The UK’s green hydrogen pipeline has significantly grown to 1.8GW across 72 sites, according to Molly McCorkingdale, a market analyst at Solar Media, who spoke at the Green Hydrogen Summit in Lisbon, Portugal.
With 17MW operational across 36 sites, the UK is poised to be a leader in low-carbon hydrogen production. The current capacity is primarily comprised of demonstration sites and hydrogen refuelling stations for the transportation sector.
Of the 17MW capacity, proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers are the primary method for producing green hydrogen, with this popularity extending into the UK’s current green hydrogen pipeline. The 1.8GW of planned green hydrogen in the UK primarily consists of PEM and alkaline exchange membrane (AEM) electrolysism, though 1.4GW of this pipeline currently has not disclosed what technology will produce the green hydrogen due to being in the very early planning phases. AEM electrolysis makes up 26MW across 14 sites, while PEM contributes 404MW across 45 sites.
Since the beginning of 2022, the UK’s hydrogen prospects have been boosted by several governmental announcements in regard to hydrogen. The government’s initial Hydrogen Strategy set a goal of just 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production by 2030, significantly lower than countries such as the US, Germany, and Australia. However, a negative response from the industry led to this figure being increased to 10GW, with 5GW coming from green hydrogen. This was released as part of the Energy Security Strategy in early 2022.
Providing a further boost to the green hydrogen sector is the UK government’s plan to introduce a new certification to provide “reliable” hydrogen tracing. The new certification is set to be launched by 2025 and will be moulded via consultation with the industry. It is hoped that this will allow companies to source accurate, low carbon hydrogen as the UK looks to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors.
Scotland and England are leading the charge for hydrogen production in the UK. Most of the Scottish hydrogen production pipeline will “take advantage of its extensive wind generation resources” to produce the green energy carrier, with 31 projects with a total capacity of 6WM operational and a further 814MW planned. In comparison, England has 66 projects operational with a combined capacity of 11MW and an 853MW planned pipeline.
Energy generation and storage company Statera recently unveiled plans to develop a 3GW green hydrogen project in Scotland capable of supplying the UK with up to 30% of its 10GW by 2030 hydrogen target. The major green hydrogen project is set to harness surplus Scottish wind power to power an electrolyser facility, with the green hydrogen expected to supply Statera’s power generating facilities and the UK’s carbon-intensive industrial clusters via existing gas transmission pipelines. The project, if constructed, would be based in Kintore, Aberdeenshire.
Overall, the growth of the UK’s green hydrogen pipeline highlights the country’s potential to become a leader in low-carbon hydrogen production. However, challenges such as the scalability of electrolysis technology, the high cost of production, and the need for additional infrastructure for hydrogen transportation and storage still exist. Nonetheless, the UK government’s commitment to increasing low-carbon hydrogen production and introducing a reliable hydrogen certification provides hope that the country will continue to make significant strides towards a more sustainable future.
