Shearwater Energy has announced it is developing a wind-SMR and hydrogen production hybrid energy project in North Wales.
On 12 January, it set out how the proposed project, earmarked for Wylfa on Anglesey, would eventually provide 3GW of zero carbon energy, while it is also expected to produce over 3mn kilograms of green hydrogen every year for use in the UK’s transport sector. An outline proposal has been submitted to the UK government, as well as the Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish governments, all of which would see considerable economic benefits in connection with the project.
NuScale Power’s small modular technology has been selected to provide the clean, base load and load-following energy for the project, with Shearwater also signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with NuScale for further collaboration. This will see the pair explore opportunities for the combined generation of nuclear power, offshore wind energy and hydrogen production at sites across the UK.
According to Simon Forster, CEO of Shearwater, power generation could begin as early as 2027. On the project’s merits, Forster explained: “Combining low-carbon generating technologies enables us to achieve similar performance characteristics to large thermal plants without the high cost, long construction time and environmental legacy.”
