The Just Transition Hub (JTH) will be a world-class, state-of-the-art, net zero innovation hub and capacity building centre of excellence, located within the grounds of the James Hutton Institute (Hutton) campus in Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen. With funding from Scottish Government’s Just Transition Fund [1], the Hub will place the North East and Moray at the heart of emerging net zero socio-technological innovations, nature-based solutions and green recovery by:
New facilities will include state-of-the-art data visualisation equipment, interactive visual and experiential environments, bespoke meeting spaces for facilitating hybrid in situ and on-line engagement, participatory methods with an Open Science café, located within attractive, established grounds in Aberdeen’s expanding west end designed to bring people together to co-construct novel solutions.
Consultation processes are ongoing. The feasibility study was completed in spring 2023, and we are currently undertaking detailed design and community consultation ahead of pursuing planning permission in autumn 2023. Extensive remodelling of the existing building a small extension towards the arboretum are expected to begin in 2024.
The Scottish Government’s Just Transition Fund was established to assist the North East of Scotland (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray) transition towards net zero. The emphasis of the fund is on supporting the creation of ‘good, green jobs’. Hutton are a major provider of these jobs in the North East – much of our research addresses the environmental transitions that Scottish Government is promoting through the fund. Scottish Government has initially pledged £500 million over the next 10 years to the Just Transition Fund.
Hutton was also successful with a bid to support HydroGlen, a renewable (green) hydrogen powered farming community demonstrator project located at Glensaugh. HydroGlen demonstrates the feasibility of enabling farming and other rural communities to become self-reliant, low-carbon energy producers and exporters, generating 100%+ of their energy requirements (electricity, heating and transport) utilising a combination of renewable electricity, on-site hydrogen production, compression, and storage.
Current design of extension
Links:
[1] https://www.gov.scot/publications/just-transition-fund/pages/year-one-projects/#:~:text=The%20Just%20Transition%20Fund%20(JTF,region's%20transition%20to%20net%20zero.
[2] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/lee-ann-sutherland
[3] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/about/facilities/international-land-use-study-centre