The UK Hydrogen economy is quietly gaining traction with a greater interest in its flexibility and suitability for use in the energy, heavy-duty, off-highway and marine sectors.
Dolphin N2 recently reported on the IAAPS innovation and development programme which has received a multi-million-pound investment into hydrogen research and testing, including the installation of a green hydrogen production and storage facility.
The introduction of a green hydrogen facility can support IAAPS in their research and development capabilities for the heavy-duty transport, aviation, marine and off-highway sectors.
This innovative approach by IAAPS gives the UK green hydrogen economy a much-needed boost and recognises yet again the import part hydrogen plays in the decarbonisation of the transport sector and beyond.
The UK Government has long recognised the unique qualities hydrogen can bring to the decarbonisation of certain transportation sectors.
As part of the UK Governments drive towards reducing carbon emissions during the production of hydrogen, they have spearheaded the following ambitious investment programmes.
£240 million has been allocated to the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF) by supporting hydrogen production projects with upfront costs, stimulating private sector investment, and developing the pipeline of projects needed to deliver hydrogen production at scale by 2030. (1)
A further £26m has also been provided through the Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator, £55m through the NZIP Industrial Fuel Switching Competition and up to £60m via the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. (1)
The hydrogen economy is attracting more and more ambitious projects with many of them directly benefitting from UK government funding.
Many of the projects putting themselves forward for investment are keen to showcase the importance and versatility of green and low carbon hydrogen and how their projects can support the UK transport decarbonisation programmes.
In this article we highlight how a handful of the ambitious UK hydrogen projects are competing for funding from the UK Government and investment from the private sector.
Lanarkshire Green Hydrogen
Octopus Hydrogen is a hydrogen developer and technology company. Its aim is to produce green hydrogen using electrolysers powered entirely by renewable energy.
Lanarkshire Green Hydrogen will deploy 15MW of electrolysis directly connected to an onshore wind farm, to produce over 3.5 tonnes per day of green hydrogen. The hydrogen will be used by customers to replace high emission fuels such as diesel and support the decarbonisation of sectors like commercial transport. It can also be used to displace grey hydrogen used in industrial processes. (2)
Port of Felixstowe Green Hydrogen Project
ScottishPower and Hutchison Ports have identified the Port of Felixstowe as a highly strategic location for a large-scale green hydrogen hub. Deploying 100MW of electrolytic hydrogen production by 2026, the project will provide a significant contribution to the UK Government low-carbon hydrogen production capacity targets of 10GW by 2030. (2)
The system will use 100% renewable electricity to power electrolysers, which take in water and produce carbon free green hydrogen. The ports will benefit from the carbon free fuel which will provide the means to fuel-switch machinery, including terminal tractors, cranes and rail shunters and will be used in on-site vehicles. (2)
Conrad Energy Hydrogen Lowestoft
Conrad Energy Hydrogen will build a new hydrogen production capacity of 2MW, using electrolysis in Lowestoft, East Suffolk.
The hydrogen will initially be used as vehicle fuel for marine vessels serving offshore wind turbines, with several other off-takers also interested in using the hydrogen. The plant will produce 150 tonnes of hydrogen per year, assuming 30% load factor due to intermittent renewable power input, which will annually eliminate the usage of 500,000 litres of diesel, reducing emissions by 1,250 tonnes of CO2-equivalent.
The ambition demonstrated by these few examples of the burgeoning low carbon and green hydrogen economy cannot be ignored. Despite there still being some challenges with regards to infrastructure, storage, and transportation; it is clear from some of these examples that hydrogen being produced and sometimes used in situ; could be an answer to some of these inherent challenges and support promotion and uptake of hydrogen as a low carbon/zero emissions alternative for difficult to decarbonise transport networks. (2)
Written and cited by Katy Mason for and on behalf of Dolphin N2.
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-security-bill-factsheets/energy-security-bill-factsheet-hydrogen-and-industrial-carbon-capture-business-models
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/net-zero-hydrogen-fund-strands-1-and-2-successful-applicants/net-zero-hydrogen-fund-strands-1-and-2-summaries-of-successful-applicants-round-1-april-2022-competition#:~:text=for%20the%20project.-,HyNet%20Hydrogen%20Production%20Plant%20HPP2,production%20hub%20in%20the%20UK.
