Realising Hydrogen’s potential

A pathway to help make Scotland a world leader in hydrogen production has been published.

The Hydrogen Action Plan sets out steps to help the emerging hydrogen sector in Scotland achieve an ambition of 5 Gigawatts (GW) of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen - equivalent to a sixth of Scotland’s energy needs - by 2030.

It also reaffirms an ambition to produce 25 GW by 2045, with a hydrogen economy potentially supporting more than 300,000 jobs.

Capitalising on the potential for Scotland to become a leading exporter of hydrogen is estimated to contribute between £5 billion and £25 billion a year by 2045 depending on the scale of production and the extent of exports.

The Scottish Government is making available £100 million to support the Action Plan, including a £90 million Green Hydrogen Fund, which will open early next year.

Net Zero & Energy Secretary Michael Matheson said:

“Hydrogen could present Scotland’s greatest industrial opportunity since oil and gas was discovered in the North Sea.

“The technology has tremendous potential to help deliver a just transition for our energy sector, realising huge economic benefits while supporting our net zero transformation.

“Scotland has vast natural resources with which we can become world leaders in renewable hydrogen production and export, while others are looking beyond their borders to nations that can produce and provide that hydrogen at scale.

“Our Hydrogen Action Plan reaffirms the Scottish Government’s clear commitment to helping our hydrogen sector grow and prosper. We are open to the world and actively collaborating with international partners in order to realise the benefits of hydrogen.”

The Hydrogen Action Plan is available on the Scottish Government website.