Point and Sandwick Trust grant helps make Stornoway campus a leader in Scotland for hydrogen training and education

UHI North, West and Hebrides has opened a newly refurbished hydrogen lab, part of the Technology and Innovation Centre at the campus in Stornoway. The opening follows a major upgrade thanks to a generous £40,000 grant award from community wind farm, Point and Sandwick Trust (PST).

Using the profits from its 100% community owned wind farm, operating on the Isle of Lewis, PST has made a grant enabling the college to fully refurbish its existing hydrogen lab, bringing it up to current industrial standards and equipping it with advanced safety systems including a 3kW electrolyser, and a 3kW fuel cell.  These vital upgrades ensure the facility can now deliver cutting-edge training through the PDA Hydrogen: An Introduction for Technicians programme, using industry-relevant tools and technologies.

To mark the refurbished lab opening, representatives of PST were welcomed to the Stornoway campus on Tuesday 3 June. Hannah Ritchie-Muir, Vice-Principal Academic, alongside Roddy Ferguson, Curriculum Manager for Engineering and Built Environment, and Alastair MacLeod, Lecturer, hosted the visit and shared their appreciation for the Trust’s continued commitment to education and innovation in the region.

Speaking at the event, Roddy Ferguson, said: “This generous support from Point and Sandwick Trust has had an immediate and lasting impact on our ability to deliver high-quality hydrogen training. The newly refurbished lab is now among the best-resourced facilities of its kind in the country, and it plays a key role in preparing our learners for the future of clean energy.”

The lab is the first in Scotland to offer industrial-level professional development accreditation in hydrogen equipment in Scotland and is already attracting students from all over Scotland.

Calum MacDonald of PST commented, '“We are delighted to help fund this industrial grade, hydrogen training unit at the Stornoway campus of UHI North, West and Hebrides, making it the primary location for practical hands-on hydrogen training in Scotland.   We’re making this investment because we see that the hydrogen industry has huge potential for jobs and community enterprise in the Western isles, especially in the marine and ferry sectors. 

Using money earned from our community wind farm to support future hydrogen opportunities is all part of creating long term sustainable growth for our communities, with energy produced, owned and consumed locally, and offering a model for green energy development in Scotland. I would like to pay special tribute to Dr Alasdair MacLeod and Roddy Ferguson at UHI North, West and Hebrides for their initiative in developing a full hydrogen training lab to benefit the industry and youngsters in the islands and making it a national success”.

During the visit, PST board members toured the college’s modern engineering training facilities, which are delivering industry-leading training for both students and apprentices. They also visited the Future Energy Lab, which is driving innovation and skills development in renewable energy, and the Newton Room—featuring mobile STEM equipment designed to bring engaging science and technology experiences to primary and secondary pupils across the Outer Hebrides.

PST are also sponsoring six fully funded places on the PDA for local, suitably qualified applicants. This course is aimed at anyone already employed in, or looking to pursue a career in, the energy sector, who wishes to gain a nationally recognised award to upskill in Hydrogen.

The college extends its sincere thanks to the Point and Sandwick Trust for their vision and partnership in supporting the next generation of energy professionals in the Outer Hebrides. In recognition of this transformative grant award, the upgraded space has been officially named the Point and Sandwick Trust Hydrogen Lab.