Green hydrogen is produced by breaking down water using electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources.

Producing hydrogen using natural gas or coal releases carbon dioxide emissions while using renewables such as solar and wind power does not.

The projects are expected to deliver hundreds of megawatts of green hydrogen production capacity before the end of the decade to be used in whisky distillery processes, Scottish Power said.

The Scotch Whisky Association has said hydrogen will play a role in meeting net zero emissions targets for the distilling sector.

The Cromarty hydrogen project will be the first, just north of Inverness. It will deliver up to 20 tonnes of green hydrogen per day from 2024 to distilleries for their heating processes and will have the potential to scale up capacity.

(Reporting by Nina Chestney; editing by Jason Neely)