GEG to power its Port of Nigg operations with green hydrogen

Global Energy Group (GEG) has signed an agreement with ScottishPower’s newly established Green Hydrogen Business to explore the best solution to power the operations at the Port of Nigg with green hydrogen.

The companies will undertake a feasibility study to assess the full potential range of processes that could be supported by hydrogen and the most efficient and innovative way of delivering an end-to-end hydrogen production facility at the Port of Nigg.

Green hydrogen will be generated at the site and used to power heavy plant, machinery and vehicles used in the daily operations at the site and to power high temperature, energy intensive processes like the manufacturing of offshore wind components.

The adoption of green hydrogen would significantly reduce the carbon emissions at the site, GEG said.

“In just under a decade we have invested over £90m into the Port of Nigg, transforming it into a first class, new age, multi energy sector facility. Now, as we work to further expand our site to help deliver the UK’s offshore wind ambition we need to look at what we can do to lower our own carbon emissions”, said Tim Cornelius, Global Energy Group’s Chief Executive Officer.

“Green hydrogen presents us with a major opportunity and we are thrilled to begin working with ScottishPower. The benefits go beyond lowering our own carbon emissions in our operations at Nigg, but also potentially gives us the ability to support the wider Cromarty Firth and Highland area with their operations and net zero targets”.

A few days ago, Global Energy Group’s Port of Nigg site was selected as the marshalling, storage and logistics base for the 114 wind turbine foundations that will be installed at the 1,075 MW Seagreen offshore wind farm.

The Port of Nigg has already supported the construction of two of Scotland’s largest offshore wind farms. In 2016, GEG signed a contract with Siemens Gamesa for the use of the Nigg site during the construction of the now operational 588 MW Beatrice offshore wind farm. In 2019, DEME selected the Port of Nigg as a staging port for the installation of jacket foundations on the 950 MW Moray East project, scheduled to be fully commissioned in 2022.

According to GEG, the Port of Nigg is expected to play a significant role in future offshore wind development as the UK aims to reach 40 GW by 2030.

In January, development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) approved an investment of up to GBP 8.3 million (around EUR 9.5 million) in Scottish Government funding for an GBP 18.9 million (around EUR 21.5 million) project to develop the East Quay at Port of Nigg in Easter Ross.

GEG is planning to build new infrastructure of 225 metres of additional deep-water quayside and adjacent laydown area at the eastern edge of the park. This will help meet the needs of existing clients while enabling greater participation in renewables activities with capacity to carry out both the foundation stage and the wind turbine scope (marshalling, assembly, and load out) for large offshore wind projects.