Statkraft, Europe’s largest renewable energy generator, has introduced that its first inexperienced hydrogen undertaking within the UK has moved ahead, with modifications to the proposal following suggestions from native communities, stakeholders, and the broader public.
Early engagement with native communities held in October and November 2022 has influenced plans for Trecwn Inexperienced Power Hub in Pembrokeshire. These are mirrored within the Environmental Affect Evaluation Scoping Report that has now been submitted to Planning and Atmosphere Wales
As a direct results of the suggestions acquired from native folks, Statkraft’s undertaking workforce is now contemplating two choices for the location of the inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing facility throughout the former Royal Navy Armaments Depot and has made modifications to the undertaking boundary for the photo voltaic farm.
The primary possibility for the Trecwn Inexperienced Power Hub, which was introduced in the course of the early engagement, was chosen for accessibility causes, particularly the distribution of hydrogen for transport and industrial use.
The second possibility, which has been included within the Scoping Report, strikes elements additional away from residential properties and has benefits by way of proximity to the location’s water provide. The ultimate most popular location might be knowledgeable by the outcomes of the Environmental Affect Evaluation.
The world being thought of for photo voltaic panels has been diminished, shifting it additional away from a number of neighbouring properties. The 42 hectares being thought of as a part of Statkraft’s preliminary plans might be additional diminished to roughly 28 hectares within the remaining proposals, and the format will keep away from top quality agricultural land, in step with the priorities of the Welsh Authorities.
Trecwn Inexperienced Power Hub would generate roughly three tonnes of inexperienced hydrogen a day. This is sufficient to run a single hydrogen gasoline cell bus for over 40,000 miles, or the equal of creating 350 journeys from Fishguard to Cardiff, however with out the dangerous emissions produced by conventional diesel or petrol fuels.
It’s hoped that inexperienced hydrogen generated at Trecwn might be used to energy trains working on railway strains west of Swansea. Hydrogen trains ship lots of the advantages of railway electrification, comparable to utilizing a zero-carbon gasoline, however at considerably decrease capital prices and with fewer necessities for brand spanking new infrastructure. It might additionally energy Pembrokeshire Council’s fleet of refuse assortment autos and native buses, or native factories and companies.
The proposals would assist assist Welsh Authorities’s proposed renewable power targets, to fulfill 100% of its electrical energy wants from renewable sources by 2035, in addition to contributing in the direction of the supply of The Huge Inexperienced Plan, Pembrokeshire Council’s decarbonisation technique.
Mícheál Ó Broin, Senior Challenge Supervisor at Statkraft, stated:
“I’d prefer to thank everybody who has engaged with us, and shared their ideas and concepts for Trecwn Inexperienced Power Hub. It’s actually encouraging that over 80% of people that returned the suggestions kind had been both strongly supportive or supportive, and to see the undertaking recognised within the Senedd, which I feel demonstrates an actual urge for food for inexperienced power manufacturing in throughout Pembrokeshire and in Wales extra extensively.
“The place doable, we’ve responded to a few of the key points raised by making modifications to the proposals, that are mirrored within the scoping report. The undertaking workforce might be busy over the subsequent few months, finishing up research and surveys and reflecting the ends in the detailed proposal, which we look ahead to sharing later this 12 months.”
