SCOTTISH Water is using innovation to produce hydrogen and oxygen from their waste water in a new energy trial.
As British Science Week concludes, the company has revealed this is the latest cutting-edge technology they are investigating to help achieve net zero targets by 2040.
It would involve using an electrolyser on their waste water treatment works to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.
Zoe Frogbook, Strategic Programme Manager in Research & Innovation at Scottish Water, commented on the scheme: “The benefits of this technology are far-reaching.
“It could contribute to one of the many layers of innovative technology required to reach net zero target emissions by 2040.
“Along with Horizons, Research and Innovation is continuously look for new and emerging technology that we could use on our sites.”
Hydrogen is cleaner and kinder to the environment than natural gas and could be used to power the company’s sites.
Tests are also ongoing to use it to fuel their hydrogen vehicles.
The company is using oxygen in some of their waste water treatment processes, which requires a lot of energy to create.
The oxygen produced could be used to reduce the company’s energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Scottish Water Horizons and their Research & Innovation teams have worked with Strathclyde University MSc student Hayley Irving to identify if the company could use this technology with waste water.
The results showed hydrogen production from waste water might now be possible and could help them to reduce their carbon emissions.
John Sammon, Business Development Team Leader with Scottish Water Horizons, added: “We are now commissioning a more detailed feasibility study which will allow us to establish the economics and carbon benefits of installing the equipment and to decide if it’s technically and commercially viable.”
If the study proves viable, it could see a pilot project using the new technology at one of the company’s sites in the near future.
