Hydrogen
"We set out our vision for Scotland to become a leading hydrogen nation in the production of reliable, competitive, sustainable hydrogen, securing Scotland’s future as a centre of international excellence as we establish the innovation, skills and supply chain to underpin our energy transition." Hydrogen Policy Statement, Scottish Government (2020)
Hydrogen is a versatile fuel and a potential solution to the decarbonisation of industrial sectors where electrification is not a viable solution, for example, large industrial processes, certain transport and heating applications. Vehicle manufacturers, boat builders, industrialists and heating engineers have been working on the technologies to use hydrogen in a variety of new ways to replace fossil fuels. All this effort means there is a very real prospect of a worldwide hydrogen economy emerging in the coming decades.
Under the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Action Plan, there will be 5 GW of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045. These targets are supported by a planned investment of £100 million to ramp up hydrogen production.
Developing a hydrogen economy involves building the required infrastructure, hydrogen production, transport and supply chain, as well as support functions such as professional services, research and development, education and ancillary services.
Hydrogen Skills: National Demand and Provision
Hydrogen Skills: National Demand and Provision
A significant new sector will be developed in Scotland. Average annual employment levels over the 2025-2030 and 2030-2035 periods are estimated at 6,614 and 18,525, respectively.
The hydrogen sector is currently emerging, with a focus on project development, feasibility studies and pre-FEED studies. Activities are being delivered by actors with in depth experience in the oil and gas and process industry sectors.
The hydrogen sector will require significant numbers of staff at all levels, ranging from skilled tradespeople to graduates. The skills to enable the hydrogen economy are not fundamentally different from the skills required in other process industries. It is expected the hydrogen economy will increase the demand on the existing skilled workforce rather than create new job roles.
Adaptation of existing courses, a portfolio of appropriate modular courses and on-the-job training are required. The development of hydrogen specific course content is dependent on hydrogen standards and specifications, which are not yet available.
Delivery of hands-on hydrogen skills to be fully established in the next two to three years to meet 5 GW ambition. Development of knowledge and capabilities within educators / skills providers is therefore a key short-term priority.
Hydrogen Skills: Shetland Demand and Provision
Hydrogen Skills: Shetland Demand and Provision
There is a great deal of interest in hydrogen in Shetland. The excellent onshore wind, offshore wind and tidal resources in Shetland means that hydrogen production has the potential to be significant.
Shetland’s constrained electricity grid and our heavy reliance on fossil fuels mean that clean fuels will be a requirement for reaching net zero. Hydrogen is a versatile fuel and may have application in decarbonising large on and off road vehicles, aviation, marine and rural heating applications.
Hydrogen production in Shetland could create a new economic market through local use, the further processing to synthetic fuels, as well as export nationally and internationally through the existing
There is currently no hydrogen generation or use in Shetland, although there are several large projects in the early planning stages that aim to produce industrial quantities of hydrogen.
With long-standing involvement in oil and gas, marine engineering and electricity generation, Shetland is well positioned to provide the workforce expertise required of a hydrogen economy.
There is considerable hydrogen production knowledge in Shetland already, provided by the Unst-based Pure Energy Centre (Pure), both a manufacturer of hydrogen systems used in many countries and a hydrogen systems advisor.
Shetland Islands Council is engaged in various studies that explore transportation technologies for hydrogen, including LOHC, ammonia, and methanol and the potential of developing a national hydrogen pipeline connecting Scotland to Europe. There is significant demand developing in Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands, which will benefit from the quantities of hydrogen that can be produced in Shetland.
Hydrogen: Agreed actions of SGS Member Organisations
Hydrogen: Agreed actions of SGS Member Organisations
Hydrogen is still in the early stages of development in Shetland and there are many unknowns in preparing for the skills and capacity needs of the future workforce.
The Shetland Islands Council sets out its approach to the development of a local hydrogen economy in the recommendations of draft Shetland Energy Strategy:
- We will support and encourage research and development of future fuel production and use in Shetland.
- We will promote the production of fuels and chemical feedstocks that may be used locally to increase island resilience and decrease dependency on imported fossil fuels
- We will continue our participation in research to determine the economics and impacts of the hydrogen economy in Shetland.
- We will develop a clearer roadmap on the current and future demand for hydrogen locally, and elsewhere, to accompany the pipeline of planned projects for hydrogen production.
- We will progress the hydrogen economy in Shetland when production and demand are aligned.
- We will prepare a local approach to the use of hydrogen in Shetland aligned with other local strategies such as for heat and transport.
Outreach
- Embedding hydrogen and future fuels learning in current and planned STEM and school activity
- SGS engagement with other island communities – shared learnings
Business Engagement
- Regular engagement (SGS) with project developers (Statkraft, Veri) to better understand future skills and capacity needs
Further and Higher Education
- Education pathways - school leavers and adult learners
- Continuing professional development
Hydrogen: Resources and Links
Hydrogen: Resources and Links
Documents
Scottish Hydrogen Action Plan, Scottish Government (2022)
Hydrogen Policy Statement, Scottish Government (2020)
UK Hydrogen Strategy, Government of the UK (2021)
Training & Education
Hydrogen Seafarer Training, UHI Orkney, Orkney Ferries and EMEC
Hydrogen Skills Alliance A UK-wide initiative dedicated to ensuring that industry and stakeholders have access to the appropriate skills needed to accelerate the transition to hydrogen.
Island Projects
Creed Hydrogen Skills and Innovation Centre
Surf ‘n’ Turf, Orkney