Publication date: 01-Feb-2004
Source:siGEN Ltd

The PURE project, recent winner of the best innovative Community project a the Green Energy awards, is a test and demonstration project on how renewable energy can be used to produce hydrogen as a means to displace local hydrocarbon use.  The concept H2ICETM Hydrocarbon to Hydrogen for Isolated Community Energy developed jointly by Unst Partnership and siGEN will demonstrate how imported hydrocarbons could be progressively displaced by locally produced hydrogen from local renewable energy sources.  This model can be applied to any remote or island community across Scotland. Sandy Macaulay, project manager of the Unst Partnership says "to be able to achieve this goal is tremendously liberating for local communities. It offers real prospects of breaking energy dependence on international oil markets. Of equal importance, is that it offers communities business and employment opportunities that may help stem the loss of young people from remote communities. We are referring to this process as the Hydrogen Liberation Movement."

Dr Daniel Aklil, Engineering Director of siGEN Ltd says, "We look forward to the technical implementation after all the talking.  It is extremely important to cut our teeth on real demonstration projects with these ground-breaking opportunities.  We will create a new full time engineering position within the company for this project.  We are very pleased with our collaboration with UNST Partnership and proud to have participated into the building of this project right from the beginning."

"This is a very significant step forward for siGEN," says Dave McGrath MD, "and a vindication of our vision and commitment to the development of a hydrogen economy in the North of Scotland.  The project has been in the planning for nearly 2 years and is being viewed with interest across the entire country and beyond.

About siGEN
SiGEN is currently Scotland's only commercial fuel cell systems integrator. SiGEN, based in Aberdeen, offers complete fuel cell system integration services for fuel cell products. Service includes design, build and installation and commissioning.   System products encompass hydrogen storage solution through to the power electronics to suit the load.  SiGEN acts as an expert distributor and authorised service agents for selected fuel cell systems manufacturers including, Avista Labs, Voller and Heliocentris. SiGen also acts as a system integrator for the Ballard fuel cell product
NEXA into several prototype applications and is a UK agent form Neodym Hydrogen sensors. siGEN's strategy is to develop key relationships with fuel cell systems manufacturers, who have proven commercially available products, and are focused and responsive to customer needs. By having access to a range of non-competing products, siGEN is able to offer advice and system solutions best suited to customer needs.

About Unst Partnership
The Unst Community Council, Shetland Islands Council and Shetland Enterprise Company established the Unst Partnership in November 1999, in response to two major blows to the local Unst economy - the loss of 150 jobs at RAF Saxa Vord and 50 jobs when Unst Airport closed in 1996. The impact of these job losses on a remote island community was a population decline of 33% between the 1991 census and the 2001 census. The main aim of the Unst Partnership is to help reverse the recent decline in the Unst economy and population by encouraging, supporting and facilitating new opportunities for social and economic regeneration on the island. Renewable energy is regarded as offering the community precisely such an opportunity to make a major contribution to regeneration.

The Unst Partnership is constituted as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status, and has 8 Directors representing its main partners. It's

Memorandum and Articles of Association state three key objectives:
1. To relieve poverty and unemployment amongst the residents of Unst.
2. To promote and/or provide skills training of all kinds, particularly such
skills as will assist residents of Unst in obtaining paid employment.
3. To promote trade and industry for the benefit of the general public.