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Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (the Western Isles Council) has a vision, the Hebridean Hydrogen Park, to establish a hydrogen economy within the Outer Hebrides. Over the past four years the Comhairle has committed funds amounting to £702,000 to developing Phase 1 and 2 of this vision.
The Comhairle’s commitment to developing a local hydrogen economy has been further underlined in its Capital Programme for the period 2008-2012. This includes an allocation of a further £525,000 to develop the Hebridean Hydrogen Park into a third phase.
Preparation for Phase 3, to be known as H2growth, is now underway. H2growth will extend the demonstration of hydrogen applications into a wider range of domestic, commercial and industrial contexts. The purpose of the demonstration projects will be to promote the use of renewable hydrogen and encourage the early adoption of the emerging technologies within the Outer Hebrides. The hydrogen applications under consideration include the diversification of transport applications to include fuel cell vehicles for the domestic, tourism and industrial market as well as further internal combustion vehicles. Combined heat and power generation applications are also envisaged at both small and large scale, and in domestic and commercial contexts.
As well as creating a showcase for emerging hydrogen technologies, a key aim for H2growth is to demonstrate commercially viable hydrogen activities within the Outer Hebrides. Establishing local and export hydrogen markets will provide a valuable niche economic activity for the region and thus ensure the long-term development of the local hydrogen economy.
The Comhairle is keen to hear from hydrogen technology developers who would like to be a in H2growth and contribute to the delivery of the vision for a hydrogen economy in the Outer Hebrides.
Background
Phase 1 of Hebridean Hydrogen Park established a research and teaching facility, the Hydrogen Lab, at Lews Castle College in May 2006. This is providing practical experience of hydrogen technologies on a variety of training programmes.
Phase 2, the Hebridean Hydrogen Seed (H2seed) Project, is creating a renewable hydrogen production, storage and distribution facility at the Creed Enterprise Park, just outside Stornoway, and will roll out the first hydrogen demonstration project in the autumn of 2008. This will involve a small number of hydrogen fuelled internal combustion engine vehicles.
The first phases of the Hebridean Hydrogen Park form the basis of the Outer Hebrides hydrogen economy.
H2seed is co-funded by the Scottish Government’s Renewable Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Support Scheme. |
