A consortium is evaluating a project to produce green hydrogen from offshore wind power on the island of Flotta in Orkney, Scotland.  

Offshore Wind Power Limited (OWPL)—formed by investment bank Macquarie’s Green Investment Group, TotalEnergies and Scottish developer Renewable Infrastructure Development Group (RIDG)—has already submitted a proposal to the Crown Estate to develop the N1 plan option area west of Orkney.

If successful in its bid, the consortium could deliver renewable power to a green hydrogen production facility at the Flotta Terminal called the Flotta Hydrogen Hub.

“There is an opportunity to create one of the world’s first green hydrogen plants in Orkney” Pouget, TotalEnergies

The project would use a repurposed area of the terminal to create green hydrogen from electrolysers which could then be shipped to Europe and other destinations, blended into the gas grid at St Fergus, or used for maritime refuelling.

“Flotta is an ideal location for green hydrogen production—it is surrounded by the best wind resource in Europe and it lies close to major shipping routes within the vast natural harbour of Scapa Flow,” says James Stockan, leader of Orkney Islands Council.

The plans are being developed in partnership with the Council, German energy company Uniper and Flotta Terminal’s owner Repsol Sinopec Resources—a joint venture between Spain’s Repsol and Addax Petroleum, a subsidiary of Chinese NOC Sinopec.

The developers have not released details on the size of the project, but say it could be a multi-billion dollar venture and potentially be operational by the end of the decade. They have already completed cable routing assessments and near-shore geophysical surveys to better understand the project’s technical requirements.

“With our proposed West of Orkney windfarm, there is an opportunity to create one of the world’s first green hydrogen plants in Orkney. It is an exciting plan and we look forward to working on it with our partners and Orkney stakeholders,” says Julien Pouget, senior vice-president of renewables at TotalEnergies.

The next phase of development for the hydrogen hub will come if and when the consortium receives a licence from the Crown Estate for the N1 plan under Scotland’s latest offshore wind licensing round. The Crown Estate hopes to make initial offers to successful applicants for first-option agreements in January 2022.

The proposal is also supported locally by the Orkney-based European Marine Energy Centre (Emec).

“For this project to go ahead, a number of vital elements will have to fall into place, including a market for green hydrogen,” says Neil Kermode, managing director of Emec.

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Author: Tom Young