The UK hydrogen sector expects little impact on its momentum from the recent change in the country’s leadership.

New UK prime minister Liz Truss—the foreign secretary of the previous administration—has taken particular focus on energy security, although she has been criticised for her leadership campaign’s opposition to onshore renewables and support for new oil and gas production.

In yesterday’s parliamentary debate on energy costs, in which Truss unveiled a plan to freeze energy bills at £2,500/yr, hydrogen was included in a list of clean energy technologies for which the government will “speed up deployment”.

While Truss has also pledged to “make sure that the UK is an energy exporter by 2040”, she has not clarified whether this will primarily be in the form of oil and gas, electricity or hydrogen.

“We must tackle the root causes of problems in our energy market by boosting domestic supply… investing in renewable energy with vim and vigour, accelerating the deployment of wind, solar and—particularly exciting—hydrogen technologies,” said Jacob Rees-Mogg, the recently appointed secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy.

“Hydrogen delivers against a range of policy objectives including energy resilience, economic growth and net zero” Greaves, UK HFCA

Hydrogen and other clean energy trade associations are optimistic about continued policy support.

“We see no reason to anticipate a change in hydrogen policy in the UK following Liz Truss’s election success and are looking forward to working with the administration to realise her recently stated ambition: ‘I want to see us do more on hydrogen’,” says Celia Greaves, CEO of the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (UK HFCA).

“Hydrogen delivers against a range of policy objectives including energy resilience, economic growth and net zero,” she adds.

Similarly, trade association Hydrogen UK “[welcomes] the new government” and looks forward to “working together to accelerate the hydrogen economy, given our shared passion to see Britain take a leading role in the global energy system,” according to CEO Clare Jackson.

Industry association RenewableUK has urged Truss to accelerate the rollout of renewables, including as a means for green hydrogen production.

“Liz Truss is right to highlight our enormous potential not only to boost the UK’s energy security, but also to become a net exporter of energy by 2040,” says RenewableUK CEO Dan McGrail. “Harnessing our massive resources of renewables and green hydrogen potential will be key to achieving this.”

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Author: Polly Martin