Government publishes first UK-wide Hydrogen Strategy

The strategy, which seeks to unlock £4 billion of investment, will support the creation of over 9,000 UK jobs and a number of new export opportunities. Low carbon solutions are critical to decarbonising polluting, energy intensive industries like oil refineries, power and heavy transport like shipping and trains by helping these sectors move away from fossil fuels.

Business and Energy Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng said: “This home-grown clean energy source has the potential to transform the way we power our lives and will be essential to tackling climate change and reaching Net Zero.”

“With the potential to provide a third of the UK’s energy in the future, our strategy positions the UK as first in the global race to ramp up hydrogen technology and seize the thousands of jobs and private investment that come with it.”

Moreover, the Energy and Climate Minister, Anne-Marie Trevelyan commented saying: “Today’s Hydrogen Strategy sends a strong signal globally that we are committed to building a thriving low carbon hydrogen economy that could deliver hundreds of thousands of high-quality green jobs, helps millions of homes transition to green energy, support our key industrial heartlands to move away from fossil fuels and bring in significant investment.”

Industry response

Following publication of the plan last week, Michael Dugdale, Managing Director at Trident Utilities, commented saying: “Last year the government introduced the 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and it is good to see some of that plan being brought to life in the UK Hydrogen Strategy. The time to act is now and the £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF) will provide a pathway for government co-investment, however, the questions will remain if this is enough to cover the scale of the challenge.”

“Other funding programmes will help fuel switching to hydrogen and here in the North West, where Trident Utilities is based, we are seeing positive steps being taken by a number of industry leading businesses that are part of the HyNet North West project. Government should signal its intent with support for these projects and the delivery of the policies and initiatives set out on this strategy.”

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