Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray: final evaluation report

Appendix 1: Project List

Innovation

Digital Innovation Lab – Robert Gordon University

• A cross-sector immersive technologies Digital Innovation Lab for the North East and Moray with an initial focus on supporting the construction sector to decarbonise through retrofitting of existing buildings and intelligent design of new ones.
• Project has good potential for multi-sector benefit and aligns well with JT policy objectives.
• Completed 31/03/24

Hydroglen – The James Hutton Institute

• A green hydrogen powered farming community pilot project designed to help acquire knowledge needed to address fuel poverty and increase self-reliant, net zero carbon energy producers in rural communities.
• Potential to create and support existing green jobs across farming, green hydrogen technologies, renewables, transport, and design/construction.
• Completion due 31/03/26.

Just Transition Hub – The James Hutton Institute (JHI)

• Net Zero innovation hub and capacity building centre of excellence at JHI Aberdeen campus.
• Hub will bring together industry and stakeholder groups to co-design and collaborate on JT initiatives, supporting the transition of the land use and agriculture sectors.
• Potential to create new green jobs and support existing jobs at JHI, as well as at associated companies.
• Completion due 31/03/25.

Moray Council Just Transition Masterplan – Moray Council

• Five studies to support Moray’s net zero energy transition including a feasibility study to expand Buckie Harbour to meet the needs of Offshore Wind companies and existing harbour users.
• Potential to unlock capital investment in the region and complement existing regional strategies.
• Completed 31/03/2024

NESS Carbon Capture Feasibility Study – Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray Councils

• Feasibility study to determine if there is a viable project to retrofit carbon capture systems to the NESS energy from waste facility.
• Potential to support skilled green job creation as well as to produce carbon negative energy supplies for business and domestic use in the region.
• Completed 31/03/23.

Seedpod – The Food Hub

• Construction of a centre providing incubator and product development space to accelerate the growth and decarbonisation of food and drink sector businesses and start-ups.
• Sustainable, consumer focused and customer driven approach to build on the strengths of the food and drink manufacturing industry, with potential to generate between £69 - £109 million of net additional GVA over 30 years, and net additional employment of c.90 people FTE.
• Completed 31/03/24.

Social Enterprise Just Transition Fund – Social Investment Scotland

• Pilot challenge fund alongside programme of market building activity to support social enterprises.
• Potential to unlock capital investment by increasing capacity of social enterprises to take advantage of upcoming opportunities in the region’s net zero transition.
• Completed 31/3/24

Supply Chain Pathway and Energy Transition Challenge Fund – Energy Transition Zone Ltd

• Programme of capital grant awards to stimulate energy supply chain investment and programme to inform companies of pipeline of opportunities and support them in development of plans and strategy to optimise these available opportunities.
• Potential to facilitate creation of good quality, sustainable jobs, address skills gaps, secure pipeline for future workforce and increase stem engagement.
• Completion due 31/03/26.

Skills

Energy Transition Skills Hub (formally known as: Advanced Skills Manufacturing Hub)

• Skills hub with options for accommodating new teaching, demonstration, storage and workspaces and associated equipment.
• Provision of training facilities to upskill members of community, delivery of STEM engagement, potential long-term benefit for employment
• Completed 31/03/25.

Easter Anguston Farm – VSA

• Feasibility study evaluating vision for Centre of Excellence and providing a detailed and structured business plan with project timeline and budgets.
• Longer term potential to create sustainable jobs. Free to access resource and learning space for local community.
• Completed 31/03/23.

Energy Skills Passport – OPITO

• Development and deployment of a digital offshore energy skills passport to support the transition of skills and jobs.
• Potential to increase skills mobility in the region supporting the cross-sector transfer of offshore energy workers and the net zero energy transition.
• Completed 31/03/24

Pilot Energy Skills Project – National Energy Skills Accelerator (NESA)

• Two phase project to determine skills required to meet needs of a just energy transition, looking at gaps in green courses and jobs and offering free courses.
• Increase green course offering in the region and provides direct benefit to workers through support to re-skill and transition from the oil and gas sector.
• Completed 31/03/24.

Moray Net Zero Bottlenecks – University of the Highlands and Islands

• State Analysis and Feasibility study focused on current and future skills requirements and labour supply chain bottlenecks in Moray.
• Potential to join up private and public sector interests in the region to identify areas for supply chain and skills investment.
• Completed 31/03/24.

Emerging technologies

Hydrogen Offshore Production (HOP2) – Net Zero Technology Centre

• Demonstration of feasibility of offshore hydrogen production and storage by repurposing existing assets to produce green hydrogen.
• Potential for significant impact on just transition outcomes if successful in demonstrating scalable offshore green hydrogen production.
• Completed due 31/03/26.

Sustainable Solvent Recovery/EV Battery Recycling- Ripcell

• Pilot separating green solvents from distillery waste.
• Potential to unlock significant private investment and generate significant revenue streams for the region through:
  • Chemical sales to pharma, food and drink, plastic industry or through technology licences.
  • Using distillery co-products as a pipeline to service a battery recycling plant supporting the EV industry.
• Completed 31/03/24

Tidal Rotor Generator – Shine Engineering

• Feasibility to develop a modular tidal/river energy generator system.
• Potential for positive impact in terms of decarbonising local energy supplies, reducing energy costs and supporting transition of workers from oil and gas to renewables.
• Completed 31/03/24.

Wave Energy Converter – Seaweed Energy

• Development of device that generates electricity from the oscillation of waves.
• Potential to supply low cost, low carbon energy, and support transition of oil and gas workers into renewables.
• Completed 31/03/24.

Community Benefits

Just Transition Communities Project (formerly Climate Assembly Pilot - North East Scotland Climate Action Network (NESCAN Hub)

• Community led just transition assemblies to develop an innovative participatory and deliberative process to drive decision making.
• Supports young people and communities, including vulnerable communities across the region to engage and help shape the net zero transition.
• Completion due 31/05/26.

Buchan Sustainable Transport Study - Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce/Campaign for North East Rail (CNER)

• Feasibility relating to proposal for a new Buchan to Peterhead and Fraserburgh via Ellon railway.
• Potential to benefit local communities across the region.
• Completed 31/03/24.

Findhorn Ecovillage - Park Ecovillage Trust and Findhorn Innovation Research and Education

• Four feasibility studies including scaling organic food and ambient ground loop district heating.
• Potential for learning to support roll-out of just transition across Scotland including in affordable sustainable housing and transport.
• Completed 31/03/23.

Findhorn Watershed Riverwoods Pilot - Findhorn, Nairn, and Lossie Rivers Trust

• Creation of a thriving, regenerated River Findhorn watershed, with an unbroken network of riparian woodland along its riverbanks, supporting the restoration of wild salmon populations.
• Supports community and wider stakeholder engagement to help ensure preservation of key biodiversity and ecosystems.
• Completion due 31/03/25.

Just Transition Participatory Budgeting – tsimoray, Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations, Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action, NESCAN Hub and Money4Moray

• Coordination and delivery of PB approach ensuring local people have opportunity to directly influence how public money is spent to support a just transition.
• Empowers and directly benefits local communities across the region.
• Completion due 31/03/26.

North East Adventure Tourism - Opportunity North East

• Supports the transformation of the region into a world class destination for adventure tourism by facilitating the development of high-quality sustainable facilities and low carbon infrastructure.
• Potential to unlock large scale investment, supporting new job creation and developing the tourism sector helping diversification across the region.
• Completed 31/03/24.

The Cabrach Distillery – The Cabrach Trust

• Development of distillery to use revenues for rural regeneration and community led regeneration master plan.
• Potential for new job creation and supports a circular economy providing co-products to local green gas supplier positively impacting on green energy production in the region.
• Completed 31/03/23.