£20M boost for UK’s hydrogen economy

New funding has been announced designed to boost innovation in the development of low cost hydrogen.

Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry delivered the £20M boost during a visit to Swindon’s innovative Hydrogen Hub and Recycling Technologies. The funding will help companies investigate the development of a low cost, low carbon hydrogen for industry, buildings and transport and help create hundreds of clean industry jobs.

Clean and green innovation is at the heart of the modern Industrial Strategy, with over £2.5Bn of government investment from 2015 to 2021.

Hydrogen fuel is a safe and low-carbon alternative for energy in buildings, industry, and transport – but is currently very costly to produce and transport. The £20M funding is aimed at changing this, looking to significantly reduce the high cost of producing large volumes of low carbon hydrogen, so that the technology can become a competitive, clean energy supply of the future.

Speaking at the Swindon Hydrogen Hub, Energy and Clean Growth Minister, Claire Perry, said: “Clean, green and safe, hydrogen has an exciting role to play powering the UK but needs to be cheaper and more widely available to live up to its potential. Today’s £20M funding boost, part of our modern Industrial Strategy, will help to address these challenges so that we can sustain the exciting momentum building in our low carbon hydrogen economy, creating high-value jobs up and down the country.

“Clean Growth is at the heart of our modern Industrial Strategy and creates huge opportunities for the UK, securing our place as global leaders in this field.”

The minister met with Hydrogen Hub members to discuss the UK’s strength in hydrogen and fuel cell technology development, and the potential for the UK to be at the forefront of a new hydrogen economy, helping us to meet our climate change targets.

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