Skip to main content

Arcola Energy powers UK hydrogen fuel cell project

Arcola Energy has completed delivery and installation of a unique hydrogen fuel cell system, as part of an innovative energy storage project in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. Arcola Energy and its German partner Proton Motor joined forces to design, build and install a 75kW hydrogen fuel cell system as part of the island’s innovative Surf ‘n’ Turf project. The project sees excess renewable electricity converted into hydrogen on the island of Eday, which is then stored and transported to Kirkwall on the Or
September 29, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Arcola Energy has completed delivery and installation of a unique hydrogen fuel cell system, as part of an innovative energy storage project in the Orkney Islands, Scotland.


Arcola Energy and its German partner 6861 Proton Motor joined forces to design, build and install a 75kW hydrogen fuel cell system as part of the island’s innovative Surf ‘n’ Turf project. The project sees excess renewable electricity converted into hydrogen on the island of Eday, which is then stored and transported to Kirkwall on the Orkney mainland. Here the fuel cell converts the hydrogen back into electricity to provide renewable power to ferries while they are in port and heat to buildings on the harbour, with zero local emissions.

Later in the year a fleet of hydrogen-powered vans, supplied by Arcola Energy, will also use Orkney’s new hydrogen supply.

 The ‘walk-in’ hydrogen fuel cell system is configured as a training facility, allowing local people to develop the skills required the future operation and maintenance of hydrogen fuel cells on boats. Arcola Energy will initially provide training to the operators of the fuel cell and later support the training of local maintenance staff and crews of marine vessels.

Related Content

  • March 6, 2018
    Nairobi looks to ITS to ease travel problems
    Shem Oirere looks at plans to tackle chronic congestion in the Kenyan capital - where commuters can typically expect it to take up to two hours to complete a 15km journey. Traffic jams in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, are estimated to cost the country $360 million a year in terms of lost man-hours, fuel and pollution. According to Wilfred Oginga, an engineer with the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), the congestion has been exacerbated by poor regulation and enforcement of traffic rules, absence of
  • March 6, 2018
    Nairobi looks to ITS to ease travel problems
    Shem Oirere looks at plans to tackle chronic congestion in the Kenyan capital - where commuters can typically expect it to take up to two hours to complete a 15km journey. Traffic jams in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, are estimated to cost the country $360 million a year in terms of lost man-hours, fuel and pollution. According to Wilfred Oginga, an engineer with the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), the congestion has been exacerbated by poor regulation and enforcement of traffic rules, absence of
  • March 6, 2018
    Nairobi looks to ITS to ease travel problems
    Shem Oirere looks at plans to tackle chronic congestion in the Kenyan capital - where commuters can typically expect it to take up to two hours to complete a 15km journey. Traffic jams in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, are estimated to cost the country $360 million a year in terms of lost man-hours, fuel and pollution. According to Wilfred Oginga, an engineer with the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), the congestion has been exacerbated by poor regulation and enforcement of traffic rules, absence of
  • January 10, 2014
    The sunshine subsidy for Colorado’s tollways
    David Crawford reports on energy cost cutting on US highways. Just over a year after switch-on and with two global awards under its belt, the longest solar-powered toll road in the US is generating heightened interest in highway applications of alternative energy. The E-407, which loops around the eastern perimeter of the Denver metropolitan area in Colorado, won the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) President’s Overall Award for Excellence at its September 2013 Annual Meeting in