Page 22 - Gi_Dec2021Jan2022

no regrets

the scale and pace of change required
important decisions need to be made CASE STUDY: THE DEPLOYMENT OF
and the short timescales for delivery,

before these uncertainties can be fully
resolved. However, we need to be CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS
careful not to lock ourselves into high
carbon pathways that will limit our HYDROGEN AND CARBON CAPTURE
future ability to achieve net zero.
Despite this, policymakers face a
profound challenge and must still By Ian McCluskey, IGEM (NIC) has argued in a recent report
make urgent decisions and identify Head of Technical & Policy that engineered greenhouse gas
immediate priority actions if we are to removal and storage, involving CCS,
move at the pace required to reach net will need to become a major new UK
zero by 2050. The financial and political WHY IS THE DEPLOYMENT of critical infrastructure sector in order to meet
viability of these low regrets, near-term technologies such as hydrogen and carbon targets and has recommended
decisions will be much greater if they carbon capture a low regrets option? the government must commit to
can achieve ‘quick wins’ while also Reaching net zero by 2050 will require deploying these technologies at scale
supporting the realisation of medium- the deployment of multiple critical no later than 2030.
and long-term opportunities and technologies and solutions supported Will not result in technological lock-
further decision making. by coordinated programmes and new in to high carbon technologies, instead
policies. Hydrogen (both so-called unlocking low carbon pathways and
As industrial, energy and green and blue hydrogen, with carbon making other low carbon interventions
transport systems begin capture and storage (CCS)) is a good feasible in the future: Every net zero
carbon society around the world will
example of a critical technology
to decarbonise, there is which needs to be deployed to need at least four net zero carbon
uncertainty as to what set of achieve net zero. Deployment of these energy storage and transmission
technologies will predominate technologies at pilot scale, meets vectors in different proportions
and it is still unclear how the four key criteria of the low regrets relating to their local circumstances
and endowments: electricity, hydrogen,
framework while the criteria that
technologies used in these are not met indicate key areas which synthetic fuels and biofuels. The main
systems will vary regionally would need to be addressed before issue that will play out over time is
and locally across the country wider scale deployment is possible. In the relative proportions and the roles
this case, it is precisely the remaining where each vector is most suitable.
uncertainties relating to technical and These proportions may also vary
The concept of low regrets decisions economic feasibility that pilot-scale according to changes in technology
could help to provide the basis for deployment of these technologies opportunity and customer adaption
making these urgent decisions and would address and it is the criticality and acceptance, so agility across the
can be used in combination with other of these technologies to achieving vectors and the ability to respond
approaches such as scenario planning. net zero, as well as the potential co- quickly will prove valuable. The
However, it is important to recognise benefits that could be realised, that Climate Change Committee’s (CCC)
that low regrets decisions alone will makes pilot-scale deployment a low Sixth Carbon Budget’s balanced net
not achieve net zero. Policymakers regrets decision. zero pathway envisions more than
will also have to make bigger, higher Will play a major part in reducing three quarters of hydrogen produced
stakes decisions if the UK is to achieve UK carbon emissions: In every net in 2050 will be blue and green
net zero, meaning many necessary zero pathway, hydrogen and CCS play hydrogen, meaning that a balanced
decisions will be beyond the scope of a significant role. The National Grid hydrogen strategy will be needed,
the low regrets framework presented in Future Energy Scenarios 2020 report involving the scale-up of both blue
the NEPC report. states “Hydrogen and carbon capture and green hydrogen. The development
Recent government announcements and storage must be deployed for net of hydrogen from fossil fuels, namely
including the 10-Point Plan for a Green zero. Industrial scale demonstration natural gas (blue hydrogen), is
Industrial Revolution and the Energy projects need to be operational this contingent on the successful roll out
White Paper contain policy interventions decade.” The Carbon Trust report, of CCS technologies. It is therefore a
that can be considered low regrets and Flexibility in Great Britain used the low regrets decision to incentivise and
are important next steps on the UK’s path advanced integrated whole energy promote developments in CCS not just
to net zero. As the government continues system (IWES) model to analyse the to facilitate the range of engineered
to develop its strategy for net zero, role and value of flexibility in various greenhouse gas removals outlined by
policymakers will need to be clear about energy scenarios through to 2050. the NIC but to unlock the capability
the sequencing of major decisions. They One of the key findings describes for hydrogen production and use,
will need to consider interdependencies how “the use of hydrogen across the alongside localised synergies across
between diverse policy interventions – energy system brings carbon and cost the industrial sectors where such
from space planning to carbon pricing benefits and requires a portfolio of facilities arise, thereby easing concerns
and consumer regulation – and how production methods and availability over supply shortfall in the short to
they will work together toward the of CCS infrastructure” if the system is medium terms. The development of
net zero goal. They will also need to coordinated effectively. In addition, the technologies that can produce green
maintain a focus on broader outcomes National Infrastructure Commission hydrogen at the required scale and
and on practical policy delivery.

22

18/11/2021 11:30
LowRegretsReport.indd 3 18/11/2021 11:30
LowRegretsReport.indd 3