Intended to be introduced by 2025, the certification scheme is hoped to demonstrate the emissions credentials of hydrogen, promoting cross-border trade whilst stimulating growth and jobs in green hydrogen.
Having now opened for consultation with industry, the Government say the scheme will help the UK energy market to verify sustainability claims and deliver industry and consumer confidence in low-carbon hydrogen.
The Government has proposed to use the methodology set out in the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard as the basis of the certification, which says hydrogen producers must meet a GHG emission intensity of 20g of CO2e/MJLHV or less of produced hydrogen to be considered low carbon.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to the point of production must be accounted for in the calculation, taking into account, feedstock supply, energy supply, input materials, process, fugitive non-CO2, CCS process and infrastructure, CO2 sequestration, and compression and purification.
“Consumers and businesses care about investing sustainably,” said Graham Stuart, Minister at the newly formed Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. “Thanks to this new scheme, investors and producers will be able to confidently identify and invest in trusted, high-quality British sources of low carbon hydrogen, both home and abroad.”
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The UK’s updated energy strategy, released in April 2022, saw the doubling its low-carbon hydrogen production target from 5GW to 10GW by 2030, with half to be completely green.
In another move to support UK hydrogen, the Government has announced it will extend the appointment of the first Hydrogen Champion, Jane Toogood, Chief Executive of Catalyst Technologies at Johnson Matthey, by another six months.
Established last July (2022), the Hydrogen Champion role is intended to bring together industry and government to accelerate the development of the UK hydrogen economy.
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Commenting on the planned certification scheme, Toogood said, “Hydrogen is an essential piece of the puzzle to decarbonise UK industry, support clean growth and improve our long-term energy security. It’s great to see progress being made towards setting up a UK certification scheme – this is key to growing a low carbon hydrogen economy.”
She added that her priorities in the Champion role will be to ensure that industry and government work together to generate investment in the hydrogen economy, kickstart hydrogen production, and develop a UK hydrogen supply chain.