Towards a green hydrogen roadmap for the UK
This report summarises the findings of a joint Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering workshop on the key needs for creating a world-class hydrogen economy in the UK.
Green hydrogen has emerged as a leading solution to help countries meet their net zero targets. In January 2024, the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering hosted a workshop where the hydrogen community explored the challenges, opportunities, and enablers for a route towards developing a green hydrogen economy in the UK.
What is green hydrogen?
Hydrogen can replace fossil fuels in a variety of applications, from use in decarbonising industrial processes, to powering transportation and in large-scale electricity storage. Hydrogen emits only water when burned, making it a clean alternative to fossil fuel combustion. However, most hydrogen today is produced using fossil fuels, in processes that release greenhouse gasses.
Green hydrogen production overcomes the greenhouse gas challenge. It is produced by using renewable electricity to split water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2), via electrolysis, releasing no greenhouse gases. This offers a promising route towards a net zero future. However, rapid development is essential to meet net zero by 2050. There are a number of associated enablers, opportunities and challenges with rapidly upscaling this new technology.
What can green hydrogen be used for?
Green hydrogen can be used to replace fossil fuels in engines and heaters, generate electricity in fuel cells, store renewable energy in bulk and replace the use of fossil fuels in the chemical industry. It will be best employed where renewable electricity cannot be used, as a lot of energy is lost in the production of green hydrogen.
What are some of the challenges in scaling up green hydrogen production and use in the UK?
The report from the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering identifies key challenges in scaling up green hydrogen production, storage and use. This includes the need to encourage investment, upskilling the workforce, developing robust regulatory frameworks, effective public engagement and the development of coordinated national and regional infrastructure to successfully role out this technology at scale.
Key requirements for developing a UK green hydrogen economy
The findings of the workshop outline some of the key needs for the UK to develop a green hydrogen economy, these include:
- Scaling up electrolyser production, supported by robust supply chains
- Strong research and development infrastructure to overcome technical barriers
- Development and retention of green hydrogen skills in the workforce, supported by training and a strong higher education sector
- Public engagement and consultation
- Standardised regulations, including on testing and safety
- Flexible and future-proof hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure
- Synergies between production sites and end-users
- Coordination between industry and local and national government
- Private investment, supported by clear and stable policies to develop markets and fund expansion
Further reading
Green hydrogen is viewed as one of the key ways to provide cleaner fuel and achieve these targets government net zero targets. But in order to fully harness the power of this valuable energy source the government must also kick-start the construction of large-scale hydrogen storage facilities, a topic we explore in our Large Scale Electricity report.
Battcock Professor of Environmental Economics at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, Cameron Hepburn, explores the economic viability of large-scale hydrogen storage in this blogpost.