SGN has announced the successful completion of the first phase of an innovative project to convert a former gas holder structure in Inverness into a green hydrogen production, storage and distribution facility.

The deconstruction of the gas holder marks a major milestone in SGN Commercial Services and H2 Green's project ambition to supply hydrogen to large-volume anchor transport customers and create a world-class green hydrogen network across the Scottish Highlands.

The new facility is ideally positioned to service the incoming hydrogen trains, set to decarbonise lines serving Inverness. It will also be extended into a regional Highlands hydrogen network.

This is an example of tangible progress in the creation of homegrown, secure, green hydrogen to help power Scotland's push for decarbonisation and energy security. SGN Commercial Services and H2 Green will back the government to introduce the best regulatory and policy frameworks to support a swift rollout, to help Scotland achieve its target of 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production to be operational by 2030.

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SGN Commercial Services Director Marcus Hunt said: "This is a crucial milestone in our push for hydrogen to play a key role in decarbonising transport across the Highlands and wider Scottish economy.

"We've had the full backing of the Highlands Council throughout the process, and we believe our decarbonisation ambitions in the Highlands can happen across Scotland. We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to help build the regulatory and policy frameworks that will support the build out of the hydrogen economy at pace."

Luke Johnson, Managing Director of H2 Green, said: "Both companies have committed to the vision that green hydrogen can, and will, foster regional development in Inverness and across Scotland, while enabling national decarbonisation targets to 2040.

"The completion of this deconstruction at this flagship hub, which will scale over time to a capacity of 20MW, is just the start of what we believe can be achieved and we intend to continue working closely with the rest of the industry to support the delivery of more hydrogen hubs across the country."

Commenting on the project, Dr Nigel Holmes from the Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, said: "This project is a pioneering example of the hydrogen economy's potential to help decarbonise transport in Scotland. It builds on a number of Scotland's existing success stories, from the expanding hydrogen bus fleet in Aberdeen to the burgeoning H100 hydrogen network in Fife.

"The Scottish Government has a target for 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production to be operational by 2030, reinforcing Scotland as one of the leading locations in Europe for deployment of hydrogen and fuel cell solutions in energy systems."