Highland Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with net zero technology provider Getech to let its subsidiary H2 Green develop and operate several green hydrogen hubs across the Scottish Highlands.
The infrastructure is aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of the Highlands Council area.
The company and council will now develop a plan for hydrogen production, storage and delivery infrastructure at optimal locations, establishing commercial agreements for green hydrogen offtake as well as commercial agreements for consumption of by-products of hydrogen generation.
The Highland Council will contribute £100,000 to the cost of this initial work.
The parties have already commenced negotiations on the terms of a Joint Venture Agreement under which the proposed Highlands decarbonisation plan will be delivered. To facilitate this negotiation, the Highland Council has granted H2 Green six months of exclusivity.
Getech's chief executive Dr Jonathan Copus commented: “At the core of this network is our first planned hydrogen hub with SGN Commercial Services located in Inverness, which will service large-volume customers.
“In line with these goals, we have already announced agreements with Eversholt Rail to accelerate the wide-scale deployment of their hydrogen-powered trains on the far north and West Highland Lines of Scotland."
Leader of the Highland Council, councillor Margaret Davidson, said: “The planned work has the potential to establish the Highlands as a leading innovation centre for the decarbonisation of commercial transport.
“We see this as an important opportunity to attract external investment into the region, providing additional jobs and supply chain developments that will accelerate the net zero transition.”
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