Question reference: S6W-27167
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 1 May 2024
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Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2024
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is (a) strengthening existing relationships and (b) developing new bilateral partnerships in relation to the potential of hydrogen, as set out in its Hydrogen Action Plan.
Answer
We are continuously working to strengthen and develop new relationships through our international hydrogen engagement programme.
Given the increased interest in hydrogen imports from across Europe, we continue to work with the UK Government to establish key strategic partnership with Scotland’s near northern neighbours that can assist the development of a North Sea hydrogen corridor for the production and export of hydrogen into the North of Europe and beyond.
We recognise that international co-operation will be key to developing future hydrogen markets and their supporting infrastructure and we will continue to seek out opportunities to collaborate through projects such as the Hydrogen Backbone Link and the Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers for Hydrogen Transport from Scotland to Rotterdam project .
We have already signed several key strategic hydrogen partnership agreements with Denmark, key German states including Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg and, Occitania in France and we continue to work to maximise their outputs. Scotland is also a member of Hydrogen Europe and the Vanguard initiative, allowing further collaboration with key strategic European partners.