Jan 27 2011
A high-tech hydrogen fuel cell research and development center has been established in Methil, Fife, Scotland. Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland, inaugurated the £4.7 million research center. He believes that the new research facility would turn out to be one of the major research and development center for renewable energy technology in Europe.
The research center hosts a hydrogen production unit developed by Pure Energy Centre. The hydrogen production system stores additional energy from a wind turbine built by Global WindPower when the wind is not blowing and then converts the stored energy into electricity using an ultra-efficient hydrogen fuel cell whenever needed.
Hydrogen Office's Hydrogen Fuel Research and Demonstration Facility in Methil, Fife, Scotland.
In addition to providing power to the hydrogen fuel cell research facility, the wind turbine is anticipated to supply power to satisfy the annual energy requirements of the Methil Docks Business Park. The wind turbine has already supplied over 350,000 kWh of power to the national grid since its installation in late 2010. In September 2010, Salmond increased the country’s renewable energy target for 2020 from 50% to 80% of the total electricity consumption.
Russell Fallis, a spokesperson for Scotland government, commented that the renewable energy developers and the Scotland government intend to use the center mainly as a demonstration facility. However, the facility would contribute significantly in clean technology development, he added. The Business Partnership’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Hydrogen Office Limted (HOL) is managing the hydrogen fuel research facility.