The announcement of the first floating wind with hydrogen project off Aberdeen is another example of how renewable green hydrogen is gaining traction in the Net Zero debate.

With the ambitious plans for offshore wind deployment around the UK and the floating wind market being mobilised through demonstration sites and the ScotWind process it is logical (and many would say important) that hydrogen can be brought alongside in terms of readiness over the 2020s. 

If that is to happen then there should be a hydrogen strategy and that is being called for, but we must have a way of stimulating the floating wind projects as well as the fixed offshore wind installations and hydrogen production and demand needs to be incentivised.  We have seen CfD consultations on including floating wind and debates around whether the CfD is the right mechanism for green hydrogen.   Alongside this the speed of success of hydrogen production from offshore wind will depend upon having a useful and willing market for that hydrogen in the early stages.

The regulatory, consenting, seabed/land backdrop for these projects also needs to be worked through in tandem and we are in the midst of that with some of the early stage projects we are acting on.   We should be confident that this can be sorted out with the right overarching policy signals.