Planning paperwork, to be mentioned by councillors subsequent week, have set out particulars for the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub proposed by power large BP (LON: BP).
An space of 123 acres (about half a sq. kilometre) has been recognized for the photo voltaic farm and hydrogen manufacturing and refuelling facility, meant to initially serve a fleet of 25 Aberdeen buses from the top of 2024.
Later, because the challenge develops, it expects to serve rail, truck and marine autos, and for the manufacturing to take power from larger-scale renewables like offshore wind.
What and the place?
The photo voltaic farm will energy the manufacturing web site utilizing electrical energy. An space of 121 acres has been recognized for this, although the planning doc notes solely 69 acres shall be utilized by the photo voltaic farm.
It will embrace banks of photo voltaic panels, electrical transformers and different gear comparable to CCTV cameras.
The manufacturing and refuelling facility, a two-acre web site on Hareness Street, shall be a 24/7 operation, producing as much as 900kg per day.
The constructed improvement would come with: a concrete plinth being fashioned to assist three automobile hydrogen dispensers, an electrolyser (which splits water into Hydrogen and Oxygen), compressors, hydrogen storage, a station module and substation, and an area electrical sub-station.
Two entry factors on Hareness Street are proposed – planners say a bus cease on the west aspect of Hareness Street would have to be moved because of the improvement and footpath prolonged.
An underground cabled energy connection shall be created between the 2 websites.
What’s close to and across the location?
Close by the photo voltaic farm web site is coastal land to the east, the South Harbour to the north-east, and the Nigg Wastewater Remedy works to the quick North.
A Website of Particular Scientific Curiosity lies at Nigg Bay on the alternative aspect of the Coast Street to the north-east at a decrease degree, and to the west is Tullos Hill, which is a heathland designated as an area nature conservation space.
Planning paperwork state the positioning extends south and features a linear space of land between the Coast Street, the railway and the sting of commercial websites on Hareness Place and Street.
On the very south finish of this can be a vacant web site throughout the industrial space on Hareness Street. An space of round one hectare adjoining to the previous Irvin Home varieties the southern a part of the event, which includes open scrubland sloping to the east.
Historic monuments and photo voltaic panels
There are a number of bronze-age Cairns close by the photo voltaic farm which sit on excessive floor of Tullos Hill, with the panorama views key to their setting: Tullos Cairn, Crab’s Cairn, Baron’s Cairn Loirston Nation Park Cairn and Dyke, and Cat Cairn.
Historic Atmosphere Scotland (HES) mentioned the proposals “don’t elevate problems with nationwide significance, nonetheless some considerations over impacts”.
Though the panels could be low in peak and set behind a fence, there could be “adversarial influence” on the setting of Crab’s Cairn – and has HES beneficial that BP units the panels in such a approach that opens up views of the encompassing land and sea.
The planning paperwork observe BP has agreed to do that.
Transferring ahead
Aberdeen Metropolis Council picked BP as the popular bidder to construct the manufacturing hub final 12 months.
The transfer has led to a row, with the Scottish Greens hitting out on the oil and fuel large’s involvement.
We’re engaged on decarbonizing transportation. This time with our mannequin of the Aberdeen #Hydrogen Hub. We created a digital twin to find out the expertise wanted to optimize #GreenHydrogen manufacturing within the metropolis. @H2Aberdeen
Be taught extra: pic.twitter.com/c3CQwecJnl
— bp (@bp_plc) June 21, 2023
BP expects to take a key last funding choice on the challenge this 12 months.
It’s owned in a 50-50 three way partnership with Aberdeen Metropolis Council.
The Scottish Authorities earmarked £15m for the challenge in 2021.
What’s inexperienced hydrogen?
Trade hopes hydrogen can exchange pure fuel as a main gas supply for areas like heavy trade and transport, although the scale of the marketplace for areas like home heating stays unclear.
Inexperienced hydrogen is derived from sustainable power sources like offshore wind, or on this case solar energy, however it’s thought-about costlier than its dirtier different of blue hydrogen, which is derived from pure fuel.
Additional uptake of hydrogen is predicted within the coming years as main infrastructure tasks just like the European hydrogen spine are created – anticipated to create market demand for exports of the gas from locations just like the North Sea.
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