Aberdeen City Council and BP’s ambition to bring a hydrogen hub to the Granite City has moved a step forward after the submission of a planning application.
If approved, the scheme will involve building a green hydrogen production and vehicle refuelling facility powered by a purpose-built solar farm.
Today marks a milestone for the project.”
Oliver Taylor, chief executive, BP Aberdeen Hydrogen Energy
BP was selected last year for the £215 million procurement contract to help deliver three phases of the project. The overall cost is undisclosed.
A public consultation took place before the application was sent to the council.
Two public exhibitions were also held to give people a chance to help shape proposals.
Earmarked for Hareness Road, the proposed facility will be connected to a solar farm proposed for the former Ness landfill site by an underground grid connection.
With the decision on the application expected by summer this year, the BP-council joint venture plans on producing hydrogen by the end of 2024.
Transport fuelling ambitions
Once operational, the project is expected to fuel 25 buses a day plus a range of private vehicles.
Production could be scaled up later through further investment.
This would allow the facility to supply larger volumes of green hydrogen for rail, freight and marine, as well as for heat and potentially export.
Critics on social media have questioned the need for hydrogen production in Aberdeen and the market for the fuel source.
Oliver Taylor, chief executive, BP Aberdeen Hydrogen Energy, said: “Today marks a milestone for the project, building on our shared vision with Aberdeen City Council to establish the city as a centre of excellence for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and BP’s ambition to build a leading position in hydrogen globally.
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“Submission of the planning application follows a successful public consultation period where we welcomed the opportunity to meet local residents and hear feedback, recognising the importance of bringing the Aberdeen community along with us on this journey.”
Last year the team behind the hydrogen hub project demonstrated a working scale model of the facility, with the green hydrogen produced fuelling a Scalextric track.
Conversation