Gordonbush Hydrogen Project - Hydrogen Action Plan: EIR release

Information requested

Surrounding The Gordonbush Hydrogen Project - The Scottish Government published its ‘Hydrogen Action Plan’ on the 14 December 2022. Included in the ‘Progress to date’ section was a reference to the Gordonbush Hydrogen Project.

It stated that:

Gordonbush Hydrogen project – SSE Renewables and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy plan to produce and deliver renewable hydrogen using renewable energy from SSE’s Gordonbush Extension Wind Farm in Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands. The Gordonbush hydrogen project, with Scottish Government funding, will aim to demonstrate a replicable and low-cost solution as an enabler to move on to electrolysis at scale at demand centres and for export.

Question 1 : Please provide information on the Scottish Government funding that is being/has been provided to SSE Renewables/Siemens Gamesa and the Gordonbush Hydrogen Project. Please include details of the level of funding being provided and when this funding will be or has been allocated.

Question 2 : The Green Hydrogen Production Facility being proposed would be located next to the existing Gordonbush Wind Farm Extension site and access would be along the single-track scenic road running along Strath Brora next to Loch Brora/River Brora. The site is located in close proximity to a peatlands SAC (included in the Flow Country World Heritage Site Boundary), a Special Protected Area (SPA), a Wild Land Area (WLA) as well as a RAMSAR site. Availability of water is essential to the hydrogen production process and water abstraction and discharge are key considerations. Please provide information to describe the reasons why the Scottish Government considered this particular project, in this particular location, was suitable to receive public funding.

Question 3: As detailed in the SSE Scoping Report for the project, ‘road going tube trailers’ would leave/arrive from the Gordonbush site 6 days a week and 10 times a day along Strath Brora’s scenic single-track road. There would be a high level of water abstraction (borehole?) which would have an effect on the hydrology of the area and potential adverse effects on nearby watercourse from discharge water/effluent affecting otter/fish populations and local habitat ecology. There would be visual impacts with the siting of this industrial production facility (215m x 65m) in this location and impacts on thevarious ‘protected sites’ nearby. There would be an increased potential for pollution, impacts on water environment, peatlands, wetlands, wildlife, increased HGV traffic in a rural/tourist location. Please provide information to describe the reasons the Scottish Government are supporting this project with public funding prior to the project being granted planning permission.

Question 4: Please provide information on who was involved in the decision to provide Scottish Government funding to the Gordonbush Hydrogen Project. Please include details of the government ministers involved and also the position/titles of civil servants connected with this decision.

Question 5: Included in the Scottish Government ‘Hydrogen Action Plan’ is a map of ‘current and planned hydrogen projects’. The Gordonbush Hydrogen Project ‘proposal’ is included as location 47 and indicated as a ‘demonstrator project’. Please provide information to describe the reasons why the Scottish Government consider the location of Gordonbush Hydrogen Project as suitable for a ‘demonstrator project’.

Question 6: The ‘Scoping Report’ associated with the ‘Erection and Operation of hydrogen production facility and associated infrastructure’ at the Gordonbush Wind Farm Extension site has been submitted to Highland Council. Please provide information to describe the various stages of the planning process associated with this type of application and any possible involvement of the Scottish Government if the project was subject to an appeal process at a later date. Please provide detail on whether there is a potential for involvement in the later stages of the consenting process from Scottish Ministers and if so, who would be the minister responsible for that decision.

Response

As the information you have requested is ‘environmental information’ for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

Question 1 :Please provide information on the Scottish Government funding that is being/has been provided to SSE Renewables/Siemens Gamesa and the Gordonbush Hydrogen Project. Please include details of the level of funding being provided and when this funding will be or has been allocated.
 

Response : The Scottish Government awarded £304,000 as a match funded grant contribution to the development phase for Gordonbush Hydrogen Demonstrator Project to be completed by SSE Renewables. The development phase of a project commonly includes the progression of planning and technical studies.

The grant awarded to SSE Renewables is to allow completion of this development work to inform the Final Investment Decision and the production of a series of technical and regulatory reports and studies.

Question 2: The Green Hydrogen Production Facility being proposed would be located next to the existing Gordonbush Wind Farm Extension site and access would be along the single-track scenic road running along Strath Brora next to Loch Brora/River Brora. The site is located in close proximity to a peatlands SAC (included in the Flow Country World Heritage Site Boundary), a Special Protected Area (SPA), a Wild Land Area (WLA) as well as a RAMSAR site. Availability of water is essential to the hydrogen production process and water abstraction and discharge are key considerations. Please provide information to describe the reasons why the Scottish Government considered this particular project, in this particular location, was suitable to receive public funding.

Response: The Gordonbush wind farm was identified by SSE Renewables as a location for hydrogen production.

The Scottish Government recognises the potential for green hydrogen production at existing windfarms including the Gordonbush Hydrogen Demonstrator project as a demonstrator for decentralised hydrogen production in the Highlands and for potentially establishing a supply chain in the region, aligning with our final Hydrogen Action Plan’s ambition for 5GW of hydrogen production capacity by 2030.

Question 3: As detailed in the SSE Scoping Report for the project, ‘road going tube trailers’ would leave/arrive from the Gordonbush site 6 days a week and 10 times a day along Strath Brora’s scenic single-track road. There would be a high level of water abstraction (borehole?) which would have an effect on the hydrology of the area and potential adverse effects on nearby watercourse from discharge water/effluent affecting otter/fish populations and local habitat ecology. There would be visual impacts with the siting of this industrial production facility (215m x 65m) in this location and impacts on the various ‘protected sites’ nearby. There would be an increased potential for pollution, impacts on water environment, peatlands, wetlands, wildlife, increased HGV traffic in a rural/tourist location. Please provide information to describe the reasons the Scottish Government are supporting this project with public funding prior to the project being granted planning permission.

Response: The decision to award planning permission resides with the Highland Council. The Scottish Government awarded a match-funded grant to the Gordonbush Hydrogen Demonstration Project’s development phase. This funding is to enable the progression of development work and further technical studies to complete the development phase of the project.

Question 4: Please provide information on who was involved in the decision to provide Scottish Government funding to the Gordonbush Hydrogen Project. Please include details of the government ministers involved and also the position/titles of civil servants connected with this decision.

Response : SSE Renewables submitted a funding proposal to the Scottish Government Hydrogen policy team in 2022. Subject to due diligence checks grants issued by the Energy Industries division are authorised by the Deputy Director. The budget authorisation for this grant offer was approved by the relevant Accountable Officer, DG Net Zero. The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport approved this grant and the grant was awarded in exercise of Scottish Ministers’ powers by virtue of section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998.

Question 5: Included in the Scottish Government ‘Hydrogen Action Plan’ is a map of ‘current and planned hydrogen projects’. The Gordonbush Hydrogen Project ‘proposal’ is included as location 47 and indicated as a ‘demonstrator project’. Please provide information to describe the reasons why the Scottish Government consider the location of Gordonbush Hydrogen Project as suitable for a ‘demonstrator project’.

Response : The Scottish Government recognises the potential for green hydrogen production at existing windfarms including the Gordonbush Hydrogen Demonstrator project.

Gordonbush Hydrogen Demonstrator Project was the name provided by SSE Renewables when they approached the Scottish Government for grant funding support. It was therefore included under this title in the final Hydrogen Action Plan under the ‘’Current and Planned Hydrogen Projects’’ map.

Question 6: The ‘Scoping Report’ associated with the ‘Erection and Operation of hydrogen production facility and associated infrastructure’ at the Gordonbush Wind Farm Extension site has been submitted to Highland Council. Please provide information to describe the various stages of the planning process associated with this type of application and any possible involvement of the Scottish Government if the project was subject to an appeal process at a later date. Please provide detail on whether there is a potential for involvement in the later stages of the consenting process from Scottish Ministers and if so, who would be the Minister responsible for that decision.

Response: The decision to award planning permission resides with the Highland Council.

Most of the information you have requested in relation to this question is available online. Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

The following information is general information on the various stages in the planning process.

Information on the planning process associated with this type of proposal is contained in Circular 3/2022: Development Management Procedures, which is available online at www.gov.scot/publications/planning-circular-3-2022-development-management-procedures/
 

Information on environmental impact assessment procedures is contained in Circular 1/2017: Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, available at www.gov.scot/publications/planningcircular- 1-2017-environmental-impact-assessment-regulations-2017/

Information on notification requirements and procedures (including Circular 3/2009: Notification of Planning Applications) in relation to planning applications is available at www.gov.scot/policies/planningarchitecture/ministerial-planning-decisions/.

Information on the planning appeals process is available at www.gov.scot/publications/planningappeals-guide/ and Circular 4/2013: Planning appeals, available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/planning-series-circular-4-2013-planning-appeals/.

Information on planning controls and procedures in relation to hazardous substances is contained in Circular 3/2015: Planning controls for hazardous substances, available at www.gov.scot/publications/circular-3-2015-planning-controls-hazardous-substances/

Under Regulation 58 of the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012, appeals can be made to Scottish Ministers.https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2012/360/regulation/58

If a planning application for the development is called in by Scottish Ministers, it is likely that the decision would be made by the Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth on behalf of the Scottish Ministers.

The Highland Council, as planning authority, may be able to offer further information on the relevant planning process regarding the specific proposal.

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