Rushton-Smith, Flynn;
Matthew, Chris;
Spataru, Catalina;
(2025)
Techno-economic assessment of green hydrogen production for decarbonizing the whisky industry on Islay, Scotland.
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
, 128
pp. 559-573.
10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.04.132.
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Abstract
Islay’s whisky industry faces decarbonization challenges due to its reliance on fossil fuels and geographic isolation. This study examines the potential of green hydrogen to enhance energy security and decarbonize distillation. Previous research on anaerobic digestion and biogas met only 18 % of Islay’s energy needs, leaving a considerable energy gap. To address this, the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) was modelled for various solutions, including alkaline electrolysis (AEL), proton exchange membrane electrolysis (PEMEL), and compressed gas and cryogenic liquefaction storage. Results indicate that AEL at 350-bar pressure with 82 % efficiency offers the lowest costs, while PEMEL mitigates water stress, but is more expensive. Cryogenic storage, however, was found to be financially unfeasible. Establishing a connection to the proposed 2 GW Machair Wind Farm is critical to initiating Islay’s hydrogen-based economy. Policymakers should leverage the UK Government’s Hydrogen Production Business Model to support this transition while balancing decarbonization benefits with hydrogen’s energy inefficiency in combustion. Future efforts should focus on integrating renewable energy infrastructure, optimizing hydrogen production efficiency and developing policies that incentivize sustainable practices in Islays’ whisky industry.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Techno-economic assessment of green hydrogen production for decarbonizing the whisky industry on Islay, Scotland |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.04.132 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.04.132 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Keywords: | Hydrogen, Distillation, Electrolysis, Techno-economics, Storage, Whisky |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Bartlett School Env, Energy and Resources |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10207631 |
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