TODAY is World Hydrogen Day – celebrated to help raise awareness of the role hydrogen can play in the transition to a low-carbon economy. 

Hydrogen is already an established part of our economy, used in industrial processes such as in oil refining and the production of fertiliser. 

The vast majority of hydrogen production is still produced via CO2-intensive methods using natural gas or coal, known as grey or black hydrogen. 

The potential for clean hydrogen to decarbonise existing industrial processes as well as offer fuel alternatives to shipping and aviation has been well-publicised, and there is already significant support for clean hydrogen in the Scottish planning system. 

Low-carbon hydrogen can be produced by using carbon capture and storage technology (CCS) (this is known as blue hydrogen) or through electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources such as wind or solar (this is known as green hydrogen). 

Green hydrogen requires renewable energy and an abundance of water. Scotland would seem therefore well placed for green hydrogen production, however, it remains the case that production is limited and hydrogen is still seen as something of an “add-on” to many renewables projects, rather than a core component. 

An increase in green hydrogen production will need to be supported by an accompanying increase in the deployment of renewable energy generation. 

This will come from a variety of sources, principally offshore and onshore wind and solar. This means that those looking at investing in green hydrogen need to factor in not just the time and risk associated with the consenting of the green hydrogen infrastructure, but also the risks associated with the generation elements. 

Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), published in February 2023, sets out planning policies at the national level. 

This includes expressing in principle support for hydrogen development, with a particular focus on existing industrial areas - “Technologies that will help Scotland transition to net zero will be supported at these locations, with a particular focus on low carbon and zero emissions technologies including renewables and the generation, storage and distribution of low carbon hydrogen plants”. 

It also includes support for renewable energy developments more generally. 

Whilst NPF4 gives policy support at a national level for green hydrogen development, this is still to be translated into individual planning decisions. 

At a procedural level, the Scottish planning system currently does not treat hydrogen as a form of energy generation. 

This means a hydrogen development connected to a largescale renewables project such as an onshore wind farm, must go through a separate planning process. In effect, the two elements of the same project need to be consented separately. 

This creates duplication of process for both the applicant, planning authorities and regulators, leading to extra costs and delays. 

Streamlining the consenting process will be key to the delivery of hydrogen at the level needed to achieve net zero. 

shepwedd.com