A Scottish Enterprise report has underlined Scotland’s potential as a major producer of clean hydrogen within the next ten years for export as well as use such as hydrogen trains (prototype pictured).

Scottish Enterprise has launched an in-depth report that sets out Scotland’s strengths as a world-leading producer and exporter of clean hydrogen. Undertaken by the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult and the Net Zero Technology Centre, the report assesses the global market, competition, technology, locations, infrastructure and export opportunities.

The initial Development and Integration of Early, Clean Hydrogen Production Plants in Scotland report will be followed up with a site prospectus that will assess key locations in Scotland suitable for clean hydrogen production and will be launched ahead of COP26 in November.

Head of low carbon transition at Scottish Enterprise, Andy McDonald, described the report as the first of its kind to lay out in detail the opportunities for Scotland to produce and export clean hydrogen: “The demand for clean hydrogen is increasing in many countries and opens up huge international export opportunities which is really exciting as we can capitalise on the expertise from the oil and gas industry as well as develop new strengths and assets, both in Scotland and globally.”

Global hydrogen demand in 2020 was 70 million tonnes, and The Hydrogen Council estimates demand could be as high as 558 million tonnes by 2050 due to increased usage in clean energy applications. The Scottish Hydrogen Assessment estimates that 126 TWh of clean hydrogen could be produced in Scotland and 94 TWh exported to the European market annually by 2045.

The report follows the publication of Scottish Enterprise’s Business Plan and Net Zero Framework with a focus on growth of the hydrogen economy as well as net-zero, and that includes a measure to save up to 240k tonnes estimated CO2 savings by businesses and projects in 2021/22. 

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