A £4 million funding package could bring a warm glow to the future of Levenmouth.
The Scottish Government funding will go to a pioneering industry development aimed at shaping the future prosperity of communities through a number of green hydrogen projects.
It could even warm the bathers in the local swimming pool.
Based at the Hydrogen Office in Methil’s Fife Energy Park and run by Bright Green Hydrogen, the Levenmouth Community Energy Project includes Fife Council, Toshiba, Leven Valley Development Trust, Fife College, BOC, Green Business Fife, Community Energy Scotland and the Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.
The new scheme involves the facility being developed into the world’s leading demonstrator of innovative applications of hydrogen derived from renewable sources.
This includes Levenmouth becoming the home of Europe’s largest fleet of hydrogen dual-fuel vehicles, including 10 Ford Transits, 10 Renault Kangoo vans and two bin lorries.
Hydrogen refuelling is to be installed at both the Hydrogen Office and the Fife Council vehicle depot at Bankhead in Glenrothes.
The visionary project which would position Levenmouth at the heart of the next generation of clean energy evolution may also power part of the heating of Leven swimming pool by hydrogen produced at the Hydrogen Office.
This would not only bring economic benefits to the area but is widely considered a valuable demonstration of how hydrogen can decarbonise heating applications in Scotland and help secure future energy supplies for generations to come.
Hydrogen will be stored at the Methil site and reconverted to electricity at times when on-site wind and solar generation is low.
This will help offset the intermittency of renewable generation and, as a result, improve the business park’s ability to be energy self-sufficient.
The hydrogen energy management system at the site will be implemented by project partner, Toshiba, which will also play an active role in the development of project learning.
Fife Council’s depute leader, Lesley Laird, said: “For some time, Fife Council has strived to achieve a leading, innovative position in the energy sector in Scotland.
“This is very important for the local community and indeed the Fife region in terms of our becoming a leading sustainable energy force.”
Corporate senior vice-president at Toshiba, Osamu Maekawa, added: “Toshiba is convinced that hydrogen will play a key role in world energy markets in years to come.
“We have been searching the world for a site to engage our technology with innovative green hydrogen applications, and have selected the Levenmouth project as the perfect such location.”