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.
