Milford Haven: Energy Kingdom
The MH:EK detailed design project is about exploring the role of hydrogen in a whole energy system approach to the development of smart local energy.
Lead Organisation
Pembrokeshire County Council
URL
milford-haven-energy-kingdom.virtual-engage.com/
Location
Milford Haven
About the project
The project looks at the potential for hydrogen alongside renewable electricity in supporting the decarbonisation of transport, heat, and electricity demand.
It has developed a series of smart local energy system (SLES) propositions suitable for early investment, aimed at kickstarting local decarbonisation across the energy system, and a long-term route map for the decarbonisation of Pembrokeshire.
It has explored the synergies between regional smart local energy system opportunities and decarbonisation of the large-scale national energy infrastructure including the UK’s largest energy port and opportunities for offshore wind in the Celtic Sea.
What did the project achieve?
- An investment brochure detailing three propositions for short-term smart local energy system developments, of which two have been identified as immediately investable.
- Development of long term pathways focused on decarbonising Pembrokeshire’s energy system by 2050 including wider renewable plans for the region and integration with plans for a GB-wide hydrogen transmission backbone.
- Hydrogen infrastructure trials of two hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, a public hydrogen refueller and electrolysers, and the world’s first smart hybrid heating system (air-source heat pump and a hydrogen boiler) retrofitted in a commercial setting.
- Exploration and development of hydrogen-focused system architectures, trading platforms and a smart local energy system data ecosystem.
Key lessons learnt
- Smart local energy systems have significant benefits in terms of costs and carbon emissions, particularly where there is strong interplay between vectors. However, where close integration of electricity and heat networks is not feasible, hydrogen can play an important bridging role.
- The importance of standardisation and the development of interoperable infrastructure and technology cannot be overstated.
Next steps
- Take forward the no-regrets decisions identified, including two of the smart local energy system propositions developed for Milford Haven Marina and Pembrokeshire Food Park.
- Develop the proposed MH2K consortium to develop green hydrogen production at sea.