bp’s head of country and Shell UK Upstream’s Energy Transition
Manager will be giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee
on the role hydrogen could play in the energy mix.
Their panel will be preceded by Hydrogen UK’s Chief Executive and
Offshore Energies UK’s Energy Policy Manager as the Committee
considers what challenges the sector faces, and what support the
UK Government can give, to support the use of low carbon
hydrogen.
Scotland has access to secure geological storage due to North Sea
oil and gas fields, and as such could be pivotal in the
transition from fossil fuels to renewables and low carbon energy.
The storage abilities offer the opportunity to store vast
quantities of hydrogen for future use or to store CO2
as part of blue hydrogen production.
The evidence session is the second in the Committee’s inquiry
considering Hydrogen and Carbon Capture in Scotland. It comes
amid efforts to focus on domestic production and supply of
energy.
In May, bp set out that it is aiming to produce 1.5GW of hydrogen
by 2030 in the UK, which represents 15% of the Government’s 10GW
target. It is also working with Aberdeen City Council to deliver
a scalable green hydrogen production, storage and distribution
facility. Meanwhile, Shell has partnered with Storegga (Pale Blue
Dot) and Harbour Energy on Project Acorn, which looks to provide
carbon capture and storage and hydrogen infrastructure to support
the UK’s decarbonisation efforts.
Issues likely to be discussed with the witnesses include:
- The UK twin track approach, with the Government investing in
the development of both blue and green hydrogen;
- Funding and market mechanisms for hydrogen;
- Jobs, skills and training;
- Energy security and resilience;
- Legislation and investment.
Witnesses from 15:00
- Clare Jackson, Chief Executive,
Hydrogen UK
- Will Webster, Energy Policy
Manager, Offshore Energies UK
Witnesses from 16:00
- Louise Kingham CBE, Senior Vice President Europe and Head of
Country, bp
- Bethan Vasey, Energy Transition Manager, Shell UK Upstream
