Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament (Virtual) 11 February 2021
11 Feb 2021 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Scotland’s Hydrogen Economy
I agree with Claudia Beamish. It is hugely exciting to see the potential for hydrogen to play a role, either directly as an energy source or through conversion to ammonia, which has a potential role as a drop-in fuel for marine use and other heavy vehicles. It is enormously interesting.
Claudia Beamish also rightly raises the prospect of decarbonising aviation fuel, which would make an enormous difference not only to our ability to meet the challenge of the climate emergency, but to our ability to sustain international tourism and business travel in an otherwise challenging period, given the climate emergency.
I assure Claudia Beamish that the Scottish Government has partnerships with the likes of the University of St Andrews, which is proactively taking forward research into propulsion systems and alternative fuels. As she may know, we are also working to trial a converted hydrogen-powered train unit in Scotland in order to demonstrate the potential value of hydrogen for our rural rail routes, where it may not be economic to electrify lines. That may help us to ensure that we can decarbonise our railway journeys.
I am happy to engage with Claudia Beamish on the subject. I know that she is a passionate and long-standing campaigner for tackling climate change and I am sure that we can work together on the matter.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
The next item of business is a statement by the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, Paul Wheelhouse, on developing Scotland’s hydrogen economy...
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands (Paul Wheelhouse)
SNP
Hydrogen is rapidly emerging as a sustainable solution for the decarbonisation of the economy and a key piece of the energy transition picture. That view is ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Thank you, Mr Wheelhouse. There will be around 20 minutes of questions for the minister.
Alexander Burnett (Aberdeenshire West) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for early sight of the statement. The Scottish Conservatives have long been supporters of looking at the use of new technologies such as...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I thank Alexander Burnett for his interest in the subject. It is important to stress, as I did in my statement, that Scotland is the first part of the UK to ...
Lewis Macdonald (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Perhaps unlike Mr Burnett, I welcome the work that is being done to look at conversion of the gas grid and the potential for hydrogen heating systems, as in ...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I thank Lewis Macdonald for his constructive approach. I recognise his long-standing interest in hydrogen, particularly in Aberdeen, and I welcome his intere...
Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
SNP
My question is in a similar vein to Lewis Macdonald’s, and is on opportunities for our workers. The minister alluded to the fact that hydrogen has a role glo...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
Gillian Martin raises a really good point. The hydrogen assessment by Arup that I referred to in my statement looked across three main scenarios and conclude...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I highlight the fact that we have nine more questions to get through and we are almost halfway through the allocated time.
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
What is the minister doing to help motorists to transition to hydrogen? Specifically, how is he getting behind the proposal to establish a network of 12 hydr...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I recognise that interesting proposals have been put forward for a hydrogen coast, so to speak, from the north-east of Scotland all the way up to Shetland. T...
Shona Robison (Dundee City East) (SNP)
SNP
Will the minister say more about the work that he has been doing with local partners Arcola Energy and Dundee City Council to ensure that the hydrogen projec...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
Absolutely. Shona Robison makes a very good point. We see Dundee as being the next city in line to develop hydrogen after Aberdeen. The Government is committ...
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the Scottish Government commit to considering monitoring the advanced technology whereby green hydrogen is used to contribute to the production of liqui...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I agree with Claudia Beamish. It is hugely exciting to see the potential for hydrogen to play a role, either directly as an energy source or through conversi...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
Does the growth of the hydrogen economy present any particular opportunities for island and rural communities, beyond transport?
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
Indeed it does. That is a very important point. I have been passionate about this since the start of our hydrogen policy. Our island and rural communities of...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I thank the minister for early sight of his statement and for his previous answer. I welcome the content and assure him of Scottish Liberal Democrats’ suppor...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I very much agree with Liam McArthur on that point. We have to keep our eye on the ball as far as energy efficiency and renewable heat supplies are concerned...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
I welcome aspects of the statement in relation to green hydrogen—Inaudible.—for heavy industry and heavy transport, but I urge the minister to move away from...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I want to reassure Mr Ruskell on a couple of points. First, we recognise that grey hydrogen is a product that is used in the Scottish economy already, but it...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
We are well over time now, but I will take Maureen Watt, to be followed by Liz Smith.
Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the minister for his statement, which is hugely exciting. As members know, Scotland has been an early adopter of hydrogen in transport, with Aberdeen...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I agree with Maureen Watt. The people of Aberdeen can be hugely proud that their city has been pioneering hydrogen buses, and I am pleased that the Scottish ...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
The minister knows that there are, obviously, huge opportunities for hydrogen in agriculture, not just in relation to fuel and heavy machinery but for fertil...
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP
I am very interested in Liz Smith’s point about the wider role of hydrogen. It would be useful to have a discussion with her and, indeed, the James Hutton In...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I apologise to David Torrance. I am afraid that we will have to end the questions there. We have already eaten into the time for the next item of business.