Hydrogen production

Hydrogen can be produced via the electrolysis of water. This process involves literally “splitting using electricity”, separating water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen with an electrical current using a device known as an electrolyser.

There are multiple types of electrolyser available. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysers offer high levels of operational flexibility meaning they can be switched on within seconds to rapidly ramp-up and down in response to electricity network signals, importing electricity from the grid with which to create hydrogen.

This provides important support to the electricity network when there is excess renewable generation. The hydrogen produced acts as a key medium of energy storage.

The UK Hydrogen Strategy has outlined a target of 10GW low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030.

Electrolysis is ideally suited to using excess renewable energy to produce green hydrogen which can be used as a zero-carbon fuel in a wide variety of applications.

We plan to supply our electrolysers with excess renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen, which will then be used to power our flexible generation plant, thereby providing secure a low carbon source of flexible power to the UK grid to support periods of low renewable generation.