Latest news with #EconomyCommittee
South Wales Guardian
21-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
UK Government broadly supports blending hydrogen in gas supply
Replacing some of the fuel in natural gas supplies with hydrogen has been promoted as a way of bringing down carbon emissions. Most boilers in homes and businesses can cope with up to 20% of supply consisting of 'blended' hydrogen as well as natural gas. Operators of the gas grid have said existing infrastructure could be used to transport a blended mix of hydrogen and natural gas to consumers. A number of projects around Scotland aim to use the country's renewable electricity supplies to produce 'green hydrogen' at scale. However there are questions over whether supply of 100% pure hydrogen – which does not produce carbon dioxide when burned – would be suitable for the domestic market. Mr Shanks was asked about the UK Government's plans for hydrogen blending when he faced the Scottish Parliament's Economy Committee on Wednesday. He said: 'We are actively looking at blending and there are some decision points coming up on that. I think there's a balance to be struck – there's been a detailed bit of evidence-gathering about the degree you can blend without having an impact on the end users. 'We're broadly in favour of some kind of blending, we're just looking at how that decision point would be made. 'I can write to the committee on timescales but that is something we're actively considering.' A large green hydrogen project in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, was granted planning approval by the local council last month, while there are also hopes the Grangemouth industrial site could be used for hydrogen production. While hydrogen has advantages over natural gas as a clean fuel source, it has significantly less energy density by volume – meaning more hydrogen must be supplied to produce the same amount of heating.
Glasgow Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
UK Government broadly supports blending hydrogen in gas supply
Replacing some of the fuel in natural gas supplies with hydrogen has been promoted as a way of bringing down carbon emissions. Most boilers in homes and businesses can cope with up to 20% of supply consisting of 'blended' hydrogen as well as natural gas. Operators of the gas grid have said existing infrastructure could be used to transport a blended mix of hydrogen and natural gas to consumers. A number of projects around Scotland aim to use the country's renewable electricity supplies to produce 'green hydrogen' at scale. However there are questions over whether supply of 100% pure hydrogen – which does not produce carbon dioxide when burned – would be suitable for the domestic market. UK energy minister Michael Shanks addressed MSPs on Wednesday (PA) Mr Shanks was asked about the UK Government's plans for hydrogen blending when he faced the Scottish Parliament's Economy Committee on Wednesday. He said: 'We are actively looking at blending and there are some decision points coming up on that. I think there's a balance to be struck – there's been a detailed bit of evidence-gathering about the degree you can blend without having an impact on the end users. 'We're broadly in favour of some kind of blending, we're just looking at how that decision point would be made. 'I can write to the committee on timescales but that is something we're actively considering.' A large green hydrogen project in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, was granted planning approval by the local council last month, while there are also hopes the Grangemouth industrial site could be used for hydrogen production. While hydrogen has advantages over natural gas as a clean fuel source, it has significantly less energy density by volume – meaning more hydrogen must be supplied to produce the same amount of heating.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
UK Government broadly supports blending hydrogen in gas supply
The Government is broadly supportive of blending hydrogen into the gas network and is actively considering the matter, energy minister Michael Shanks has said. Replacing some of the fuel in natural gas supplies with hydrogen has been promoted as a way of bringing down carbon emissions. Most boilers in homes and businesses can cope with up to 20% of supply consisting of 'blended' hydrogen as well as natural gas. Operators of the gas grid have said existing infrastructure could be used to transport a blended mix of hydrogen and natural gas to consumers. A number of projects around Scotland aim to use the country's renewable electricity supplies to produce 'green hydrogen' at scale. However there are questions over whether supply of 100% pure hydrogen – which does not produce carbon dioxide when burned – would be suitable for the domestic market. Mr Shanks was asked about the UK Government's plans for hydrogen blending when he faced the Scottish Parliament's Economy Committee on Wednesday. He said: 'We are actively looking at blending and there are some decision points coming up on that. I think there's a balance to be struck – there's been a detailed bit of evidence-gathering about the degree you can blend without having an impact on the end users. 'We're broadly in favour of some kind of blending, we're just looking at how that decision point would be made. 'I can write to the committee on timescales but that is something we're actively considering.' A large green hydrogen project in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, was granted planning approval by the local council last month, while there are also hopes the Grangemouth industrial site could be used for hydrogen production. While hydrogen has advantages over natural gas as a clean fuel source, it has significantly less energy density by volume – meaning more hydrogen must be supplied to produce the same amount of heating.
Rhyl Journal
21-05-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
UK Government broadly supports blending hydrogen in gas supply
The Government is broadly supportive of blending hydrogen into the gas network and is actively considering the matter, energy minister Michael Shanks has said. Replacing some of the fuel in natural gas supplies with hydrogen has been promoted as a way of bringing down carbon emissions. Most boilers in homes and businesses can cope with up to 20% of supply consisting of 'blended' hydrogen as well as natural gas. Operators of the gas grid have said existing infrastructure could be used to transport a blended mix of hydrogen and natural gas to consumers. A number of projects around Scotland aim to use the country's renewable electricity supplies to produce 'green hydrogen' at scale. However there are questions over whether supply of 100% pure hydrogen – which does not produce carbon dioxide when burned – would be suitable for the domestic market. UK energy minister Michael Shanks addressed MSPs on Wednesday (PA) Mr Shanks was asked about the UK Government's plans for hydrogen blending when he faced the Scottish Parliament's Economy Committee on Wednesday. He said: 'We are actively looking at blending and there are some decision points coming up on that. I think there's a balance to be struck – there's been a detailed bit of evidence-gathering about the degree you can blend without having an impact on the end users. 'We're broadly in favour of some kind of blending, we're just looking at how that decision point would be made. 'I can write to the committee on timescales but that is something we're actively considering.' A large green hydrogen project in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, was granted planning approval by the local council last month, while there are also hopes the Grangemouth industrial site could be used for hydrogen production. While hydrogen has advantages over natural gas as a clean fuel source, it has significantly less energy density by volume – meaning more hydrogen must be supplied to produce the same amount of heating.
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Acorn project ‘crucial', says minister after claim Reeves ‘going cold' on scheme
Energy minister Michael Shanks said the project based in St Fergus, Aberdeenshire, will have a 'crucial' role in removing the carbon emissions of industries which are difficult to abate. The Acorn project aims to use existing pipelines to transport industrial carbon emissions for storage under the North Sea. It was placed on a 'track two' reserved list for future funding from the UK Government, but business leaders are calling for it to be treated as an immediate priority. Last week a cross-party group of 71 MSPs and 10 MPs signed a joint letter urging Chancellor Rachel Reeves to deliver the money needed to progress the scheme. During an appearance at Holyrood's Economy Committee on Wednesday, Mr Shanks was asked about the UK Government's stance on carbon capture. SNP MSP Michelle Thomson said there have been reports Ms Reeves is 'going cold on Acorn specifically' while proceeding with similar projects in Teesside and Humberside. Mr Shanks said: 'The Government is supportive of the Acorn project, the Secretary of State for Energy has been really clear in Parliament that we see it as a crucial part of how we deliver our decarbonisation journey for Scottish industry and energy, and it is a really important investment proposition. 'But it is obviously a significant amount of public money and it's right that it's for the Spending Review to make that decision.' He said Acorn is a 'serious' part of his department's bid in the upcoming Spending Review. Mr Shanks also said the Scottish Government's ban on new nuclear power north of the border has been 'hugely problematic'. The Economy Committee also discussed the recent closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery and attempts to find new low-carbon businesses for the site. The refinery was the only one operating in Scotland and is now becoming an import terminal for finished fuels. Camilla Pierry, deputy-director for energy security in the UK Government, said 'robust' plans are in place and there is not expected to be any short-term impact on fuel supplies or fuel security in Scotland.
