The cleantech company H2GO Power has teamed up with the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) and Imperial College London, to trial the use of artificial intelligence (AI) software in hydrogen storage plants.

The technology, which aims to support grid decarbonisation, is designed to allow the move the electricity production from one period in time to another and generate power when it makes the most economic sense.

The AI platform acts as an energy management system, integrating data about weather, electricity prices and grid management.

It then translates this information using algorithms to optimise the operation of the storage systems by predicting future power cost and user demands.

The so-called HyAI project will be trialled at EMEC’s hydrogen plant in Orkney, Scotland, and aims to show how software can make intelligent decisions and optimise renewable energy integration into the grid.

Initial results of the research suggest the technology can produce hydrogen in a more cost-effective way, while also helping to reduce stresses on the national grid.

Dr Enass Abo-Hamed, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of H2GO Power, said: “This trial demonstrates an innovative solution for the future of green hydrogen and its multiple commercial applications with intelligence.”

Rob Flynn, Commercial Manager at EMEC, said: “Renewable electricity generation far exceeds electricity demand in Orkney every year, creating a real opportunity to make use of low marginal cost excess power.

“This makes Orkney a snapshot of the energy system of the future, and therefore an ideal place to plug and play the technologies of the future.”