>Scotland is planning to export green hydrogen to Germany and could become one of the EU nation’s biggest energy suppliers, Energy Secretary Gillian Martin has said.
>On a trip to Germany, she told journalists of the SNP government’s ambition to export liquid hydrogen to Europe amid the loss of Russian gas supplies since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. This will initially be transported by ship – then later via a proposed new pipeline it’s hoped could travel from Scotland via England to Lower Saxony, Germany.
>Martin insisted the £2.6billion pipeline, if built, could help provide a third of German energy needs by 2030. With renewable energy like wind power booming in Scotland, the Energy Secretary said the nation’s “surplus” electricity will then be used to produce the green fuel.
Inb4 the flood of Nationalist posters raging that our energy sources are being plundered and bypassing Scotland.
Planning refused a hydrogen plant and storage facility in my area. 2030 seems rather ambitious but decent strategy for jobs and exports.
Net Zero Technology Centre calculated the pipeline would take ~10 years to build from when it begins, so not 20230, it will be done by ships to begin with into Antwerp and Rotterdam, then piped to Germany. In my opinion it’s a very good plan, to convert renewable energy into an exportable commodity, not just to Germany, but around the whole world. A LOT of infrastructure needs building first. At the ETZ in Aberdeen, BP are building a Hydrogen Hub to test some of these technologies, though it won’t be electrolysing with wind power, at least initially. There’s also the question of hydrogen vs. ammonia etc, but that is much further down the line in terms of production capacity right now.
One of the best things about the project, in my dumb dumb opinion, is that compared with Thatcher’s closure of the mines and steel works across the UK with nothing to offer the tens of thousands of workers instead, this shift to renewables and hydrogen from oil & gas is being done gradually, and is offering those working in the old sector a chance to change, re-skill, and be part of the new industry, which is such a better way of managing the change.
For what purpose?
Hydrogen isn’t that competitive for a wide range of uses.
Hypothetical pipeline from a hypothetical supply to a hypothetical demand.
“It’s hoped the fuel can help in the net zero fight by powering transport, heating homes and replacing fossil fuels in industries like steel manufacturing.”
Hydrogen is a relatively poor energy storage medium. It is not an energy source. We don’t have enough renewable capacity or storage to meet our own needs, never mind enough to create and export vast amounts of Hydrogen.
25% of the energy used in Scotland is nuclear, with Torness scheduled to cease generation ~2030. The gap will need to be filled. That’s before you account for increased electricity demand from electrification (EVs, heat pumps etc.)
Hydrogen won’t power transport or heating homes in the UK, never mind adding the costs of shipping it to Germany. Industry is the only real potential use, but even then, I’m not convinced that will happen.
The technology for things like steel making is feasible, but the cost is prohibitive. The only people who benefit from a “Hydrogen economy” are blue and grey hydrogen producers (O&G companies)
The technical aspects of this are really interesting.
The political ones are a bit concerning though, given the whole situation with putin’s russia.
Having so much offshore infrastructure, and such a vital pipeline, in the context of the russian navy’s “oceanography” ships loitering around, and the cable sabotage elsewhere, is a touch uncomfortable.
Like it or not, we’re in an age where conflicts over energy and resources are likely to become more intense.
So, as well as the investment in all this infrastructure, there’s also a need for a whole bunch of offshore patrol vessels and the crews to operate them, to secure it against “hybrid warfare” and other such malarkey that seems to be on the increase.
So we getting cheaper or dearer energy in Scotland?
Will need an improved navy/airforce to protect that much maritime infrastructure.
Piping Hydrogen that far is bonkers stupid, what’s worse, shipping it. It would be far better funding a direct interconnect between 🏴<>🇩🇪 and let them make it themselves locally from our surplus electricity.
Eh, if the SNP are responsible for this you can expect it to be Westminster’s fault that it’s 3 years late and completely fucked.
The Irish government is looking to do this as well. It will be interesting to see how much of this the German’s finance. If a right-wing government get in there, they’ll likely ne far less green energy oriented.
13 comments
>Scotland is planning to export green hydrogen to Germany and could become one of the EU nation’s biggest energy suppliers, Energy Secretary Gillian Martin has said.
>On a trip to Germany, she told journalists of the SNP government’s ambition to export liquid hydrogen to Europe amid the loss of Russian gas supplies since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. This will initially be transported by ship – then later via a proposed new pipeline it’s hoped could travel from Scotland via England to Lower Saxony, Germany.
>Martin insisted the £2.6billion pipeline, if built, could help provide a third of German energy needs by 2030. With renewable energy like wind power booming in Scotland, the Energy Secretary said the nation’s “surplus” electricity will then be used to produce the green fuel.
For those well versed in this, more detail here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/trading-nation-realising-scotlands-hydrogen-potential-plan-exports/
https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/learning-zone/research-evaluation-and-insight/2022/scot2ger-development-of-a-green-hydrogen-supply-chain-from-scotland-to-germany
Inb4 the flood of Nationalist posters raging that our energy sources are being plundered and bypassing Scotland.
Planning refused a hydrogen plant and storage facility in my area. 2030 seems rather ambitious but decent strategy for jobs and exports.
Net Zero Technology Centre calculated the pipeline would take ~10 years to build from when it begins, so not 20230, it will be done by ships to begin with into Antwerp and Rotterdam, then piped to Germany. In my opinion it’s a very good plan, to convert renewable energy into an exportable commodity, not just to Germany, but around the whole world. A LOT of infrastructure needs building first. At the ETZ in Aberdeen, BP are building a Hydrogen Hub to test some of these technologies, though it won’t be electrolysing with wind power, at least initially. There’s also the question of hydrogen vs. ammonia etc, but that is much further down the line in terms of production capacity right now.
One of the best things about the project, in my dumb dumb opinion, is that compared with Thatcher’s closure of the mines and steel works across the UK with nothing to offer the tens of thousands of workers instead, this shift to renewables and hydrogen from oil & gas is being done gradually, and is offering those working in the old sector a chance to change, re-skill, and be part of the new industry, which is such a better way of managing the change.
For what purpose?
Hydrogen isn’t that competitive for a wide range of uses.
Hypothetical pipeline from a hypothetical supply to a hypothetical demand.
“It’s hoped the fuel can help in the net zero fight by powering transport, heating homes and replacing fossil fuels in industries like steel manufacturing.”
Hydrogen is a relatively poor energy storage medium. It is not an energy source. We don’t have enough renewable capacity or storage to meet our own needs, never mind enough to create and export vast amounts of Hydrogen.
25% of the energy used in Scotland is nuclear, with Torness scheduled to cease generation ~2030. The gap will need to be filled. That’s before you account for increased electricity demand from electrification (EVs, heat pumps etc.)
Hydrogen won’t power transport or heating homes in the UK, never mind adding the costs of shipping it to Germany. Industry is the only real potential use, but even then, I’m not convinced that will happen.
The technology for things like steel making is feasible, but the cost is prohibitive. The only people who benefit from a “Hydrogen economy” are blue and grey hydrogen producers (O&G companies)
Energy Mix
https://fullfact.org/environment/scotland-renewable-energy/
Cost
https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/industrial/green-hydrogen-is-too-expensive-to-use-in-our-eu-steel-mills-even-though-weve-secured-billions-in-subsidies/2-1-1601199?zephr_sso_ott=9atDQY
Cost/EU policy
https://www.h2-view.com/story/arcelormittal-freezes-green-hydrogen-dri-projects-blaming-slow-policy-progress/2117719.article/
Yeah and I’m pumping Eva Green in the morning
The technical aspects of this are really interesting.
The political ones are a bit concerning though, given the whole situation with putin’s russia.
Having so much offshore infrastructure, and such a vital pipeline, in the context of the russian navy’s “oceanography” ships loitering around, and the cable sabotage elsewhere, is a touch uncomfortable.
Like it or not, we’re in an age where conflicts over energy and resources are likely to become more intense.
So, as well as the investment in all this infrastructure, there’s also a need for a whole bunch of offshore patrol vessels and the crews to operate them, to secure it against “hybrid warfare” and other such malarkey that seems to be on the increase.
So we getting cheaper or dearer energy in Scotland?
Will need an improved navy/airforce to protect that much maritime infrastructure.
Piping Hydrogen that far is bonkers stupid, what’s worse, shipping it. It would be far better funding a direct interconnect between 🏴<>🇩🇪 and let them make it themselves locally from our surplus electricity.
Eh, if the SNP are responsible for this you can expect it to be Westminster’s fault that it’s 3 years late and completely fucked.
[Ireland has ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ chance to fuel EU hydrogen network
– German government looking to Ireland to produce huge amounts of hydrogen from offshore wind farms as it looks to decarbonise its heavy industry](https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2024/12/03/ireland-has-once-in-a-lifetime-chance-to-fuel-eu-hydrogen-network/)
The Irish government is looking to do this as well. It will be interesting to see how much of this the German’s finance. If a right-wing government get in there, they’ll likely ne far less green energy oriented.
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