Six Trade Bodies Call on the Chancellor to Commit to UK-Wide Hydrogen Strategy

Members of trade bodies the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, the Midlands Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Network, the British Hydropower Association, HyCymru (Wales Hydrogen Trade Association), RenewableUK and Hydrogen East have committed to join businesses investing £1.5bn in hydrogen technologies as they called on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to lay the foundations for a UK-wide hydrogen strategy.

As part of a cross-industry group, these bodies argue that developing a clear, strategic plan will unlock significant private funding in hydrogen technologies and manufacturing across the country, driving growth and generating hundreds of thousands of green jobs.

The campaign group, which combined employs around 100,000 people and has a value of £100bn in the UK, stands ready to invest up to £1.5bn in hydrogen projects and create thousands of jobs across the country.

Attracting cross-party support, the collective believes the UK has the potential to become a global leader in renewable and low-carbon hydrogen technology, but it must move fast to realise this opportunity and achieve the maximum economic benefit.

It follows announcements from the European Commission for its multi-billion-euro green recovery plan, with both Germany and Canada also outlining large-scale fiscal support for kick-starting their hydrogen economies.

The campaign group states a UK-wide hydrogen economy will:

• Create and sustain hundreds of thousands of high-skilled, green jobs, in all parts of the country and in alignment with the Government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda
• Drive progress to Net Zero and improve air quality in towns and cities
• Secure private investment into the UK, and unlock export opportunities for our products and skills
• Increase our energy security by making fuller use of the UK’s natural resources.

Chris Jackson, Chair of the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association	Simon Hamlyn, Chief Executive Officer, British Hydropower Association
Michaela Kendall, Chair of the Midlands Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Network	Guto Owen, Director, HyCymru (Wales Hydrogen Trade Association)
Nathan Bennett, Senior Public Affairs Manager, RenewableUK	Nigel Cornwall, Director, Hydrogen East

Source: UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association

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