“This is a hugely exciting development for Fife and for Scotland’s low carbon industries as we work together to forge the new green economy,” Salmond said. “The Hydrogen Office is playing a leading role in the development of a range of carbon-cutting technologies – from the provision of clean energy for electricity, heat and transport to storing renewable power from other sources such as wind, as demonstrated at the site.
Salmond continued, “Scotland has a competitive advantage in renewable power sources and the development and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies across the energy sector can help accelerate the achievement of a truly low carbon economy – supporting skilled jobs in Scotland and helping protect the planet for generations to come”.
The facility houses a hydrogen production system built by the Pure Energy Centre, which captures surplus energy from a wind turbine constructed by Global WindPower, storing it as hydrogen when the wind isn’t blowing and then using a high efficiency hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity from this stored energy when required.
Although it is not the first facility of its kind in the region, the Scottish government and its developers plan for the centre to remain primarily a demonstration facility but will play a role in the development of clean technology, said Russell Fallis, a spokesman for the government.
Jim Keiller, director of financing partners Alsherra Investments agreed, describing the opening of the Hydrogen Office as “a major focal point in the developments at Methil Dock and the Energy Park and its anticipated high profile within the renewables sector should ensure the area’s continued growth”.
The turbine at the Hydrogen Office is expected export electricity to meet the annual energy demands of the Methil Docks Business Park for a year, in addition to powering the facility. Since it was commissioned late last year, the turbine has already exported more than 350,000 kWh of power to the national grid.
“The benefits which this highly innovative, low carbon energy facility presents are tremendous. For businesses, it offers high spec, energy efficient office space to encourage the development of renewable technologies,” said Scottish Enterprise chief executive Lena Wilson.
“Environmentally, it will help to reduce carbon footprint by promoting cost effective energy saving measures, supporting the development and adoption of cleaner and more efficient technologies,” Wilson continued. “And for Scotland’s economy it will boost the development of green jobs by serving as an international demonstration centre for renewable and hydrogen energy technology, capturing a share of the £3 trillion global low carbon market.”
Last September, Salmond raised the national renewable energy target for 2020 from 50 per cent to 80 per cent of gross electricity consumed.
The Hydrogen Office is managed by the Hydrogen Office Limited (HOL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Business Partnership Ltd.
For additional information:
Scottish Enterprise Press Centre
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