The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched a session, exploring hydrogen production, distribution and potential application.
On 7 May, it explained existing resources place the UK at an advantage for incorporating hydrogen into the energy mix at scale, meaning it could play a key role in meeting the 2050 net zero target. With the government having invested £160mn into hydrogen projects, the EAC will consider the opportunities to maximise continued development and effectiveness, and the challenges faced by the industry in delivering greater capacity as it continues its inquiry into Technological Innovations and Climate Change.
Written submissions are invited on areas including the effectiveness of the government’s investment into hydrogen projects in moving the sector towards becoming an integral part of a low cost, low-carbon economy; the level of output the sector can deliver in the UK and what government support would be needed to achieve this; and whether the industry’s claim of widespread applicability of hydrogen technology in transport, heating and other sectors is realistic.
EAC Chair, Philip Dunne, said: “As we near our commitment of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we must consider all options to generate energy that does not harm the environment. Hydrogen could form part of the solution – but it must be produced, stored and used in ways that do not create harmful emissions and maintain the highest safety standards. In 2018, 95% of hydrogen was produced using fossil fuels, so it is clear there are significant hurdles that must be overcome for it to become a viable, clean energy source.”
