Gunther Newcombe is to leave his position as the lead for Shetland’s flagship decarbonisation project.
The oil industry veteran will stand-down as coordinator of the Orion scheme at the end of September it has been confirmed.
Over the last three years he has helped to initiate the project, which aims to harness the natural resources of Shetland – onshore and offshore wind, tidal and wave – to generate hydrogen, and enable the electrification of oil and gas installations.
A replacement for the former director of the Oil and Gas Authority, now the North Sea Transition Authority, is yet to be announced.
Mr Newcombe said: “The well-established ORION Project has fulfilled its main ambition to put Shetland on the map as a renewable energy hub. With investment in offshore wind, the planned development of Scatsta, and EnQuest’s ambition of transitioning Sullom Voe Terminal to renewables, including carbon capture and storage, Shetland’s potential as a green hydrogen hub is now widely recognised by government, industry and stakeholders. Given this progress, I believe now is a good time for me to step back and I have every confidence that an exciting future lies ahead for Shetland.”
The ORION Project is a strategic partnership between Shetland Islands Council, Net Zero Technology Centre, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Lerwick Port Authority, and the University of Strathclyde.
John Smith, director of infrastructure for Shetland Island Council, added: “Gunther has brought great drive and vision to our energy transition initiatives. The profile and impact of ORION has been important in securing industry acknowledgement that Shetland will continue to be a major energy hub. His experience and skills have contributed greatly to the development of our Future Energy team who will continue to take this exciting area forward. We want to thank Gunther for his valuable support and wish him well for the future.”
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