Latest News on the UK Hydrogen Economy - 19/05/21

Ames Goldsmith Ceimig, as a manufacturer of catalysts such as Iridium Oxide, Iridium Ruthenium Oxide, Iridium Black, Platinum Black & Platinum on Carbon support, are strong supports of the emerging Hydrogen Economy and supply many manufacturers of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology including PEM Electrolysers and PEM Fuel Cells.

In the UK we are members of the UKHFCA & SHFCA. Here are some of the recent developments in Hydrogen happening in the UK and affecting the Hydrogen Economy more broadly:

Global electrolyser capacity set to grow by 1,000-fold by 2040, says report - weblink

A new report released by Aurora Energy Research has projected that the global electrolyser capacity will grow by 1,000-fold by 2040 should all expected projects go ahead.

This will see the capacity grow to over 200GW in hydrogen electrolyser projects around the world, many of which will be situated in Europe.

In addition to this, Germany has been identified as one of the most attractive markets for low carbon hydrogen investment in Europe with 23% of planned electrolyser capacity globally by 2040.

IEA latest report on H2 in North-Western Europe - weblink

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released their latest technology report on Hydrogen in North-Western Europe: A vision towards 2030. This paper aims to foster a deeper discussion about ways for countries in the north-western European region to collaborate and benefit from hydrogen developments across neighboring countries with a view to accelerating national deployment and the development of a regional hydrogen market.

This study has been carried out by the International Energy Agency and the Clingendael International Energy Program to explore the status of hydrogen in the north-western European region and how the sector could evolve towards 2030. National policies and project plans for hydrogen development are brought together to explore opportunities to tap into the full potential of hydrogen as a clean energy vector. For the purpose of this report, the north-western European countries considered are Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom.

This report finds that in the Accelerated scenario, the hydrogen sector would observe a significant expansion. Demand for pure hydrogen could grow by as much as 60%, reaching close to 6 million tonnes of hydrogen per year across the region by 2030. Hydrogen demand growth by 2030 could be driven by new industrial applications (primarily in iron and steel), mobility, grid injection or power generation. Hydrogen supply would also observe a significant shift toward low-carbon production.

Clean hydrogen production could be brought below $2/kg by 2030, says new report - weblink

In its new report Making the Hydrogen Economy Possible: Accelerating clean hydrogen in an electrified economy, the ETC outlines the role of clean hydrogen in achieving a highly electrified net-zero economy. The report sets out how a combination of private-sector collaboration and policy support can drive the initial ramp up of clean hydrogen production and use to reach 50 million tonnes by 2030.

Clean hydrogen will play a complementary role to decarbonise sectors where direct electrification is likely to be technologically very challenging or prohibitively expensive, such as in steel production and long-distance shipping. The report highlights how critical rapid ramp-up of production and use in the 2020s is to unlock cost reductions and to make mid-century growth targets achievable.

ITM Motive Becomes a Separate Limited Company Group refuelling assets, resources and personnel transferred - weblink

ITM Power announces the establishment of ITM Motive Limited (“ITM Motive”), registered in England with company number 13290733, as a separate, wholly owned subsidiary of ITM Power PLC. All English refuelling assets owned by ITM Power (Trading) Limited have been transferred to ITM Motive, and resources and personnel have been transferred to ITM Motive, which was set up as a division in 2020 with the appointment of Dr Duncan Yellen as Managing Director.

“Forming ITM Motive into a separate legal entity gives us the agility to form flexible business plans for our new builds as we look to scale up to cater for fleets of commercial and municipal vehicles”, said Duncan Yellen, Managing Director of ITM Motive. “We look forward to creating new partnerships and developing new investment models as we take our portfolio of hydrogen refuelling stations to the next level to meet demand from the exciting range of new hydrogen vehicles that are set to enter the UK market over the next year.”

ITM Motive owns and operates a portfolio of 12 Hydrogen Refuelling Station (HRS) assets, eight of which are currently commissioned with a further four in build or funded, making it the largest operator of HRS in the UK. The portfolio has a total hydrogen generation capacity of 3.1 tonnes per day and a dispensing capacity of 7.8 tonnes per day which at full capacity and today’s hydrogen fuel prices would produce annual revenues of £9.27m.

Element Two’s plans for 800+ hydrogen pumps in the UK progress; inks agreement with H2 Green - weblink

Element Two’s plans to deploy more than 800 hydrogen pumps in the UK over the next six years have taken a big step forward.

The UK company today (5th May) said it has signed an agreement that will see H2 Green, a Getech Group subsidiary, supply the ambitious station network with green hydrogen.

Element Two said the agreement provides a path by which both companies can align production and distribution strategies and accelerate the creation of the UK’s first hydrogen network.

Bosch to invest €1bn into fuel cell technology - weblink

The CEO of Bosch expects the green hydrogen market in the EU to be worth EUR 40 billion (USD 48 billion) by 2030, with annual growth rates of 65%.

At the Bosch annual press conference, Dr. Volkmar Denner commented on an astonishing estimate that the market for mobile fuel cell components could be worth around EUR 18 billion by the end of this decade.

Denner said “Bosch is already hydrogen ready” and reiterated the company’s commitment to investing EUR 1 billion in fuel cell technology – an emerging part of the EU hydrogen market – from 2021 to 2024.

Angel Trains invest £500K in Scottish H2 train infrastructure - weblink

Angel Trains, one of Britain’s leading rolling stock asset managers, has announced it will partner with Arcola Energy and its industry consortium partners in delivering Scotland’s Zero Emission Train project, as part of Scotland’s Rail Decarbonisation Programme. Angel Trains will also invest over £500,000 in green hydrogen refuelling infrastructure as part of the project to deliver Scotland’s first hydrogen powered train offering a zero-carbon alternative to the country’s rail network.

The industry consortium, led by SHFCA member Arcola Energy, was formed in response to an opportunity created by the Scottish Government to foster rail innovation and supply chain development as part of the country’s decarbonisation strategy. The Transport Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and the University of St Andrews/Hydrogen Accelerator backed project will see the demonstration of a deployment-ready hydrogen-powered train during COP26.

EU focus on H2 innovation driving the green revolution - weblink

This recent ‘In Focus’ news article from the European Commission summarises some of the initiatives and programmes now underway to deliver the EU Hydrogen Strategy, with hydrogen as a key enabler for decarbonising ‘hard to treat’ sectors such as heavy transport and energy intensive industries.

It also highlights the importance of hydrogen research and innovation which will now continue with Horizon Europe, the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation until 2027 with a budget of €95.5 billion. Horizon Europe will take a new approach to partnerships, with objective-driven and more ambitious partnerships with industry in support of EU policy objectives.

The UK is expected to soon become an associated country to the EU’s Horizon Europe Programme, enabling UK organisations to participate in Horizon Europe activities on similar terms to other countries associated to the Programme

Transitioning the UK’s gas networks to hydrogen - weblink

A range of innovation projects are underway in the UK working on how to transition the country’s gas networks from delivering natural gas to hydrogen, so homes and businesses can continue to receive the energy they need safely and securely.

Led by the UK’s five gas network operators – Cadent, National Grid, Northern Gas Networks, SGN and Wales & West Utilities, these projects range from testing blending up to 20% of hydrogen into the existing gas grid to how we will transport 100% renewable hydrogen from offshore wind turbines all the way to people’s living rooms.

A major new blueprint plotting the course to deliver the UK’s hydrogen objectives outlined in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution was unveiled by Energy Networks Association’s Gas Goes Green programme in January.

Aberdeen H2 district heat networks £100K feasibility study - weblink

Aberdeen City Council has issued a notice on Public Contracts Scotland for a feasibility study on Hydrogen for District Heat Networks.

This work is part of the Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub activities, and includes a technical study and route map for the integration of hydrogen into Aberdeen's existing District Heat Networks.

The expected value of the work is excluding VAT is £100,000 and this feasibility study is expected to take 3 months. Tenders are to be submitted by 24 May 2021 at 17:00 local time.