‘Green hydrogen for Scotland’ gets underway with project powered by solar and wind

Solar energy together with wind is set to power a new 10MW electrolyser outside of Glasgow, helping to generate green hydrogen.

The Green Hydrogen for Scotland project is being developed by ScottishPower Renewables, BOC (a Linde company) and ITM Power, to create an end-to-end market solution for reducing vehicle emissions using hydrogen.

ScottishPower Renewables will provide power for the electrolyser, which will be delivered by ITM Power, and the facility will be run by gas specialist company BOC. It’s hoped the partners will have the site, which will be located on the outskirts of the Scottish city, running and ready to supply hydrogen to the commercial market in two years.

Hydrogen can be created through the chemical process electrolysis, where by an electroyser extracts hydrogen from water. Relying on renewable energy such as solar for the process ensures that the process can be completed without carbon emissions, and creates what is known as green hydrogen.

This initial partnership and the green hydrogen it will create forms a key part of the Glasgow City Council’s commitment to creating a zero emissions vehicle fleets by the end of 2029, for which it will use a mixture of hydrogen and electric powered vehicles.

The new facility – and those that follow as part of Green Hydrogen for Scotland – will help ensure zero emission fuel is readily available to organisations as they transition to net zero.

Lindsay McQuade, CEO of ScottishPower Renewables, said that making transport “cleaner and greener” was a key issue at the heart of unlocking net zero.  

“While electrification will play a significant role in taking petrol and diesel vehicles off our roads and make an important difference for the planet, it can only go so far, and we’re doing something about that. Our revolutionary approach – which really will be a game-changer – fully supports the large scale transformation needed to replace heavy diesel vehicles with cleaner, greener alternatives.

“By working with industry leaders ITM Power and BOC to bring our collective expertise together, we will maximise the potential of this new technology to offer fleet operators and industry a packaged solution that brings all of the pieces of the jigsaw together – production, distribution, supply. All they have to do is provide the vehicles. We have a huge opportunity here to bring net zero ever closer for the benefit of everyone and support a better future, quicker – and we will make it happen.”