£4.7m Hydrogen Office opens in Fife

A £4.7m demonstration and research facility powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology has opened in Methil, Fife.

The Hydrogen Office, which forms part of Fife's flagship Energy Park, is expected to become one of Europe's leading locations for innovation and development of renewable technology.

It houses a novel hydrogen production system that captures surplus energy from a wind turbine, storing it as hydrogen when the wind isn't blowing and then using a high efficiency hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity from this stored energy when required.

Over the course of a year, the turbine will not only generate sufficient electricity and hydrogen for the heating and lighting requirements of the Hydrogen Office, but is also expected to export sufficient electricity to meet the annual energy demands of the Methil Docks Business Park.

Since commissioning in September, the turbine has exported over 350,000kwh to the National Grid.

The Hydrogen Office is a partnership project involving Scottish Enterprise, the European Regional Development Fund, Alsherra Investments Ltd, Fife Council, the Scottish Government and the Energy Saving Trust.

First Minister Alex Salmond said: "The Hydrogen Office is playing a leading role in the development of a range of carbon-cutting technologies - from the provision of clean energy for electricity, heat and transport to storing renewable power from other sources such as wind, as demonstrated at the site."

Further information:
Scottish Government