A new pilot hydrogen community energy project has been unveiled in Orkney.

The Surf 'n' Turf scheme is led by Community Energy Scotland in partnership with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) Orkney Islands Council, Eday Renewable Energy, and ITM Power.

The scheme looks to circumvent local grid constraints by generating hydrogen from tidal and wind energy.

Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse officially unveiled the newly installed hydrogen fuel cell at Kirkwall Pier on Wednesday, 27 September.

Other elements of the system include an electrolyser which has been installed at EMEC's tidal test site on the island of Eday, which produced the world's first tidal-powered hydrogen in August.

Once produced, hydrogen will be stored and transported to Kirkwall where the fuel cell will convert it back into electricity for use by the inter-island ferries whilst berthed at the pier. As it is produced from renewable electricity, Surf 'n' Turf's hydrogen is a clean fuel that causes no carbon emissions, and has many potential uses – including to supply electricity, as a transport fuel for vehicles or ships, for heating, or to make fertiliser.

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The Surf 'n' Turf project has received £1.3 million of Scottish Government funding through the CARES programme and Local Energy Challenge Fund.

Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said: "I enjoyed what was a fascinating visit to the Surf 'n' Turf facilities at Kirkwall Harbour to see how the project in developing, utilising electricity from Eday, and to discuss its potential to go even further, through the BIG HIT project, in further establishing and growing Orkney's hydrogen economy.

"Hydrogen itself and hydrogen fuel cells both have huge potential in Scotland's low-carbon energy system and we have already supported a number of world-leading hydrogen demonstration projects.

"We will continue to support innovation in suitable hydrogen initiatives and explore the practicalities of using hydrogen as a zero carbon substitute fuel for the heating of homes and businesses in Scotland and in transport."

Mark Hull, Community Energy Scotland's Head of Innovation, said: "This hydrogen pilot has been the best opportunity for Eday due to their location, type of grid limitations, its fantastic energy resource and the chance to power the local ferries with Orkney's own fuel. We are proud, together with the community and partners, to have cleared the hurdles and reached this milestone."

Following the unveiling of the fuel cell, a public seminar on 'Orkney's Hydrogen Future' was held at the Pickaquoy Centre with a turnout of over 100 people looking to find out more about the developments taking place in Orkney around hydrogen.

(LM/MH)