Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub is a scalable green hydrogen production, storage and distribution facility being developed in Aberdeen, Scotland.
In March 2022, local authority Aberdeen City Council signed an agreement with energy major BP and established a joint venture (JV) partnership called bp Aberdeen Hydrogen Energy to deliver the facility.
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The JV took the Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub project in July 2024.
Construction activities are slated to begin in 2024, with first production targeted in 2026.
Once operational, the hydrogen hub will deliver up to around 300 tonnes of green hydrogen annually (800 kilograms of green hydrogen per day) during the initial phase. The capacity is enough to fuel 25 buses per day.
Background
In 2019, the plan for the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub was conceived after the Aberdeen City Council, in partnership with Opportunity North East (ONE) and Scottish Enterprise (SE), appointed Element Energy to assess the business case for the hydrogen sector in the city.
The initiative itself was undertaken following successful pilot projects such as the Aberdeen hydrogen bus project and council fleet deployment.
The report noted that consolidating hydrogen demand from vehicle fleets, boosting production and supply of green hydrogen and aligning supply chain efforts with workforce training will lead to reduction in hydrogen costs.
It added that the approach can drive adoption in key sectors that are seeking to decarbonise, such as heating, industry, maritime, and rail. Such developments will generate substantial economic benefits and contribute more than £700m in gross value added to Scotland’s economy by 2030 and create jobs.
Subsequently, the decision was finalised to establish a renewable energy-powered facility for hydrogen production, storage, and distribution in the city called Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub (AHH).
In June 2020, the Aberdeen City Council adopted the Hydrogen Hub concept in its Energy Transition and Strategic Infrastructure Plans as part of its net zero vision.
The plan is aligned with the UK Government’s Hydrogen Strategy publication which outlines the scheme of developing a low carbon hydrogen sector in the country. It aims to generate 5GW of renewable and low carbon hydrogen by 2030.
The development of the hydrogen hub will also support the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Policy Statement and Draft Hydrogen Action Plan.
The plan to build the first phase of the hydrogen facility in Aberdeen was approved by the local authority’s planning committee in June 2023.
In February 2024, AHH secured funding from Strand Two of the UK Government’s Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.
Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub Development
The Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub, which will be powered by renewable energy, will be developed in three phases.
In the first phase, a hydrogen re-fuelling facility for public sector consumption will be developed. The facility will supply hydrogen for buses, cars, vans and trucks on a commercial basis.
It will be powered by a solar farm, connected via an underground solar grid link.
The hydrogen production facility is expected to be located on land at Hareness Road, Aberdeen, while the solar farm would be developed on the former Ness landfill site.
The Phase 2 will involve the expansion of the facility to supply green hydrogen for use in rail, trucks and marine sectors.
The final phase (Phase 3) would further scale up hydrogen supplies for heating in buildings and potential export to global markets.
Contractors Involved
Scotland-based Robertson Civil Engineering (RCE) was selected as the main contractor to deliver the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub.
As agreed, the company will be responsible for the design, procurement, construction, installation, commissioning, initial energisation, and handover of the hydrogen production and refuelling station along with the associated infrastructure.
RCE worked with design partner engineering consultancy Fairhurst in Edinburgh on the hydrogen project.
AECOM has been selected as the principal designer and owner’s engineer for the project.
Fluid system solutions provider Hydrasun will provide hydrogen equipment services, while FES Group will be in charge of electrical services.
UK-based professional services company Turner & Townsend provided cost and commercial management, project controls and specialist procurement services to support the FID on the AHH. The company will also deliver cost management and scheduling services for the project.
