UK H2Mobility's response to the publication of the UK Government's Hydrogen Strategy

The UK H2Mobility Consortium welcomes today's publication of the Hydrogen Strategy. Specifically, we welcome the Government’s acknowledgment of the role that hydrogen technologies will play in helping to deliver the UK's Net Zero targets, creating highly skilled green jobs, and improving air quality. Reflecting on the publication of today’s Strategy, alongside previous commitments made in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, we commend the Government in the thought and direction demonstrated by the combined commitments.

However, whilst we are pleased with the sentiment, detail and direction, we strongly believe even more ambition will be needed for the UK to maximise the potential of hydrogen. Considering the role hydrogen will play in decarbonising the UK’s transport economy, the UK H2Mobility consortium is calling for:

• an increase in the 5GW hydrogen production capacity target by 2030 to at least 10GW
• a commitment to a multi-year funded program for capital and operational support to deploy 100s of fuel cell trucks by 2025, with support in excess of £100 million.
• a commitment to extend the Zero Emission Bus Scheme to encompass hydrogen coach deployments which are currently unsupported.
• further commitments for funding for multi-modal hydrogen transport hubs in centres of large mobility demand such as major industrial cities and distribution hubs.
• a commitment to a multi-year funded program for capital and operational support to deploy 10s of fuel cell ships by 2025, with support in excess of £100 million.
• The creation of a subsidy uplift to the plug-in car and van scheme for the heavy use cars and vans sectors.

The UK has the opportunity to be a world-leader in the manufacture and deployment of hydrogen cars, buses, vans, trucks, trains, planes, ships and other hydrogen vehicles. The UK H2Mobility consortium is keen to support government in this endeavour, and whilst these two represent a positive step in the right direction, more ambition and work is required to keep the UK as a leading hydrogen economy.