Businesses and communities across Shetland have been encouraged to join a clean energy initiative that aims to establish a hydrogen economy by 2035 on the islands.
The Orion project is seeking uptake from across the island cluster as part of a collaboration designed to boost sectors including ferries, ports, fishing, aquaculture, engineering, and marine contracting.
Partners Shetland Islands Council, Strathclyde University, Net Zero Technology Centre (formerly OGTC) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise met this month with more than 50 stakeholders representing a wide range of island marine interests.
The online event highlighted opportunities across Shetland’s vibrant marine economy, discussed challenges to be overcome and agreed to work together to action next steps.
A working group drawn from a range of marine sectors will facilitate progress.
Orion plans to tap into the renewable energy created by Scotland’s rapidly growing offshore wind sector to produce green hydrogen and other clean fuels.
These, in turn, will be developed for use in transport, for heating and power on the island, to decarbonise the marine industries and for export.
Lerwick Port Authority (LPA) chief executive Calum Grains said: “LPA has for a number of years been reducing its own carbon footprint and has invested in infrastructure which allows port users to reduce emissions from their operations, including the provision of high-capacity shore power connections for the fishing industry.
“The Orion workshop was an important step for the Shetland marine sector to work collectively to further reduce emissions.”
Councillor Alastair Cooper, chair of Shetland Island Council Development Committee, said: “We have a great track record for innovation here in Shetland and there are great opportunities for collaborative working between our well-established marine industries and the external organisations that are spearheading these cleaner fuel technologies.”