Plans lodged to build Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant in Kintore – Aberdeen Business News

A proposal to construct Europe’s largest green hydrogen facility in Aberdeenshire has been submitted.

Statera Energy, a firm specialising in battery storage and various forms of flexible energy production, is advancing with its plans to develop the Kintore Hydrogen project in Aberdeenshire.

Statera plans to invest £600 million in building 500 megawatts of capacity by 2028, with plans to increase this to three gigawatts by the end of the decade, which represents 60% of the Scottish Government’s goal for hydrogen production.

Green hydrogen is produced by separating water into hydrogen and oxygen using an electrolyser, which is powered by electricity from renewable energy sources.

Statera aims to leverage Scotland’s abundant wind energy, which, due to network limitations, sometimes needs to be turned off to avoid overloading the system.

The project’s proximity to the River Don is also expected to provide a steady supply of water, according to the company.

Tom Vernon, Statera’s founder and chief executive, said: “The intent is that we would ultimately supply hydrogen to that type of network. Until then, we see blending [hydrogen with other gases] as a viable option, as a stepping stone to get projects such as Kintore off the ground and operating in the UK.”

The project is anticipated to generate up to 3,500 jobs during its construction phase and up to 200 jobs once operational.

Statera has indicated it plans to make a final investment decision on the project by 2026, but its progress will hinge on obtaining government backing.