Latest News on the UK Hydrogen Economy - 12/08/20
Ames Goldsmith Ceimig are strong supports of the emerging Hydrogen Economy and supply many manufacturers of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology including PEM Electrolysers and PEM Fuel Cells with Iridium Catalysts and Platinum Catalysts.
In the UK we are members of the UKHFCA & SHFCA. Here are some of the recent developments in Hydrogen happening in the UK and affecting the Hydrogen Economy more broadly:
Hydrogen backbone plan across Europe by 2040:
A plan to create a dedicated hydrogen pipeline network across Europe of almost 23,000 km by 2040 has recently been unveiled by a group of eleven European gas infrastructure companies. The European Hydrogen Backbone vision paper was released last week, and outlines how a new hydrogen pipeline backbone could be built and used in parallel to the existing natural gas grid. This hydrogen backbone would offer the most cost-effective option for moving low carbon energy at multi-GW scale across Europe with options for the UK.
National Grid has today published their latest version of Future Energy Scenarios, FES 2020:
National Grid today released their latest set of Future Energy Scenarios, the tenth in their annual series of rapidly evolving Future Energy Scenarios. FES 2020 is their first set of scenarios to address the challenge of Net Zero, and finds that hydrogen could be the solution to many of the hardest parts of achieving this transition. Hydrogen is expected to provide between 21% and 59% of 2050 net zero end-user energy needs for the UK in the three FES 2020 scenarios which achieve Net Zero.
UK Government £139M support for Low Carbon Industry Regions:
The UK Government today announced ambitious funding to support the leveling up of the UK’s regions through creating low carbon industrial regions. Projects in Scotland, the Tees Valley, Humber, South Wales, and on Merseyside will have the opportunity to bid for a share of £139 million pounds to drive clean growth and level up economic opportunities through the deployment of carbon capture and low carbon hydrogen.
Ambitious plans to decarbonise Scottish rail services by 2035:
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson announced on Tuesday 28th July Transport Scotland’s Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan to decarbonise Scotland’s rail network, with a commitment to decarbonise passenger rail services by 2035 using battery and hydrogen powered trains.
UK gas networks to slash grid emissions by transitioning to hydrogen:
Replacing old, iron gas pipes with hydrogen and biomethane-ready plastic pipes in the UK will help cut carbon emissions and deliver the world’s first zero carbon gas grid.
New research, involving scientists at Queen Mary University of London, suggests that graphene could be used to make more durable hydrogen fuel cells for cars.
Aberdeen is set to become the first city in the world to introduce hydrogen-powered double decker buses:
The new additions to the hydrogen fleet will underline the city’s role as a pioneer in green energy.
The contract which was signed this month will deliver 15 city buses. The project has been funded by Aberdeen City Council, European Union (FCH JU) and Scottish Government with an investment of about £500k per vehicle, building on the initial research funding contributed by the Scottish Cities Alliance.
Cadent ready to roll out Hydrogen in North West of England:
Cadent are primed to "build back better" using existing gas networks to reduce emissions using hydrogen.
Hydrogen could provide a third of Greater Manchester’s energy, new report says:
Greater Manchester in the UK has set out a bold ambition to become net zero carbon by 2038, aligning it with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Bramble Energy secures £5M for fuel cell scale-up and deployment:
Bramble Energy, has announced investment of £5m to develop the only technology capable of producing gigawatts of hydrogen fuel cells using existing global manufacturing resources. This new funding will support the launch of Bramble Energy’s portable power product range, starting with a low cost, flexible 20W unit, shortly followed by 60W and 100W versions, that are zero-emissions replacements for diesel generator technology.
Logan Energy gets hydrogen on the road in multi-million pound Teesside project:
Hydrogen technology specialist, Logan Energy, has been chosen as the preferred partner to supply two of the first publicly-accessible hydrogen refueling stations in Teesside, in a £2.25 million project that will allow cars and vans to be powered by the superfuel.
UK hydrogen train industry receives major investment:
A bold plan to fast-track the hydrogen train industry in the UK has been unveiled today with a further £1m investment from British rolling stock company Eversholt Rail and Alstom