Hydrogen can be used to provide electricity and heat either through use in a fuel cell or through combustion. A fuel cell is a device similar to a continuously recharged battery, which generates electricity by combining hydrogen with oxygen from the air. The only by-product of this process is water. Therefore, as it is possible to produce hydrogen from biomass and wastes and by the electrolysis of water, using electricity from renewable energy, hydrogen has significant potential as the basis of an energy system with low carbon dioxide emissions through use as a fuel for road transport, heat and power generation and for energy storage.
The Scottish Government is determined to exploit all of Scotland's diverse renewables potential and is supporting research and development in the area of Hydrogen and fuel cells. Our Renewable Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Support Scheme provided grants to seven projects seeking to deploy and demonstrate renewable hydrogen and fuel cell technology. An analysis of the scheme is currently being carried out.
The Renewables Action Plan which was published in June 2009 includes a specific Route-Map for Hydrogen. The Route-map sets out the need to establish a subgroup of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) for Green Hydrogen and Fuel Cells. The industry led group will consider barriers and galvanise action to overcome them. The first meeting of the group was held in October 2009.