Storegga has launched a four-week consultation on its proposal for Speyside Hydrogen, a pioneering project that will produce green hydrogen to fuel operations and support the decarbonisation of distilleries and other businesses across Moray.

Scotland is home to 151 whisky distilleries with more than 50 of these located in Moray which, between them, account for almost 45% of the total fossil fuel demand in the region.

Green hydrogen can offer an alternative energy source for whisky production supporting the industry to reach its ambitious net zero target by 2040, five years earlier than the Scottish Government targets.

The project sets out to produce green hydrogen through the electrolysis of water using renewable electricity. The process entails water being split into two parts, hydrogen and oxygen, and its production results in no harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

Speyside Hydrogen will see a phased build-out of hydrogen production capacity. The first two phases of the project will deliver a total of 70MW of hydrogen capacity via two electrolyser facilities on a site identified at Ballindalloch, near Marypark.

The consultation will run until 5 September and a public drop-in event at Glenlivet Public Hall on 22 August.

Storegga will share its initial design for the development within the community and invite feedback, before finalising the design and preparing applications.

The development will support the decarbonisation necessary to help safeguard existing employment at distilleries and their supply chain partners while creating new highly skilled, high-value jobs during the construction and subsequent operation of the facility.

Moray is one of 14 locations identified within the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Policy Statement and Hydrogen Action Plan.

The Scottish Government has recognised low carbon hydrogen to be one of the multiple solutions required to replace fossil fuels to achieve the legislated 2045 Net Zero target.

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“Moray has a strong heritage of whisky production and innovation and boasts excellent access to renewable energy and transport infrastructure as well as supply chain expertise,” Neil Hardie, Speyside Hydrogen, opportunity manager at Storegga said.

“Not only does this make it the perfect location for Speyside Hydrogen, but it means our project can ensure culture is preserved by supporting this hard-to-abate industry as we move towards a net-zero economy.

“We look forward to this opportunity to engage with the local community and to hear their feedback on our proposal.”