It has a growing portfolio of 900MW of flexible generation across more than 65 sites, powering the equivalent of over a million homes, alongside a significant development pipeline of battery storage, solar and hydrogen.
Dedicated to supporting critical national infrastructure and the UKʼs energy transition to net zero by 2050, the company – based in Abingdon, Oxford – can supply power from the grid to its commercial customers and optimise generation assets through its trading desk, helping the UK meet the challenge of navigating the energy trilemma.
As part of its support for the energy transition, it is developing a number of hydrogen production sites, including developing flexible use of grid-connected electrolysers, with hydrogen storage, as well as piloting the use of hydrogen as fuel for flexible power generation.
Conrad Energy, through its’ other business sectors, offer Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and are therefore able to procure renewable energy and sleeve it through the grid. This is further enhanced with specialist software to demonstrate conformance with production of green hydrogen.
One of Conrad Energy’s most recent projects is in Lowestoft, Suffolk. It follows a study initiated by Hydrogen East and financially supported by Conrad Energy with Cadent, Scottish Power, East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council, which established an overview of how a smart local energy system can be established on land between the Port of Lowestoft and Ness Point.
The report investigates how existing, refurbished and potential energy assets in the area can be integrated into one ‘energy hub’. Part of the study explores how a hydrogen electrolyser could be deployed in conjunction with local renewable electricity generation. This could provide decarbonised fuel for local transport fleets.
Planning consent was received from East Suffolk Council in February 2022 for the 3MW project comprised of up to three hydrogen electrolysers and associated storage, located within the Lowestoft PowerPark.
Powered by clean electricity, the project has the potential to produce up to 470 tonnes of hydrogen per year – enough clean gas to heat the equivalent of 1500 average homes or fuel the equivalent of 60 hydrogen fuelled HGVs travelling 50,000 miles per year.
The only emissions from the process will be oxygen, and its potential for use in commercial applications is being explored.
Work is coming to the end of constructing a 7MW flexible generation site which forms part of the proposals and will bring grid stability to the wider Lowestoft area at times of high demand and grid system stress. The next phase on the same site, is to deliver the hydrogen electrolysers and commence production.
Conrad Energy is continually looking at new opportunities, working with offtakers, and has a pipeline of hydrogen projects which will support the transition to a low carbon economy.
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