The west coast of Scotland is gearing up to begin the production of green hydrogen, with high hopes pinned on its potential to make transport greener and power hospitals sustainably.
GreenPower has received the thumbs-up from Argyll and Bute Council for a planning application that aims to produce green hydrogen, hailed as "a zero-carbon fuel that can help meet climate obligations while delivering sustainable fuel for a range of purposes". The go-ahead means GreenPower will now set up a production and distribution hub at Glenshellach Industrial Estate in Oban, aiming to assist distilleries and fish farms in their transition away from fossil fuels.
Produced through water electrolysis using renewable energy sources, green hydrogen offers a promising route to decarbonisation, and there's optimism it could even heat our homes in the future. GreenPower isn't stopping there; they're also investigating the possibility of generating hydrogen at the planned Barachander Wind Farm, which would be a companion to the existing Carraig Gheal Wind Farma 20-turbine venture by GreenPower in west Argyll.
Scheduled to commence operations by the end of 2025, this green hydrogen initiative could become a national beacon, potentially exporting the eco-friendly fuel across the UK. In a boost to such projects, the UK Government announced in December funding support for 11 green hydrogen initiatives, branding them "essential to achieving our net zero targets".
Paul Minto, GreenPower's director of green hydrogen, said: "With this planning consent for the Argyll Hydrogen Hub we are putting Oban on the UK green hydrogen map. In Argyll there are several sectors currently dependent on fossil fuels where fuel-switching could radically reduce carbon emissions, and where jobs can be created through local production and use of green hydrogen."
"There is significant potential to decarbonise the transport sector including buses and coaches, HGVs serving distilleries, fish farms, forestry operations, refuse collection vehicles, and to fuel ferries, planes and trains. Green hydrogen could replace carbon-intensive fuels such as heating oil and LNG used in hospitals, leisure centres, care homes and industrial operations."
Rob Forrest, GreenPower's chief executive, said: "We already have renewable energy facilities in Argyll and are delighted with this approval, which means we can take further steps in the region to create clean, green jobs and more economic development."
"We can see a future where all heavy road transport and shipping is powered by green hydrogen, and where any industry using heating oils or gas can switch fuels to run on environmentally friendly green hydrogen. Argyll has all the ingredients for the creation of a clean, environmentally responsible, local energy system based on green hydrogen and could become a green hydrogen hub for export to the rest of the country."