POLL: Does hydrogen have a significant role to play in the energy transition?

One of the hydrogen projects would be located at the former Scatsta Airport.

Energy giant Statkraft this week announced it had decided to stop developing new green hydrogen projects across all markets – other than the UK.

The company will continue to develop two projects in Shetland – one at the former Scatsta Airport and one at an as yet undisclosed Mainland location.

However, it will no longer be operating the new facilities – instead it is seeking investors to take them forward into construction and beyond.

Statkraft has received £270,500 from the Scottish government to progress the Scatsta project.

The company has been in negotiations with the SIC over the lease of the site since May 2023 – but has yet to announce anything publicly.

The Shetland Times understands councillors were asked to agree a lease during a private meeting earlier this year.

According to details in the Scottish government’s  hydrogen action plan the Scatsta project will be an electrolytic hydrogen to green ammonia production facility of up to 350MW.

Scottish government net zero secretary Gillian Martin said hydrogen was a “critical pillar” of Scotland’s  route to net zero.

The Orion project also envisages a major role for hydrogen in Shetland’s energy transition, particularly as a way of storing the surplus power from windfarms.

However, critics claim the process of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen and then converting hydrogen back into electricity, is too energy intensive and results in too much loss.

What do you think?