The Scottish Government published its Hydrogen Policy Statement setting out how the country can become a major player in the global emerging market.
It includes an ambition to generate 5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable and low carbon hydrogen by 2030–enough to power the equivalent of 1.8 million homes–increasing to at least 25GW by 2045.
The use of hydrogen as a fuel source is still in its relative infancy, with experts highlighting it as an area in which the oil and gas industry can help to decarbonise the economy.
The Scottish Government expects both to play an“increasingly important role”in the energy transition.
According to economic impact research, the industry has the potential to be worth up to￡25 billion a year to the Scottish economy by 2045.
The publication of the statement means Scotland is the first country in the UK to set out its aims for the sector, with Westminster due to follow suit next year.
Scottish Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said Scotland had“all the raw ingredients necessary”to facilitate the production of low-cost hydrogen.
That includes“one of the largest concentrations of offshore engineering expertise in the world”that can harness renewable energy potential to produce the superfuel with no emissions.
Mr Wheelhouse added:“Hydrogen is rapidly emerging across the international community as a sustainable solution for the decarbonisation of the economy and a key element of the energy transition picture.
“Scotland is prepared to play its full part together with other European nations–that’s why we’re publishing this key policy statement today and investing￡100 million of Scottish Government resources to stimulate the sector and its supply chain.
“Indeed, Scotland is one of the best placed nations anywhere in the world to develop competitively priced hydrogen for our own economy’s needs and to generate a surplus in supply to export to other European nations with emerging demand, but insufficient supply to meet their own needs.”
Earlier this year, Aberdeen City Council gave then green light for a new Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub, a regional collaboration project involving the local authority, Scottish Enterprise and Opportunity North East.
The project will utilise nearby offshore wind resources to kick start the growth of the hydrogen industry in the region.
