Evaluation of the Scottish Fuel Cell Consortium

The Scottish Fuel Cell Consortium (SFCC) project was set up in 2000 to aid the successful introduction of fuel cell technology into Scotland. The major theme of the SFCC project was the application and integration of fuel cell technologies into transportation applications. The evaluation aimed to establish the extent to which support by Scottish Enterprise for the SFCC had achieved its objectives and provided value for money on its investment in economic development terms.

The methodology consisted of: discussions with SEET staff; meetings with Blair Armstrong, retired SEET Executive responsible for the SFCC project, and with Dr Andy Cruden and Professor Sinclair Gair of the University of Strathclyde, the senior academics on the programme; assessment of the national and international situation on fuel cell development and opportunities, at the time of the initial support for the programme; and assessment of any national benefits which could be linked to the work of SFCC.

The project was an ambitious attempt to establish Scotland as a centre for fuel cell systems technology and integration in the transportation market. Direct success was extremely difficult because of the lack of key Scottish players and an extremely small budget for such an ambitious and time sensitive project. However, the indirect economic benefits although difficult to quantify, link back to the focus created by the project. The Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (SHFCA) has attracted some 50 members (not all in Scotland), developed collaboration and provided an international awareness of Scottish capabilities. Much of the impetus for the formation and development of SHFCA came as a result of the SFCC network and activities.

Recommends that more rigorous planning of the projects could have increased the economic outputs from the project.