Unst, the most northerly part of the UK, is to be the base for an ambitious new project to establish and test locally produced renewable energy.  The project, Promoting Unst Renewable Energy (PURE), will be one of the first hydrogen research and development facilities of its kind in the UK, storing renewable energy as hydrogen.  The project will evaluate the many possible applications of hydrogen as a fuel source.  

The community group, Unst Partnership is behind the venture, which is being backed by the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) network.  The intention of the PURE project is to give the community of Unst, population 750, the opportunity to become a centre of excellence and provide a stepping stone for further developments of hydrogen technology throughout the UK.

Hydrogen is a very clean fuel produced from the electrolysis of water and can easily be stored. It is used either through combustion or through powering fuel cells to produce electricity.  Hydrogen is regarded by many as the fuel of the future, offering a clean, renewable alternative to fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.

Hydrogen technology could be particularly valuable for remote communities.  Due to Unst's location it has among the highest energy costs in the country so is the ideal place to base this project.

The £298,805 PURE project will be funded by Shetland Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the European Union funded Highlands and Islands Special Transitional Programme, Shetland Islands Council and the Unst Partnership.

This project will establish and test a secure renewable supply of electricity to be delivered to Baltasound Industrial Estate by balancing the peaks and troughs of electricity produced by wind generation with the electricity produced by a hydrogen-powered fuel cell.  The hydrogen is stored in a pressure vessel and is used on demand for boilers, vehicles and fuel cells to balance the intermittent and unpredictable nature of renewable energy.

Sandy Macaulay, manager of the Unst Partnership said: "We are excited to be bringing such an innovative project to Unst.  Fuel costs are high here because we are at the end of the supply chain, so it will be great to be able to use locally produced hydrogen to supply our fuel needs." 

Talking about PURE, Colin Risbridger, advisor for the community energy unit, said: "It will provide a much cleaner source of energy for Unst and benefit the environment by cutting harmful emissions.  The Unst Partnership are a community development organisation who will link the delivery of hydrogen with the support of their wider efforts in community regeneration, which is a key objective for the HIE network.  This project is a real tribute to the get up and go nature of the Shetland people."