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UK HYDROGEN and Fuel Cell
Association defines ‘blue hydrogen’
as the process of converting natural
gas to hydrogen and CO₂, with
the CO₂ being sent to geological
storage sites. Currently there is no
internationally accepted definition
of what counts as blue hydrogen,
but in the UK all projects are
setting a high bar with >95 per
cent CO₂ removal from the process
being considered a minimum. It
is possible for biomethane to be
converted in the same process
which, when coupled with CCUS,
will lead to negative emissions.

for blue hydrogen projects will
drive innovation and investment.
Confirmation on the way forward
for hydrogen blending into the
gas grid and the implementation
of certification schemes are two
examples of where clear direction
from government will be key.
Ambitious targets for blue hydrogen
production equivalent to those for
green hydrogen are also critical
- with an emphasis on the need
to grow all types of low carbon
hydrogen to scale. This is crucial to
incentivising investment in the UK
hydrogen sector and aligning to the
various hydrogen needs for different
sectors and end users.
Given the potential for the UK to be a
world leading producer of hydrogen,
the government should develop an
industry-wide plan for international
co-operation, including boosting
hydrogen exports and imports. There
is also huge scope for exporting
lue hydrogen is essential to the we need clearer direction and support technologies, products and services.
UK’s transition to low carbon from government including: Finally, there is a need for support
energy as part of the 2050 net Low carbon hydrogen standards to enable the transition from the
zero targets. The potential need to be set and implemented traditional roles for oil and gas, with
B for low carbon hydrogen is for the carbon content of hydrogen, blue hydrogen playing an important
particularly high in industrial processes maximising the contribution to role in the ‘just transition’. This
and in hard-to-abate sectors, especially emissions reduction. In order to help offers a route to securing workers’
heavy-duty vehicles, shipping, heating, make hydrogen the fuel of the future, employment and leveraging skills
aviation and energy storage. it is critical that emissions standards from a legacy sector into a new energy
The UK is well placed to take are both standardised and trusted - a sector - across hundreds of thousands
advantage of the opportunities from crucial step towards achieving the of jobs as we transition to net zero.
low carbon blue hydrogen given the net zero targets.
existing, historic large-scale production To enable low carbon hydrogen BACKGROUND
of natural gas, and the government’s production at scale and across all There is little doubt that low carbon
commitment to the technology as part colours, government will need to hydrogen is an essential component
of the energy transition, including provide business models and targeted of the future net zero economy,
the investment in carbon capture, support mechanisms, complementary particularly to decarbonise hard-to-
utilisation and storage (CCUS) across to carbon pricing to facilitate the abate sectors, such as high temperature
four industrial clusters. transition away from fossil fuels. industrial processes, heavy duty
But if we are to maximise the Clarity and greater certainty transport, aviation, shipping, non-
potential of blue hydrogen in the UK, around the support available electrified train lines, heating,

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