The U.K. prepares for a blue hydrogen future by creating extensive CCS infrastructure

November 01, 2021 | Case Study

The U.K. presented its hydrogen strategy in the summer of 2021. This strategy calls for a "thriving hydrogen economy by 2030" in the U.K. The country is really betting big on hydrogen as the next staple energy carrier for its whole economy. The H21 series of projects have shown the technical and economic feasibility of converting the entire U.K. economy from natural gas to hydrogen. However, it should be noted that the economic feasibility of this endeavor hinges on the use of blue hydrogen, at least for the short and medium term. Green hydrogen could be a long-term solution if it can be imported from areas with very cheap (i.e., <20 $/MWh) renewable electricity. Therefore, for the next 20 years, the U.K.'s hydrogen plans depend on the availability of blue hydrogen and thus on the availability of carbon capture and storage capacity. To this end, the Northern Endurance Partnership develops three interdependent projects to provide hydrogen production capacity and CCS infrastructure.