University of the Highlands and Islands

University level education institute providing undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees as well as research (funded by HE Funding Council’s Research Assessment Exercise, Research Councils, EU and businesses) and consultancy.

UHI is a federation of research institutes and educational establishments across the highlands and islands. These academic partners have wide-ranging experience in the research, development and deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies particularly with respect to the requirements of small communities.

Three key facilities are the Hebridean Hydrogen Lab, the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) in Thurso and the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) in Dunstaffnage.

The Hydrogen Lab is a unique, purpose-built, teaching and research facility established at Lews Castle College in May 2006. The objectives of the lab are to develop the local practical skills base through training integrated into the existing engineering courses. The lab has demonstrated the ability to provide students with transferable skills that are increasingly in demand in the international market place and forged links with several other research groups across Scotland. Ongoing projects include integration with marine power systems, low carbon hydrogen production, and sustainably of community hydrogen projects.

ERI and SAMS both have substantial environmental analysis laboratories and ERI has recently acquired facilities to undertake tidal flow resource assessments which links with modelling work at both ERI and SAMS. At ERI work is also being undertaken on hydrogen can provide solutions for local energy storage to counter grid issues and renewable intermittency and the issues of the adoption of multiple solutions including hydrogen in rural communities.

ERI has had a considerable number of collaborations with commercial and governmental agencies such as chemical companies and HIE on a wide range of environmental issues. SAMS has also had considerable experience of working with companies in the marine and environmental sectors and the Hydrogen Lab (although in its early stages of development) has already gained some commercial contracts.

We would hope that involvement in SHFCA will help promote the capabilities of the UHI partners and the need for future solutions to incorporate the needs of rural communities who cannot effectively implement the multiple energy solutions proposed for urban environments e.g. hydrogen, LNG, electric.