Scotland could play key role in UK hydrogen economy

The UK government’s ambitions to champion hydrogen production in its low-carbon economy were expressed in the Net Zero Strategy and Hydrogen Strategy, both of which were published in 2021.

The ambition was announced in these policy documents to build five gigawatts of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030, and that “Scotland has a key role to play in the development of a UK hydrogen economy,” leveraging its renewable energy strengths and carbon capture potential. The North Sea Transition Agreement also emphasized the importance of hydrogen, as well as the possibilities for green hydrogen production.

The Committee will look into both blue and green hydrogen during this investigation. This will include looking into carbon capture in Scotland and determining how much more support the hydrogen sector needs to integrate the gas into the UK’s energy mix. The ‘just transition’ for the oil and gas industry will be examined, as well as the availability of skills for a hydrogen-ready workforce.

“The Net Zero ambition and moves towards a low carbon economy present opportunities for all corners of the UK, particularly Scotland,” said Pete Wishart, chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee. There are endless opportunities with wind and tidal energy, as we identified in our recent report on Renewable Energy in Scotland. We’ll investigate low-carbon hydrogen production, which will entail considering carbon capture as a means of storing carbon emissions.

“We will consider the role of Scotland in a hydrogen economy, as well as how the UK Government can support a just transition for Scotland’s oil and gas sector, in this inquiry.”

The Committee is inviting written submissions by midday on Friday 1st March. These should focus on, but not be limited to:

• To what extent are the ambitions of the UK Hydrogen Strategy, published August 2021, adequate for Scotland?
• What should be the focus of UK Government investment to ensure that Scottish industry, supported by Scottish research, is able to become a world leader in green hydrogen for domestic use and export?
• Which market mechanism should be used to incentivise investment in producing low-cost green hydrogen?
• What infrastructure, and investment in infrastructure, is needed for green hydrogen to be easily available for heavy transport and buses across the whole of Scotland?
• What role should the oil and gas industry play in achieving a “just transition” to blue and green hydrogen in Scotland?
• What training is required to build a hydrogen-ready workforce in Scotland? What is the long-term sustainability of the Scottish workforce for hydrogen power?