As part of the research, the future of green and blue hydrogen production and carbon capture in Scotland will be assessed, as well as what further support might be necessary to integrate the gas into the UK energy mix.
The probe follows the UK government’s announcement that it will support hydrogen generation as part of its efforts to build a low-carbon economy and attain net-zero emissions by 2050.
One of the goals set forth in Scotland’s Net Zero Strategy and Hydrogen Strategy is to build five gigawatts of low-carbon hydrogen capacity by 2030, using the country’s renewable energy resources and carbon capture potential.
The North Sea Transition Deal also highlighted the significance of the gas, highlighting the potential for green hydrogen generation — that is, hydrogen produced without the use of fossil fuels.
It will also be discussed how to secure a ‘fair transition’ for the oil and gas industry, as well as ensuring that the skills necessary for a hydrogen-ready workforce are in place.
“The net zero aim and movements towards a low-carbon economy give possibilities for all areas of the UK, notably Scotland,” said Pete Wishart, head of the Scottish Affairs Committee.
“As we noted in our previous study on renewable energy in Scotland, wind and tidal energy offer limitless possibilities.”
“We’re going to look at low-carbon hydrogen generation, which means we’ll be looking at carbon capture as a method to lock in carbon emissions.”
“We will investigate the role of Scotland in a hydrogen economy, as well as how the UK government might facilitate a just transition for Scotland’s oil and gas sector, in this investigation.”
Scotland’s Acorn project, which is headquartered at the St Fergus gas station in Aberdeenshire, did not receive financing from the UK government’s first round of carbon capture funding, which went to projects in Humberside and Merseyside instead.
Andrew Brown, Storegga’s head of hydrogen and the project’s principal developer, has praised the investigation.
“The Scottish Cluster will provide profound decarbonisation across Scotland, with hydrogen generation playing a critical role in this transition,” he stated.
“Storegga is dedicated to the development of carbon-neutral hydrogen projects.”
Environmentalists, on the other hand, have urged politicians against banking their hopes on carbon capture technology to decrease emissions, stating that the technology will encourage oil and gas production to continue, thwarting climate change initiatives.
“This investigation is a chance for MPs to expose the falsehoods and wishful thinking around hydrogen and carbon capture technology,” said Dr Richard Dixon, head of Friends of the Earth Scotland.
“Oil and gas firms are using hydrogen and carbon capture as their newest greenwashing gimmick to keep digging and exploiting fossil fuels when we need to shift to renewable energy as soon as possible in a way that is fair to workers and communities.”
“On the controversial proposals to pour more public money into these technologies, the committee must hear from a wide spectrum of viewpoints, not just the cheerleaders connected with the oil and gas business.”
