a methodology for calculating GHG emissions associated with hydrogen production.

Following extensive engagement with industry, academia and regulators, we are now setting out options for an emissions standard that defines what is meant by ‘low carbon’ hydrogen, including:

The UK Hydrogen Strategy, published alongside this consultation, sets out our approach to growing a new low carbon hydrogen economy, and as part of this we need to ensure that the hydrogen being produced is sufficiently low carbon to help meet our decarbonisation goals.

However, as we look to meet our carbon budget and net zero commitments, we will need to switch to alternative low carbon production methods. Current hydrogen production in the UK is almost all derived from fossil fuels, using steam methane reformation from natural gas without capturing and storing any of the resulting carbon emissions. There are a variety of different ways to produce hydrogen, and whether this hydrogen is low carbon or not depends on the energy inputs and technologies used throughout this process. Working with industry, the UK’s ambition is for 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030.

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