RenewableUK urged the government to publish a hydrogen strategy to support the rapid development of technology for green hydrogen, generated using renewable energy. The organisation, which made the call as it released a new report today (23 September), said it could be a cheap energy source for the future.
The study, Renewable Hydrogen - Seizing the UK Opportunity, says the renewables sector is confident that it can repeat the success of the UK’s leading offshore wind industry by driving down the cost of green hydrogen over the course of the decade.
The organisation also said the technology can play a key role in long-term green economic recovery by creating significant opportunities for the UK, particularly in coastal communities and industrial cities that need them.
It called on the government to publish a strategy to help build R&D and manufacturing strength, including a 2050 ‘roadmap’ setting out how green hydrogen will grow from a niche technology to a 'central pillar of the UK’s energy system'. The organisation said the roadmap should include a plan to deliver the first gigawatt of electrolyser capacity in the UK, identifying potential projects and funding to drive innovation and investment.
The UK already has a head start in the global race to commercialise green hydrogen, the report says, with major trials underway such as the Gigastack project in the Humber. That project will use renewable energy from offshore wind farms to make clean hydrogen through electrolysis – splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen. World-leading manufacturers of electrolysers such as ITM Power and Siemens are already based in the UK.
“We can’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers if the UK wants to stay at the cutting edge of innovation in renewable energy, with all the economic benefits that will bring,” said Barnaby Wharton, RenewableUK director of future electricity systems.
“We’re urging government to come on board with us by setting out a strategy to secure a multi-billion-pound prize, which will create tens of thousands of jobs around the country.”
The organisation also recommended setting a target of 5GW of renewable electrolyser capacity by 2030 and 10GW by 2035, along with a cost target of £2 per kilogram of green hydrogen by 2030, down from £8/kg today. This would make it cost-competitive, or even cost less to produce than ‘blue’ hydrogen, which is made from methane with carbon capture and storage (CCS). Clean hydrogen would also help us to reach ‘net zero’ faster, as current CCS technology fails to capture up to a fifth of all carbon emissions.
“Renewable hydrogen is the next big global industry in the decades ahead,” said Wharton. “The UK is well-placed to lead this new industry, with plentiful renewable resources and world-leading hydrogen companies. We can drive down costs fast, replicating our spectacular success in offshore wind cost reduction, offering consumers cheaper energy.”
The IMechE, along with four other engineering organisations, published the report Transitioning to Hydrogen last year. That report also called for the development of a ‘transition programme’ for the wide-scale deployment of hydrogen, including government funding. That report called for greater focus on CCUS (carbon capture use and storage) to enable bulk production of blue hydrogen from gas reforming.
“I think as part of having a better understanding of how we can really reach net zero and more sustainable development around our engineering activities in particular, I think it’s really important that hydrogen is included as part of that,” said Dr Jenifer Baxter, the IMechE’s chief engineer. “Without using hydrogen alongside other low-carbon power, it’s going to be very difficult for us to achieve the low-carbon system we want.”
While Dr Baxter agreed a hydrogen strategy is needed, she emphasised the need for relevant organisations – and engineers in particular – to help develop it alongside the government. “The government is never going to be able to devise a strategy that works for everyone, it has to be a collaborative effort,” she said.
Blue hydrogen will be a vital part of the “transitional period” towards net zero, she added. “Using existing assets, steam methane reforming while capturing the carbon dioxide from that process, is a really good way to grow that energy source… it’s not one solution, it’s several pathways that take us to the same result.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy told Professional Engineering that the government plans to publish a hydrogen strategy ahead of COP26, in early 2021. They added: “Hydrogen has the potential to be a vital part of the UK’s future net zero energy mix, and we are already investing up to £120m into exploring it as an alternative to high carbon fuels in heating, transport and industry.
“The Hydrogen Advisory Council, which brings together government and industry, recently met for the first time to develop actions to scale up hydrogen production in the UK. We will set out our strategy in due course.”
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Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.