Scotland is set to become the first country in the UK to launch a hydrogen production facility to power zero emission vehicles using energy generated by renewable sources.

Green Hydrogen for Scotland is an initiative between Scottish Power Renewables, Linde’s BOC and ITM Power. Its aim is to supply large fleets of heavy goods vehicles with hydrogen fuel in a bid to lower emissions from transport.

Hydrogen fuel is produced by separating hydrogen from water in a process known as electrolysis. Powering the electrolyser from wind or solar energy makes green hydrogen, unlike blue hydrogen which is created from natural gas using steam reformation.

Renewable power generation in Scotland has tripled since 2009 and there is now just under 12GW of installed capacity in the country, with 70 percent of this coming from onshore wind farms.

The first Green Hydrogen for Scotland project will be built in Glasgow with BOC operating the 10MW production facility on the outskirts of the city. Scottish Power Renewables will supply power from its renewable resources and ITM Power will deliver the electrolyser. The project aims to supply hydrogen in 2022.

Scotland has set an ambitious target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045, five years ahead of the UK government’s mandated 2050 requirement. Glasgow City Council says it will only use electric or hydrogen powered vehicles from the end of 2029.