Statera Energy plans utility-scale green hydrogen project in UK

UK’s Statera Energy has submitted plans for a utility-scale green hydrogen project to be built in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The project, named Kintore Hydrogen, will help balance a renewables-led power system by using surplus renewable energy to produce green hydrogen, Statera said, claiming that this will be the UK’s “first utility-scale” green hydrogen project and the “largest project of its kind” in Europe.

According to Statera, the first 500 MW of operational capacity is expected to be online by 2028, and when operating at its full, 3 GW capacity Kintore Hydrogen could save up to 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

“This project will help balance the UK’s power system, enabling the development of more renewable energy sources like offshore wind. The green hydrogen produced by Kintore Hydrogen could also play an essential role in decarbonising the UK’s carbon-intensive sectors, for example, heavy industry and flexible power generation. Kintore Hydrogen will also provide significant support to the green skills transition. The project is expected to create up to 3,500 jobs during its construction and up to 200 high quality jobs on-site once operational, delivering a projected benefit of £1bn to the UK economy by 2035,” the company stated.

Tom Vernon, CEO of Statera Energy, commented: “We are delighted to have submitted planning for Kintore Hydrogen, the first utility scale green hydrogen project in the UK. If approved, Kintore Hydrogen could materially contribute to the growth of the UK’s hydrogen economy, support the UK’s energy independence, and accelerate the development of homegrown industrial supply chains.”

The Electricity System Operator forecasts a £5 billion (approximately €5.9 billion) saving to consumers if flexible demand, like hydrogen electrolyzers, is strategically located behind electricity network bottlenecks in Scotland, Statera said, noting that Kintore Hydrogen’s location, behind those bottlenecks and close to abundant water resources and wind power from the North Sea, can help to deliver these cost savings to energy users.

Vernon pointed out: “Over the coming years, the sheer volume of wind generation coming onto the system in the UK will make electrolysers critical for harnessing wind energy that would otherwise go to waste. Kintore Hydrogen will convert surplus wind power to green hydrogen to be used when and where it is needed most. Kintore Hydrogen is designed to fully capitalise on the potential that hydrogen has to offer. The location and scale of this project means it can make best use of surplus wind power, lowering hydrogen production costs. It will help balance the grid, contribute to the UK’s energy security, and support the decarbonisation of the UK’s hard-to-abate industries and power sector.”

It is worth mentioning that today, Statera has over 1 GW of UK projects operational or in construction, and over 16 GW in development or consented.