The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has produced hydrogen using electricity generated from tidal devices in Orkney – the first time the green gas has been created this way anywhere in the world.
Power from the 2MW Scotrenewables SR2000 floating tidal turbine and 250kW Tocardo TFS was fed into an electrolyser situated next to EMEC’s onshore substation on Eday.
Supplied by ITM Power, the electrolyser used the power to split water into its component parts hydrogen and oxygen.
The electrolyser is housed in a standard 20 feet by 10 feet ISO container with hydrogen generation capacity of up to 220kg per 24 hours.
The project was the recipient of a £3m investment by the Scottish government.
Scottish Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy Paul Wheelhouse said: “This innovative project which help to partially overcome grid constraints in the Orkney Islands by enabling the storage of excess tidal power generated and using that electricity to produce hydrogen.
“The project also adds to our growing understanding of the potential role of hydrogen in Scotland’s future energy system – something we have committed to exploring in our draft Energy Strategy.”
Also using EMEC’s electrolyser is the Surf’n’Turf project led by Community Energy Scotland, which will produce hydrogen from a 900kW Enercon wind turbine on Eday.
The hydrogen will then be transported to Kirkwall, where a fuel cell installed on the pier will convert the hydrogen back into electricity for use as auxiliary power for ferries when tied up overnight.
Image: Hydrogen storage cylinders and Eday turbine (Colin Keldie for EMEC)
