Page 4 - Euroil Week 32 2021

EurOil COMMENTARY EurOil
UK can lead the way in hydrogen: Xodus
The UK has all the right conditions to become a world leader in hydrogen energy, according to Xodus, but it must embrace blue hydrogen as well as green
UK
WHAT:
The UK is ideally
placed geographically, technically, financially and politically to develop hydrogen, Xodus has said in a report.
WHY:
It has well-developed gas supply and infrastructure and huge offshore wind energy and CCS potential, among other benefits.
WHAT NEXT:
The government is set to publish its long-awaited hydrogen strategy later this year, and Xodus calls on Whitehall to “resist the temptation” to focus only on green hydrogen.
THE UK has the potential to be a world leader in hydrogen energy, global energy consultancy Xodus said in a report on August 2, urging the government to “resist the temptation” to focus only on green hydrogen and embrace natural gas-derived blue hydrogen as well.
A raft of investments in blue hydrogen have already been announced in the UK, with pro- ponents arguing that the country should har- ness its remaining natural gas reserves to create low-carbon energy for years to come. The gov- ernment has expressed support for blue hydro- gen, but those environmental groups that are on board with hydrogen at all are very dismissive of blue hydrogen, arguing that it allows fossil fuels to continue playing a role in energy supply. And while Whitehall included hydrogen in its 10-point climate action plan unveiled last year, it is yet to set out its position formally in a hydro- gen strategy, repeatedly delaying the document’s release.
The UK has an edge in both blue and green hydrogen production in many ways, however, according to Xodus.
“The UK is ideally placed geographically, technically, financially and politically to be a global low-carbon centre, spanning both green and blue hydrogen production,” the consultancy said. “We have an abundance of all the raw mate- rials needed for low-carbon hydrogen.”
The UK has substantial offshore wind energy potential. It is the windiest country in Europe and could one day have more than 150 GW of wind generation capacity, according to Xodus,
and some of this can be used to produce green hydrogen. The country also has well-established gas and port infrastructure that could help it dis- tribute and even export hydrogen. It is also near industrialised areas in north Europe that could serve as customers for these exports.
Furthermore, the UK workforce boasts strong engineering and project management skills, and has sophisticated and co-operative regulatory bodies that can support hydrogen development, while its strong financial sector provides a great means of accessing green funds.
Blue benefits
The UK also has significant gas resources and a well-developed supply chain for them that should also be exploited, Xodus stated. The resulting CO2 released when the hydrogen is produced from this gas could also be stored offshore, with the British Geological Survey estimating that the country could store up to 70 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent in North Sea structures. This is equivalent to 190 years of the country’s CO2 emissions and more storage space than it would ever need, according to Xodus.
“A brand of ‘UK low-carbon hydrogen should be championed, a mix of both green and blue,” the consultancy argues, urging the government to “resist the temptation to deliver only green hydrogen to the continent, as this is not in the UK’s interest. As an industry and a nation, we need to push back against just green hydro- gen and actively campaign for blue or teal UK low-carbon hydrogen.”
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w w w . N E W S B A S E . c o m Week 32 11•August•2021