Page 5 - EurOil Week 34 2021

EurOil COMMENTARY EurOil

a hydrogen market in the near term. European Commission published the EU hydro-
While welcoming the strategy’s publication, gen strategy last summer. Petrochemicals pro-
Scottish Renewables said it was “important that ducer Ineos, one of the UK’s largest producers
the government does not take its eye off the prize of hydrogen, said the government needed to act
here: green hydrogen, made using electrolysis “quickly and decisively” in the sector.
powered by renewables like wind, solar, tidal “The development of the hydrogen economy
and more, is set to play a key role in decarbonis- is the UK’s best chance of reaching its carbon
ing the global energy system, and concentrating reduction targets and Ineos stands ready to play
on developing supply and a market for it now its part,” the company said. “But the govern-
should be governments’ top priority in this area.” ment must start to commit to investment in the
Chris Jackson, CEO and founder of green development of the UK’s hydrogen infrastruc-
hydrogen firm Protium, praised the govern- ture to enable the zero CO2 energy source to
ment’s backing of hydrogen, but questioned its be used in feedstocks, transport and homes. At
“twin track” approach. the moment, we are massively lagging behind
“By investing in blue hydrogen, the govern- Europe and words are not enough.”
ment will ensure that the UK is locked into a Criticism also came from within the govern-
fuel import strategy, that by design cannot be a ment, with Conservative MP for Ludlow and
net-zero solution and that will channel billions Environmental Audit Committee chairman
to the largest energy companies on earth instead Philip Dunne complaining that strategy left
of supporting and growing leading UK SMEs,” some issues unaddressed.
he said. “Innovators from the UK have been at “I welcome the eagerly awaited hydrogen
the forefront of hydrogen technologies and the strategy, which finally gives industry some clar-
UK industry has an enormously exciting oppor- ity on the government’s intention for hydrogen
tunity to continue paving the way in this field. in our low-carbon energy mix,” he said. “When
While this strategy is not necessarily worse than our committee undertook work on hydrogen
what we had been hoping to have confirmed by last year, we heard that the UK is ahead in terms
the government, it has not introduced a long list of technology and understanding, but lacked
of upsides and offers little to support the SME demand signals from government through a
space.” hydrogen strategy required to compete in the
Jackson even stepped down as chair of the global hydrogen economy.”
UK Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Association in pro- He said it was “disappointing that only now –
test against the government’s support for blue after being promised the strategy in November
hydrogen. last year – are the necessary consultations being
“I believe passionately that I would be betray- launched on how to overcome funding issues
ing future generations by remaining silent on and how to define ‘low-carbon’ hydrogen. These
that fact that blue hydrogen is at best an extensive critical issues should have been ironed out in
distraction, and at worst a lock-in for continue advance of this strategy.”
fossil fuel use that guarantees we will fail to meet “I urge the government to act swiftly on the
our decarbonisation goals,” he said in a separate outcomes of these consultations,” he continued.
statement. “The UK has a strategy advantage from the pros-
Meanwhile, others said the strategy fell short pect of generating green hydrogen from surplus
of ambitions, warning that the UK risked lag- offshore renewable energy generation, but the
ging behind the EU in the hydrogen field. The opportunity should not be missed.” ™

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