Peel Ports pushes green hydrogen scheme at Hunterston

Clydeport, part of Peel Ports Group, has exchanged an option agreement with Statkraft to explore the development of a green hydrogen facility at its Hunterston PARC (Port and Resource Campus) site.

The proposed facility would be used for the production, storage and export of hydrogen. Linked to the existing jetty at the site via a pipeline, it will enable hydrogen export from the UK on vessels in the form of ammonia.

There are several renewables projects at advanced stages at Hunterston, including XLCC’s UK-first undersea energy cable factory, Highview Power’s world’s largest Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) facility, and Bakkafrost’s onshore aquaculture facility.

Peel Ports Group has been granted planning permission for the £150 million ($202 million) redevelopment of the site’s marine yard, which it intends will house a facility to support offshore wind developments.

Although it is currently in talks with several developers, the company is open to proposals for alternative uses for the marine yard. Talks are underway with several more potential customers, with the entire Hunterston site on track to generate £3.5 billion ($4.7 billion) in inward investment and create over 5,000 jobs.

Lewis McIntyre, Managing Director – Port Services at Peel Ports Group, commented: “This is a very exciting new development for Hunterston – hydrogen is vital to the energy transition, and we’re proud to play our part in making such a development possible here on the west coast of Scotland.

“It is testament to Hunterston’s vast potential to house a range of innovative renewables projects. Not only are we bringing a brownfield site back into economic use, it will contribute massively to inward investment and job creation in a region that desperately needs it.”

Late last year, Peel Ports Group announced it would invest £30 million ($37.7 million) into the development of a new RoRo berth at the Port of Sheerness to meet growing demand from new and existing customers.