Hydrogen must become central to Scotland’s net zero emission ambitions, pledges SNP

The SNP says a target of reaching 5GW hydrogen production capacity by 2030 and exploring the use of hydrogen trains as an alternative to diesel and electrification will form a central plank of its climate policy, if returned at the forthcoming Holyrood election.

It also says decarbonising the heating of a million homes by 2030, and ensuring all new homes will need to be zero emission by 2026, regardless if whether delivered by registered social landlords and local authorities.

In a statement release online, it says: “In Government, the SNP has introduced the most ambitious legal framework for emissions reduction in the world, with a target to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030, on the way to being a net zero nation by 2045 – 5 years ahead of the UK.

“If re-elected, an SNP Scottish Government would ramp up efforts to meet these targets.”

It listed its pledges as:

• A transport revolution – a target to reduce the use of cars, measured as ‘car kilometres’, by 20% by 2030, alongside a £500m investment to improve bus infrastructure and tackle congestion, a £120m investment in Zero Emission Buses, and work to decarbonise our railways by 2035.
• Decarbonise the heating of 1 million homes by 2030, and ensure all new homes delivered by registered social landlords and local authorities will be zero emission homes by 2026.
• Develop the enormous potential of Scotland’s hydrogen sector – including a target of 5GW hydrogen production capacity by 2030 and exploring the use of hydrogen trains as an alternative to diesel and electrification.
• Increase our targets for new woodland creation by 50%, from 12,000 hectares, up to 18,000 hectares by 2025.
• Invest £250m to support the restoration of 250,000 hectares of Scottish peatland by 2030.
• Double our world-leading Climate Justice Fund to £24m over four years.

The statement added: “The pandemic has shown that, when we need to, society is able to come together to take radical action for the common good – as we head into the recovery from COVID, the SNP will keep that spirit alive to build a sustainable recovery.”