Orkney-based European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) is working with Zero Waste Scotland on a project to identify local applications for oxygen, which is a by-product of the hydrogen production process.

It has launched a new project to explore how circular-economy approaches can be applied to optimise the efficiency of hydrogen production and stimulate the development of a local oxygen market in Orkney.

The project includes 30 days of business support from Zero Waste Scotland as part of the circular-economy business support service. It aims to identify potential value-added applications for the commercial use of oxygen and develop a more circular business model for hydrogen.

EMEC has been producing ‘green’ hydrogen since 2017, using renewable energy from local wind and tidal resources to power an electrolyser that splits water into its chemical components: hydrogen and oxygen. However, the cost of producing hydrogen is high, with about one third of the input energy lost.

Local industries such as aquaculture, horticulture, diving, health and aviation all use oxygen as part of their daily business. Integrating locally produced oxygen into the supply chain would increase island resiliency.

Jon Clipsham, EMEC (www.marineenergywales.co.uk) hydrogen manager, said: “Building on the success of pilot ‘green’ hydrogen projects that have aided the development of a hydrogen economy in Orkney, EMEC aims to explore the potential of the local oxygen market and is keen to receive proposals from businesses and identify local uses for oxygen.”