The Green Hydrogen Alliance (GHA) is a new, independent business group representing some of the leading companies involved in the supply and use of green hydrogen. Launched today, it aims to help ensure the UK remains globally competitive in the development and deployment of one of the most exciting technologies for enabling decarbonisation.
The GHA brings together businesses across the entire hydrogen supply chain, including Airbus, Air Products, Associated British Ports, London City Airport, Tata Steel, World Kinect; as well as an advisory board including Cranfield University and the Thames Estuary Growth Board. The purpose of the group is to highlight the huge potential opportunities that exist in the application of green hydrogen to some of the UK’s leading industries - from aviation and road haulage to industrial usage and the decarbonisation of power. It will also detail what can be done to accelerate the commercial viability of green hydrogen technologies.
The Alliance welcomes the Government’s ambitious targets for green hydrogen and states the positive opportunities that can be taken in the policy and regulatory environment to go further. Accelerating policy will help ensure that the UK does not fall behind overseas competitors such as Germany and the Netherlands, who have set out strategies to drive a more rapid development towards their own green hydrogen economies.
A spokesperson for the Green Hydrogen Alliance said: “We welcome the Government’s ambitious target of 5GW of electrolytic hydrogen production by 2030, but we must move further and faster on policy if we are to unlock the benefits green hydrogen will bring.”
Green – or electrolytic – hydrogen can play a key role in both the UK’s transition to Net Zero, showing considerable promise in sectors, such as heavy industry or transport, where carbon emissions are harder to abate through electrification or other technologies.
A recent report into the potential of zero emissions flight, for example, indicated that the entire UK regional fleet could effectively be replaced with safe, certified and zero-carbon emission aircraft by 2040, provided sufficient aircraft production capacity exists matched by sufficient fuel and infrastructure availability.
As well as looking in-depth at the commercial viability of green hydrogen across a number of leading UK sectors, the Green Hydrogen Alliance will analyse the economic impact that the development of green hydrogen uses could have on specific areas of the country, from Wales to the Humber, through to the Thames Estuary.
The GHA will undertake new analysis assessing where the barriers are to the UK becoming a genuine global leader in a technology that could help meet carbon reduction targets, increase energy security and create thousands of new renewable energy jobs across the country.
The Alliance is apolitical and will work with both the Government and all political parties, as well as civil service officials and industry groups, to help them understand the opportunities of a burgeoning green hydrogen industry.
A spokesperson for the Green Hydrogen Alliance said: “Green hydrogen could provide a secure supply of green energy while also helping the UK in its efforts to decarbonise. We look forward to working with policymakers to ensure the country can fulfil its potential in this exciting developing technology.”