The first green hydrogen project by Statkraft, Trecwn Green Energy Hub, will be developed in the UK.
The Hub is the first of numerous projects Statkraft has in mind that will employ local knowledge and expertise, create jobs, and aid in the transition of transportation from using dirty fuels to more environmentally friendly ones.
The Pembrokeshire plant would produce about three tonnes of green hydrogen every day and is expected to be built on the site of a defunct rail transfer shed. This can power a single bus for more than 40,000 miles, or the equivalent of 350 trips from Fishguard to Cardiff, without emitting the hazardous gases that conventional diesel or gasoline do.
Statkraft’s plan for Trecwn is for green hydrogen, which is derived from water in a process driven by electricity produced by renewable energy sources, as opposed to the conventional method of extracting hydrogen from fossil fuels. In this instance, no carbon emissions are produced by three wind turbines and ground-mounted solar panels.
The goal is to power trains on rail lines west of Swansea using green hydrogen produced at Trecwn. This will provide many of the advantages of electrification, such as utilizing a zero-carbon fuel, but at substantially cheaper capital costs and with less of a need for new infrastructure. When operational, the station will be able to create enough green hydrogen to power about 170 buses per day, in addition to the fleet of HGV vehicles and local buses owned by Pembrokeshire Council.
The ideas would contribute to the implementation of The Big Green Plan, Pembrokeshire Council’s decarbonization strategy, as well as the Welsh Government’s Net Zero Strategy, which calls for producing the equivalent of 70% of Wales’ electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030.
The proposed plant qualifies as a Development of National Significance since it will produce more than 10 MW of renewable electricity. As a result, the planning proposal will be sent to Planning and Environmental Decisions Wales (PEDW), with Welsh ministers having final say. Early site surveys have already begun, and Statkraft will soon send PEDW a scoping request to make sure the proper environmental studies are conducted as the plans are developed.
Additionally, Statkraft is reaching out to about 5,000 local residences and companies with additional information on the project and upcoming consultation events. On Monday, October 24, public drop-in sessions will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. at Trecwn Valley Boardroom, on Tuesday, October 25, at Letterston Memorial Hall, and on Wednesday, October 26, at Fishguard Community Learning Centre. On November 9, a webinar will also be held with more information about these plans.
