The Scottish Government has awarded a development team funding to carry out a feasibility study into developing a hydrogen-powered ferry service to some of Scotland’s remote island communities.
Point and Sandwick Trust – the company behind the award-winning Beinn Ghrideag community wind farm – is leading the project with partners including CMAL, Ferguson Marine shipyard in Glasgow, Siemens-Gamesa, ITM Power and Engie.
The hydrogen would be manufactured using local community-owned wind power and, if successful, would be the world’s first sea-going hydrogen ferry.
The funding for the study was awarded through Scotland’s Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme and supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
The project is expected to be completed by June this year.
Point and Sandwick Trust development director Calum MacDonald said: “We have a simple yet bold vision which is to harness the huge potential of community-owned wind power on the Scottish islands to power the lifeline ferry services by utilising the very latest in hydrogen energy technology.
“Turning that vision into reality will be a world-first and requires the very best expertise in both energy and shipping technology.”
Image: Pixabay
Scots onboard hydrogen ferry
By EBS