by reducing our reliance on imported gas.

“With this development at Gordonbush, we’ll be able to divert some of our abundant wind resource in the Highlands to begin production of a locally-sourced low carbon fuel for transport and heavy industry, develop a green hydrogen supply chain to support local job creation, and play our part in supporting Scotland’s emerging green hydrogen revolution.”

Paulina Hobbs, Siemens Gamesa’s CEO of the Service Northern Europe & Middle East region, said, “We’re excited to work together with SSE on our journey to unlock the green hydrogen revolution and deliver the fuel for the future.

“We believe that green hydrogen is an outstanding technology for transferring the benefits of renewables beyond the electricity sector. Green hydrogen will be key in the decarbonisation of hard-to-electrify, and thus hard-to-abate, sectors.

“Green electricity can be transformed into a transportation fuel, or used as feedstock in industrial processes, where currently no climate-neutral alternatives exist. It will play a crucial part in reaching our net-zero goal for 2045.”