Case Study: Scotland, UK

H2 SEED, Scotland, UK

Summary

The islands of the Outer Hebrides make up the administrative area of the Western Isles, and are located off the North West coast of Scotland. Their land extension is of the order of 3.100 km&2sup;, with a population of near 27.000 inhabitants; Stornoway is home to about 9.000 inhabitants. Over 97% of the energy consumed is imported, while the average energy cost is over 13% higher that in the main island (UK).

The local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (CnES) initiated a series of hydrogen projects, of which H2 SEED will be the 1st project covering the whole value chain of hydrogen technologies: H2 production from biogas, H2 storage, H2 filling station and H2 use in both stationary and transport applications.

H2 SEED aims at giving an innovative solution to an electricity excess produced by a biogas engine in the Creed Waste Treatment Plant while being the starting point for the creation of a H2 infrastructure in the island.

Results

The Hebridean Hydrogen Park projects will ensure that the Outer Hebrides are well positioned to take advantage of the future commercial opportunities in the emerging hydrogen markets. This will have impacts on the economic development of the islands in terms of skills and diversity in the economy. It will seek to attract research and development activity to the area and will promote the Outer Hebrides as a "centre of excellence" for renewable energy innovation.

What are the benefits of H2 SEED?

• Increase the lifetime of the biogas engine currently installed in the Creed Waste Treatment Plant.
• Produce a new, renewable, autochthonous and clean fuel (hydrogen) that will be used in vehicles, therefore substituting oil, which is not renewable, not autochthonous and pollutant.
• Creation of a basic hydrogen infrastructure in the island that could grow in the near future with other renewable energy sources, such as wind energy.
• Public awareness, especially owing to the high visibility of the hydrogen public vehicle fleet.
• Human resources training on new technologies & development of new knowledge in the Isle (it should be taken into account the high rate of young emigrants from the Isle of Lewis to the mainland looking for better education/ job opportunities).
• Creation of an attractive (innovative, environmentally friendly, dynamic) image of the Island that could be beneficial in terms of tourism, attraction of industry / investments, etc.

Lessons learned and repeatability

H2SEED is the seed-project for further Hydrogen Activities in the Western Isles. The Hebridean Hydrogen Park 2006- 2008 Business Plan details a suite of strategically and geographically inter-related hydrogen projects. The suite of incubator projects identified in the business plan is anticipated to cost the region of £2.5M. The Comhairle has allocated a capital funding package of £500K, with the remaining £2M to be secured. Due to the funding constraints and timescales the full suite of projects may not be deliverable under the current capital programme which ends on 31st March 2008. The key project priorities are the production and refuelling facilities, the council pool vehicles and emergency services training. The additional project objectives are designed to enable greater community participation and inclusion in the Hebridean Hydrogen Park, with the inclusion of elements accessible to communities and tourists and to add diversity to the project as a whole. The project has been developed in partnership with Lews Castle College University of the Highlands and Islands to maximise opportunities for research, development and training.

The Creed Waste Processing Plant is the first plant in the United Kingdom combining an anaerobic digestion technology and in-vessel composting to process biodegradable wastes. This biogas is used to feed an engine producing electricity and heat. The plant is not authorised to export electricity to the grid due to technical constraints, forcing the engine to operate at partial load (because electricity demands at the plant are lower than engine nominal capacity). Operating at partial load, the engine temperature is reduced and the sulphur contained in the biogas corrodes the engine reducing considerably its lifetime.