Select Committee · Scottish Affairs Committee

Hydrogen and carbon capture in Scotland

Status: Closed Opened: 6 Jan 2022 Closed: 23 Nov 2023 18 recommendations 6 conclusions 1 report

The Committee will be inquiring into hydrogen and carbon capture in Scotland as a follow up to our renewable energy in Scotland inquiry. We want to hear about Scotland's role in hydrogen production and including opportunities for carbon capture utilisation and storage. The focus will be: The UK Government's Hydrogen strategy; Investment in hydrogen in … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capture in Scotland HC 83 10 Mar 2023 24 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

8 items
1 Conclusion Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capt… Acknowledged

The UK and Scottish Governments have clear strategies and appropriate aspirations for hydrogen, with significant...

The UK and Scottish Governments have clear strategies and appropriate aspirations for hydrogen, with significant commonality in their ambitions. Overall relations between the UK and Scottish Governments in this area appear to be good with effective official-level and ministerial cooperation. Read more

Government response AI summary
The UK Government agrees that both UK and Scottish Government have clear strategies and ambitions for hydrogen and engage regularly on policy developments.
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Scotland Office
2 Recommendation Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capt… Acknowledged

The UK and Scottish Governments have different net zero target dates of 2050 and 2045...

The UK and Scottish Governments have different net zero target dates of 2050 and 2045 respectively. We recommend the UK and Scottish Governments respond to this report explaining how they will work together to ensure respective targets will be met. The Scottish Government should demonstrate how it is engaging with … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that it is working with the Devolved Administrations on tackling climate change and delivering net zero, collaborating at all levels, including through the Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change Inter-ministerial Group and the official-level Net Zero Nations Board.
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Scotland Office
5 Recommendation Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capt… Acknowledged

We are concerned that the Scottish Government does not see more potential in Green Freeports...

We are concerned that the Scottish Government does not see more potential in Green Freeports to complement Scottish and UK hydrogen policies, despite them being a joint UK and Scottish Government initiative and the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport having a hydrogen focus. We recommend that the Scottish 46 … Read more

Government response AI summary
The UK and Scottish governments will use the business case development of the Green Freeports as a mechanism to explore how they can support Scottish and UK hydrogen ambitions.
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Scotland Office
12 Conclusion Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capt… Acknowledged

The evidence we have received demonstrates that there is vast potential for the export of...

The evidence we have received demonstrates that there is vast potential for the export of low carbon hydrogen and expertise from Scotland, which could generate significant economic benefits to the economy. We welcome some recent policy updates and note the UK Government’s focus on domestic decarbonisation as it strives towards … Read more

Government response AI summary
The UK government agrees that close working between the two governments will be key to realizing benefits from exports, and states they are actively engaging Scottish Government officials on the export of UK hydrogen and related goods, services and expertise.
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Scotland Office
13 Recommendation Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capt… Acknowledged

We recommend that the UK and Scottish Governments work more closely to ensure the achievability...

We recommend that the UK and Scottish Governments work more closely to ensure the achievability of their respective ambitions for hydrogen exports, and that the economic benefits are realised. In its response to this report, the UK Government should continue to update this committee on progress over its timeframe for … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government recognizes the opportunities for UK businesses and is engaging with trade associations and potential exporters to understand opportunities and barriers, and will update its position in line with wider global developments. They also mentioned engaging with investors, the wider hydrogen industry, and the …
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Scotland Office
15 Recommendation Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capt… Acknowledged

We recommend that the UK Government highlight its potential for export to overseas markets immediately.

We recommend that the UK Government highlight its potential for export to overseas markets immediately. This is to ensure that companies in Scotland can benefit from global hydrogen export markets and opportunities and not be left behind. (Paragraph 71) Storage of hydrogen Read more

Government response AI summary
The UK Government is actively engaging overseas markets and potential offtakers to scope demand and opportunities for the export of UK hydrogen and will continue to engage colleagues in the Scottish Government to ensure that companies in Scotland can take advantage of these opportunities as …
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Scotland Office
19 Recommendation Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capt… Acknowledged

We recommend that the UK Government should examine how storage of low carbon hydrogen could...

We recommend that the UK Government should examine how storage of low carbon hydrogen could be made a national infrastructure asset as this could help guarantee energy security for the UK. (Paragraph 92) Jobs and skills training

Government response AI summary
The UK Government recognises the potential role for hydrogen storage in providing broader energy security and states that its commitment to designing a hydrogen storage business model will support the development of hydrogen storage infrastructure, and will continue to consider whether further regulatory or other …
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Scotland Office
24 Recommendation Sixth Report - Hydrogen and carbon capt… Acknowledged

We recommend that, in anticipation of a decision around the use of hydrogen in heating...

We recommend that, in anticipation of a decision around the use of hydrogen in heating by 2026, the UK Government should mandate hydrogen-ready boilers for all suitable new or replacement installations as soon as practicable and at least introduce that decision, with clear timescales, into the statute book by the … Read more

Government response AI summary
The Government has consulted on proposals to require that from 2026 all newly installed domestic-scale natural gas boilers be hydrogen-ready, subject to conditions, and is currently analysing responses.
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Scotland Office

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
16 Jan 2023 Alison Conboy · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Michael Matheson MSP · Scottish Government, Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Stefanie Murphy · Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Stuart McKay · Scottish Government, Susan Stirling · Scottish Government View ↗
12 Sep 2022 Session View ↗
18 Jul 2022 Barry Carruthers · ScottishPower, Oonagh O’Grady · SSE, Professor Andy Sloan FRSE · Royal Society of Edinburgh, Sarah Potts · Storegga View ↗
4 Jul 2022 Bethan Vasey · Shell UK Upstream, Clare Jackson · Hydrogen UK, Louise Kingham CBE · BP plc, Will Webster · Offshore Energies UK View ↗
16 May 2022 Angus McIntosh · SGN, David Wallace · Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Dr Jillian Couto-Phoenix · National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, Dr Nigel Holmes · Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association View ↗

Who gave evidence

18 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Alison Conboy · Deputy Director, Hydrogen Production Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Angus McIntosh · Director of Energy Futures SGN 1
Barry Carruthers · Hydrogen Director ScottishPower 1
Bethan Vasey · Energy Transition Manager Shell UK Upstream 1
Clare Jackson · CEO Hydrogen UK 1
David Wallace · Senior Strategy Manager Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult 1
Dr Jillian Couto-Phoenix · Programme Manager National Manufacturing Institute Scotland 1
Dr Nigel Holmes · Chief Executive Officer Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association 1
Louise Kingham CBE · Head of Country, UK BP plc 1
Michael Matheson MSP · Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transp… Scottish Government 1
Oonagh O’Grady · Head of Hydrogen Development SSE 1
Professor Andy Sloan FRSE · Managing Director of COWI Royal Society of Edinburgh 1
Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP · Minister of State (Minister for Climate) Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Sarah Potts · Hydrogen Commercial Specialist Storegga 1
Stefanie Murphy · Director of Hydrogen and Industrial Carbon Captur… Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 1
Stuart McKay · Head of Hydrogen Policy Scottish Government 1
Susan Stirling · Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage Team Lead… Scottish Government 1
Will Webster · Energy Policy Manager Offshore Energies UK 1

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
21 Nov 2023 To cttee Letter from Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work …
8 Jun 2023 To cttee Letter from the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, Secretary of State for Energy Security…
25 Apr 2023 To cttee Letter from Rt Hon Graham Stuart MP, Minister of State for Energy Security & N…
7 Mar 2023 Correspondence with Michael Matheson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energ…

Meetings & visits

2 items
DateTypeDetail
21 Jun 2022 Informal meeting · Virtual meeting
28 Mar 2022 Informal meeting · Virtual meeting