North East Network & Industrial Cluster Development – Summary Report A Consolidated Summary Report by SGN & Wood

In response to the global climate emergency, governments across the world are aiming to lower greenhouse gas emissions to slow the damaging effects of climate change.
The Scottish Government has set a target of net zero emissions by 2045. Already a global leader in renewable energy and low-carbon technology deployment, Scotland’s energy landscape is set to undergo more change as it moves toward becoming carbon-neutral. Key to that change will be the transition from natural gas to zero-carbon gases like hydrogen and biomethane.
Scotland’s north-east and central belt are home to some of its largest industrial carbon emitters. The sector’s reliance on natural gas means that it emits 11.9Mt of CO2 emissions per year, says NECCUS: the equivalent of 2.6 million cars, or roughly all the cars in Scotland. Most homes and businesses across Scotland also use natural gas for heating.
Our North-East Network and Industrial Cluster project is laying the foundations for the rapid decarbonisation of this high-emitting sector. We’ve published a report outlining the practical steps needed to rapidly decarbonise a significant part of Scotland’s homes and industry. It demonstrates how hydrogen can play a leading role in delivering the Scottish Government’s target of one million homes with low carbon heat by 2030.
The research, published with global consulting and engineering advisor Wood, sets out a transformational and accelerated pathway to 100% hydrogen for Scotland’s gas networks which you can see on the map below. It also details the feasibility of a CO2 collection network to securely capture, transport and store carbon dioxide emissions deep underground.