Orkney’s Kirkwall Airport has concluded an innovative hydrogen engine trial that supplied the site with both power and heat in a first for a UK commercial airport.
Powered by green hydrogen, the combined heat and power (CHP) unit, developed by energy tech firm 2G, was initially installed airside before being connected to the airport’s existing heating infrastructure to deliver heat to the terminal building and supply power across the wider site.
Led by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and funded by the Scottish Government via Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the pilot marks a major step in assessing how reliable hydrogen systems are within the day-to-day operations of an airport.
“Demonstrating how hydrogen can reliably deliver both power and heat in such a critical infrastructure setting is an important step towards decarbonising energy-intensive operations,” said Mark Holtmann, managing director at 2G.
During the trial, the hydrogen unit ran at around 60% capacity, but still produced enough steady output to power the airport terminal and runway lighting, and meet the heating demand without the need for the airport’s boilers to run.
The project forms part of a wider push to decarbonise the airport’s operations, driven by EMEC in partnership with Highlands and Islands Airport Limited (HIAL), and is one of the opportunities identified in an earlier energy consumption study delivered through the ReFLEX Orkney project.
Efforts to decarbonise groundside airport activity are a key part of HIAL’s strategy to support the Scottish Government’s 2040 target for net zero aviation across the Highlands and Islands. At the project’s outset, former energy minister Paul Wheelhouse said the initiative would help guide future decisions on low-carbon infrastructure.
While Scotland has positioned itself as an early mover in hydrogen technology, with the government nearing the end of its initial five-year Hydrogen Action Plan, the Highlands and Islands have emerged as a key area of focus.
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The region has seen millions in investment over the last two years to accelerate hydrogen development, and has become a key contributor to the emerging hydrogen economy.
“Orkney is well established as a hub for energy innovation, where new technologies and their roles in delivering a future clean energy system are demonstrated,” said Leonore Van Velzen, operations and maintenance manager at EMEC.
“Seeing hydrogen deployed in a live airport environment is a significant step forward in exploring practical decarbonisation solutions, and we’re proud to have supported the safe delivery of this first-of-its-kind demonstration.”
