Scottish Water is investigating a possible trial of cutting-edge energy recovery technology which has the potential to help the company achieve net zero targets by 2040.

The innovative technology would involve using an electrolyser on the company’s waste water treatment works to split water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.

The hydrogen produced by the process is cleaner and kinder to the environment than natural gas and could be used to power Scottish Water sites - tests are also ongoing to use it to fuel the utility’s hydrogen vehicles.

In addition, the oxygen produced could be used to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The water company also uses oxygen in some of its waste water treatment processes, which requires a lot of energy to create.

Scottish Water Horizons and the firm’s Research & Innovation teams have been working with a post-graduate researcher at Strathclyde University to identify whether the technology could be used with waste water. The results showed hydrogen production from waste water might now be possible and could help to reduce carbon emissions.

Zoe Frogbook, Strategic Programme Manager in Research & Innovation at Scottish Water, commented:

“The benefits of this technology are far-reaching. It could contribute to one of the many layers of innovative technology required to reach net zero target emissions by 2040.

“Along with Horizons, Research and Innovation is continuously look for new and emerging technology that we could use on our sites.”

John Sammon, Business Development Team Leader with Scottish Water Horizons, added:

“We are now commissioning a more detailed feasibility study which will allow us to establish the economics and carbon benefits of installing the equipment and to decide if it’s technically and commercially viable.”

“If the study proves viable, it could see a pilot project using the new technology at one of our sites in the near future.”