ScottishPower plans UK’s largest electrolyser

ScottishPower announced it has submitted a planning application to deliver the UK’s largest electrolyser — which will be the key component of a green hydrogen facility located close to the company’s Whitelee windfarm at Eaglesham, south of Glasgow.

ScottishPower is a subsidiary of Basque energy giant Iberdrola.

ScottishPower said the planning application involving the 20MW electrolyser also “includes proposals for a combined solar, up to 40MW, and battery energy storage scheme, up to 50MW” to help power the electrolyser.

The green hydrogen facility at Whitelee, the UK’s largest onshore windfarm, will be able to produce up to eight tonnes of green hydrogen per day, roughly equivalent to fuelling over 550 buses to travel from Glasgow to Edinburgh and back again each day.

The facility, solar farm and battery will be installed about 5km west of Lochgoin Reservoir and adjacent to the existing Whitelee Extension substation.

“The submission marks an important step for Green Hydrogen for Scotland, a partnership between ScottishPower, BOC and ITM Power, to create green hydrogen production facilities with clusters of refuelling stations across Scotland,” said ScottishPower

ScottishPower’s Hydrogen Director Barry Carruthers said: “With all eyes set to be on Glasgow later this year as the city hosts the UN’s 26th climate change conference, COP26, it’s fantastic to be making this next important step towards delivering green hydrogen for Glasgow.

“Whitelee keeps breaking barriers, first the UK’s largest onshore windfarm, and soon to be home to the UK’s largest electrolyser.

“The site has played a vital role in helping the UK to decarbonise and we look forward to delivering another vital form of zero carbon energy generation at the site to help Glasgow and Scotland achieve their net zero goals.”

Mark Griffin, Hydrogen Market Development Manager for Clean Fuels at BOC said: “The scale of this project demonstrates the growing demand for clean hydrogen and as a member of the Green Hydrogen for Scotland partnership, we’re delighted to bring our hydrogen mobility and refuelling project expertise to help deliver a ground-breaking facility in Glasgow.”