Conclusion

Hydrogen integration within the UK energy system is vital for achieving the Net Zero goal and moving towards a clean and secure energy economy. With the UK government’s legally binding targets and major investment in a nationalised hydrogen network, it is vital that ambitious projects targets be met through extensive collaboration between the government, stakeholders, and the public. Indeed, deep-seated collaborative efforts form the basis of a centralised hydrogen economy, and extensive policy planning and cost-effective measures need to be in place to realise the UK hydrogen vision. Hydrogen’s versatility allows for applications across a multitude of sectors, including transportation, power generation, industry, building, and agriculture. By extensive investments in research and development and international collaboration, scaling up and rapid deployment of hydrogen technologies can be achieved. The approach must be methodical, covering the entire hydrogen value chain, from production to ‘end-use’ applications with T&S networks and infrastructure in between. The successful realisation of a nationalised hydrogen integration not only leads to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and achieving Net Zero goals, but also drives economic development by fostering innovation, creating new jobs and industries, and enhancing energy security through diversification of local hydrogen production processes. Yet, social implications of this transition must be handled with care, as without public perception and collaboration, especially in a diverse cultural community as the UK, the UK hydrogen vision will be hard to establish. Here, the government and regulatory bodies in different sectors must play a vital role in establishing policies to provide safety and standardisation regulations for the industry to conform to, which in turn will create a sense of security within the wider community. A diverse cultural community as the UK, located in clusters nationwide, might view the transition to hydrogen as a threat to energy security and daily routine. Although many UK hydrogen trials have been cancelled due to negative public perception, educating the diverse UK communities regarding the environmental and economic benefits of hydrogen might go a long way in inducing a positive outlook regarding hydrogen as the fuel of the future, especially highlighting the energy security that a nationalised UK hydrogen economy could provide.

This report is a key research outcome from the work package of the UK hydrogen roadmap from HI-ACT and presents as a stepping stone in this process, establishing a holistic roadmap, which are constantly evolving and adapting to include technological innovation across the entire hydrogen value chain. By successfully achieving a robust hydrogen technology roadmap, recommendations can be made to policymakers and stakeholders to aid the decision-making process regarding a holistic integration of hydrogen across a diverse multi-sector UK economy.