Utility Scottish Power is exploring the potential of developing a 100MW green hydrogen production hub at the UK’s busiest container port at Felixstowe on England’s east coast.

Current estimates put the cost of the project at around £150mn ($127mn), with a target startup date of 2026. Subsequent phases of development could raise capacity to several hundred megawatts, says Scottish Power, which is working on the project with port operator Hutchison Ports.

It has applied to the UK government’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund for support for a Feed study after a feasibility study showed high demand for green hydrogen at the port for HGV refuelling as well as supply for heavy freight trains and port operations.

100MW – Potential capacity of phase one

“This strategically important project could potentially create a clean fuels hub that could unlock nationally significant decarbonisation for the region, as well as playing a role in international markets,” says Barry Carruthers, hydrogen director at Scottish Power.

“It is perfectly located not far from our existing and future offshore windfarms in the East Anglia region, and demonstrates how renewable electricity and green hydrogen can now start to help to decarbonise road, rail, shipping and industry.”

The project would be powered by new renewable energy projects, which could include offshore, onshore and solar PV generation, says Scottish Power, part of Spanish energy group Iberdrola. Scottish Power has installed around 700MW offshore wind off East Anglia and is developing plans for a 3GW offshore wind hub in the area.

Plans under development potentially include scope for production of green ammonia or e-methanol, in addition to the core green hydrogen product.

Suffolk MP Therese Coffey welcomes the project. “It is schemes like this—and investment from industry as well as government—which are crucial for us to reach net zero by 2050,” she says.

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Author: Stuart Penson