The SNP Government has published a plan to invest £100 million in building Scotland’s hydrogen economy to provide nearly a sixth of Scotland’s energy needs by 2030.
The five-year Hydrogen Action Plan will focus on supporting regional renewable hydrogen production hubs and renewable hydrogen projects.
The first tranche of investment will be a £10 million Hydrogen Innovation Fund to drive technological progress and advance innovation and cost reduction within the emerging sector.
Hydrogen provides a sustainable alternative to burning fossil fuels. When it produces electricity for an engine it only produces water vapour and no carbon dioxide It can therefore be used to decarbonise many parts of our economy, including: industry, transport, power and heat.
Kenneth Gibson MSP said:
“Both renewable and low-carbon hydrogen will play an increasingly important role in Scotland’s energy transition and our aim is to maximise renewable energy while supporting the establishment of low-carbon hydrogen production at scale in the 2020s, linked to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).
“The SNP Government is fully committed to helping Scotland’s hydrogen sector flourish over the next few years and will work collaboratively with the energy sector to make that happen.
“Scotland has the resources to become a world leader in hydrogen production and our £100 million investment will nurture this.”
The consultation on the draft Hydrogen Action Plan will run until 19 January 2022.
The SNP Government’s Hydrogen Policy Statement sets out an ambition for 5 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable (green) and low-carbon (blue) hydrogen power within the next ten years – and 25 GW by 2045.
ENDS
