Q
77Dr.
Ladyman: If we were to put it to you that we did want to
move to a hydrogen economy, what would be your solution for producing
that
hydrogen? Denis
Linford: You have to use zero-carbon electricity,
naturally, but this is some way down the
track.
Q
78Dr.
Ladyman: Given that you have said we cannot even meet the
renewables obligation that the Commission has now set
us— Dr.
MacLean: We can meet it,
but not with current measures. We would like to see it as a stretching
target to be met, rather than as something that is an illusion, but we
have to do a lot more than we are doing at the
moment.
Q
79Dr.
Ladyman: So given all the effort that will have to go into
meeting that target, which I am sure we will come back to one day, the
reality is that if we want to start producing hydrogen and moving to a
hydrogen economy, there will have to be an even bigger component from
nuclear energy than we currently
envisage. Denis
Linford: You have to decarbonise the power sector and
part of that is nuclear, clearly, but part of that is also CCS and
renewables. Dr.
MacLean: On renewables,
hydrogen could quite easily be produced by any of those. I do not think
the issue is producing the hydrogen. I think there are a couple of
chemists among us here who will have done that a few times in our lives
before. The problem is the
storing and transporting of hydrogen, which is a much bigger
challenge.
The
Chairman: Thank you. We have two minutes left.
Mr. Hendry, you indicated you wanted to ask a question. It
will have to be a brief, with an even briefer
answer.
Q
80Charles
Hendry: Dr. MacLean, you were talking just now about the
elements of the Bill that you felt had been overlooked in terms of
renewable heat. Could you write to us to give us more detail about what
you feel should be included in that
respect? Dr.
MacLean: Certainly,
yes.
The
Chairman: Thank you for a brief question and an even
briefer answer. I thank our witnesses again for attending and answering
questions. That brings us to the end of this morning’s
session. It being
One o’clock, The
Chairman adjourned the Committee without Question
put, pursuant to the Standing Order.
Adjourned till this
day at Four
o’clock.
| 
