The Scottish Government has set out a strictly limited role for hydrogen in providing domestic heat in a new Draft Energy Strategy. Although it plans to produce hydrogen from a huge expansion of offshore wind turbines and highlighted an ambition for hydrogen to provide 5GW of hydrogen production capacity by 2030 rising to 25GW, it said, “We do not consider that hydrogen will play a central role in the overall decarbonisation of domestic heat” and it ranked domestic heat in the sixth of seven categories of hydrogen uses, ranked by market opportunity and the availability of alternatives.
Instead of hydrogen use, the strategy says, “we cannot afford to delay action to decarbonise homes this decade through other available technologies” and it urged the UK government to accelerate decision-making on the role of hydrogen in the gas grid. Although it said there was potential for some parts of the gas grid in Scotland to be converted to 100% hydrogen in the 2030s and beyond, that would be in specific circumstances such as rural island areas.
It said testing by the gas industry of options for blending hydrogen into the gas network at low levels – up to 20% by volume – “has the potential to reduce carbon emissions from gas use by up to only 6-7% on current GB grid gas consumption”.
The signal came in Scotland’s new “Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan”, now out for consultation, which also forsees:

• More than 20GW of additional renewable electricity on and offshore by 2030.
• Increased contributions from solar, hydro and marine energy.
• Accelerated decarbonisation of domestic industry, transport and heat.
• A new national public energy agency – Heat and Energy Efficiency Scotland.
• Generation of surplus electricity, enabling export of electricity and renewable hydrogen.
• Energy security from additional energy storage.
• Maintaining or increasing employment in Scotland’s energy production sector against a decline in North Sea production.
• Maximising the use of Scottish manufactured components in the energy transition.
The consultation closes on 4 April. More details here