Clean hydrogen could power Hebridean ferries within five years
Mike Wade
The Point and Sandwick Trust will work with Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries to "green" the ferry fleet
The backers of an ambitious green energy scheme say that ferries powered by hydrogen could be serving the Outer Hebrides within five years.
Hydrogen technology, produced by a community wind farm on the Isle of Lewis, is seen as a necessary replacement for the oil-powered ferry fleet.
The Point and Sandwick Trust has secured Scottish government funding for a feasibility study and will work with industry partners, including Siemens Gamesa, Engie and ITM Power as well as with CMAL, the owners of Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries.
Calum MacDonald, the trust's development director, said its "simple but bold vision" was to harness the potential of the community-owned wind farm to "power the lifeline ferry services".
Clean hydrogen is produced when an electrolyser is used to split water