Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 28
We conclude that both the UK and Scottish Governments’ hydrogen strategies require interim targets to...
Recommendation
We conclude that both the UK and Scottish Governments’ hydrogen strategies require interim targets to ensure that hydrogen production and net zero commitments are met. We recommend that both UK and Scottish Governments set such interim targets for hydrogen production, beyond 2030, to reach its net zero targets planned for 2050. In particular, we recommend the Scottish Government expedite their interim target setting due to the more pressing deadline they set of 2045. By the beginning of the next Parliamentary session, the UK and Scottish Governments should set deadlines for approving a series of steps around hydrogen production and actions to stimulate demand of low carbon hydrogen, as the decisions need to be made without delay to ensure that net zero targets are met, energy security is obtained, job security is provided for workers in Scotland, and cleaner energy production and international competitiveness are realised. By the beginning of the next Parliamentary session, the UK and Scottish Governments must publish a timeline of key decisions for projects, with justification of the dates set out in the timeline, as well as interim targets for production and demand of both blue and green hydrogen, and the phasing out of grey hydrogen.
Government Response Summary
The government states it is delivering policies to support deployment of new low carbon hydrogen production and will develop a hydrogen production delivery roadmap to show how hydrogen production can be scaled up, but does not specifically commit to setting interim targets or a timeline of key decisions for projects.
Paragraph Reference:
28
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
As set out in the Net Zero Growth Plan we are delivering policies to support deployment of new low carbon hydrogen production, reduce upfront infrastructure costs, and provide greater clarity and certainty around future demand and revenue streams, through our £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF) and our Hydrogen Production and Transport and Storage Business Models. Building on this progress, we will take forward the Independent Review of Net Zero recommendation to develop a hydrogen production delivery roadmap to show how hydrogen production can be scaled up over the coming decade, to be published by the end of the year.