Hydrogen Fuel Cell Installation Provides Low-Carbon Energy for World Class Exhibition & Conference Centre

A hybrid, low-carbon Energy Centre powers P&J Live Aberdeen, a landmark conference centre for Europe featuring a 516,000-square-foot exhibition centre and two hotels. We developed the energy strategy for the entire site, and engineering design for the Energy Centre.

The sitewide energy strategy addresses key issues including significant fluctuations in energy demand and meeting required carbon emission reductions. It’s centred on the aspiration of Aberdeen City Council to develop one of the most sustainable venue of its type within the United Kingdom, and embodies the Scottish Government’s plan for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

Hydrogen, Hot and Cold Thermal Stores & Grid Export Generate Enable Low-Carbon Energy Production

The Energy Centre provides zero carbon heating, cooling and power via a sitewide network to the conference centre and hotels. Large peak demand and low baseload is managed with the use of energy storage in the form of hydrogen production, hot and cold thermal stores, and grid export for excess production.

The hydrogen fuel cell installation, the largest in the U.K. at the time, contributes to base heating and power loads. To meet the facility’s varying energy demand, the fuel cells operate in conjunction with other low-carbon plant-to-heating and -cooling energy storage. Hydrogen generated at the Energy Centre also supplies the Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus network.

Resilience and virtual storage is provided by using both electricity and gas-to-grid for export and supply. An onsite anaerobic digestion plant provides biogas to the Energy Centre and to the grid, maximising direct use of low-carbon gas and providing carbon offset.

Our modelling and design approach for the Energy Centre, developed in conjunction with the University of Strathclyde, used a range of software tools and modelling techniques. The techniques allowed us to test sequencing of plant elements to match energy demand and supply in an effort to optimise the plant’s size.

A control strategy aimed to maximise the use of the embedded energy systems and minimise grid dependency.

The holistic approach taken to develop P&J Live Aberdeen innovatively integrates energy technology, addresses waste management and provides a clean transport fuel. Each element is fundamental to the feasibility of the overall strategy which considers finance, energy, efficiency, carbon footprint, local employment, local environment and sustainability with the goal of establishing Aberdeen as Europe’s energy capital.