Introduction
The Foresight Hydrogen Production Conference convened industry leaders, policymakers, and technology experts to discuss the future of hydrogen production, infrastructure, and market development. Moderated by Andrew Winship (Deputy Chair of the Hydrogen Energy Association and Head of Hydrogen for GHD in EMEA), the opening session featured speakers from Progressive Energy, Siemens Energy, Air Products, Convert Well, and Northern Valve & Fitting Company.
Discussions covered large-scale hydrogen projects, infrastructure requirements, hydrogen storage, policy and business models, and the role of imported hydrogen. Key themes that emerged included the importance of scaling up infrastructure, improving cost efficiency, integrating hydrogen into power generation, and ensuring a clear market strategy for hydrogen adoption.
View Session Slides
1. The Role of Hydrogen in Industrial Decarbonisation
Chris Manson-Whitton (CEO, Progressive Energy) set the stage with an overview of the HyNet project in northwest England. He emphasised the dual role of hydrogen:
Reindustrialisation – Using hydrogen to decarbonise industries such as glass manufacturing, chemicals, and power generation.
Infrastructure development – Establishing a hydrogen distribution network and large-scale storage to create market stability and enable flexible hydrogen delivery.
A key takeaway from his speech was that HyNet is demand-driven, with major industrial players like Pilkington Glass, Encirc, and Kellogg’s committed to adopting hydrogen. He stressed that hydrogen storage is the “superpower” enabling long-duration energy resilience, crucial for integrating renewable energy sources.
Storage & Infrastructure Considerations:
HyNet’s underground salt cavern storage facility will provide 1.3 TWh of hydrogen storage capacity—far exceeding current energy storage solutions.
High-pressure hydrogen pipelines will be key to managing supply risks and stabilising industrial adoption.
The UK government’s funding commitment for HyNet and the East Coast Cluster in 2023 was a major milestone, but political support remains crucial for long-term development.
2. The Hydrogen Business Model: Challenges & Reforms Needed
Matthew Knight (Siemens Energy) provided a critical evaluation of the UK’s hydrogen business model, arguing that the current subsidy structure is unsustainable.
The government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round 1 (HAR1) subsidy will increase gas bills by £2.60-£4 per year for only 125 MW of hydrogen capacity.
Scaling to 10 GW under the existing model would add £200-£300 to household energy bills, making hydrogen unaffordable.
He advocated for targeting subsidies at high-value hydrogen applications such as energy storage and power balancing, rather than for basic heat applications.
Recommendations for Reform:
Hydrogen should support long-term energy storage for grid stability rather than just replacing natural gas for low-grade heat.
Electricity market reform is crucial—wind farms should be incentivized to produce hydrogen instead of shutting down during periods of excess electricity generation.
Investment in hydrogen-powered gas turbines could provide dispatchable, low-carbon power generation, reducing dependency on fossil fuel-based peaking plants.
3. Large-Scale Green Hydrogen & Imports: A Stepping Stone for the UK
Frederic Le Sene (Air Products) presented Air Products’ hydrogen strategy, emphasising the role of imported green hydrogen as a short-term solution while domestic production scales up.
Key Highlights:
Neom Project (Saudi Arabia):
A 4 GW wind and solar farm producing 600 tons/day of green hydrogen, to be shipped as ammonia for global export.
The UK could benefit from cheaper imported hydrogen, complementing domestic electrolyser production.
Immingham Hydrogen Facility (UK):
320 GWh of ammonia-based energy storage, with dispatchable hydrogen production for local industry and transport applications.
Supports hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, including buses and industrial transport.
Frederic warned that the UK lags behind the EU in hydrogen policy:
The EU has a 10 GW domestic + 10 GW import strategy.
Lack of UK import incentives is slowing progress and could lead to missed economic opportunities.
4. Upstream Hydrogen Production & Carbon Capture Utilisation
Belinda Perriman (Convert Well) explored a novel approach to hydrogen production by converting existing gas fields into hydrogen-producing facilities.
Concept Overview:
Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) at the gas source with carbon capture.
Reinjecting CO₂ into the base of producing gas reservoirs for pressure maintenance & storage.
Reduces CO₂ transport costs, extends the life of gas fields, and improves hydrogen production efficiency.
Potential Benefits:
Reduces CAPEX and OPEX compared to traditional blue hydrogen projects.
Utilises existing oil & gas infrastructure, creating a circular hydrogen economy.
Middle Eastern and offshore operators are actively exploring this model.
5. Supply Chain Readiness & Standardization for Hydrogen Projects
Mitch Brunt (Northern Valve & Fitting Company) addressed the supply chain challenges in hydrogen projects. Key points included:
Early project engagement is crucial to ensuring standardised components and avoiding costly redesigns.
The lack of a universal hydrogen project standard complicates equipment sourcing and project execution.
Stable pricing and local supply chain development are needed to support hydrogen infrastructure.
Panel Discussion & Audience Q&A: Key Takeaways
1. Infrastructure First Approach
Chris Manson-Whitton emphasised that building hydrogen storage and pipelines now would reduce investment risks and accelerate hydrogen adoption.
The UK should apply lessons from CO₂ transport and storage—funding projects ahead of demand, rather than waiting for market certainty.
2. Hydrogen for Industrial Heat: A Misconception?
Sally Bruce (Cadent) challenged the view that hydrogen should only be used for high-grade industrial heat.
Some food manufacturers and brick makers claim electric heating is inadequate, justifying hydrogen for process heating.
Matthew Knight maintained that hydrogen is too expensive for low-grade heat and should be reserved for strategic applications.
3. Water Use in Electrolysis: A Concern?
Water consumption for hydrogen production is a growing concern, but infrastructure solutions like desalination and water recycling can mitigate risks.
Matthew Knight: Water availability should dictate electrolyzer locations, just as wind resource dictates wind farm placement.
Conclusion & Recommendations
The Foresight Hydrogen Production Conference provided an in-depth analysis of hydrogen’s role in the UK energy transition. The industry must balance cost, infrastructure, and policy reform to scale hydrogen effectively.
Key Recommendations:
Prioritise infrastructure investment – Build hydrogen storage and pipelines ahead of demand to reduce market risks.
Reform the hydrogen business model – Shift subsidies towards high-value applications such as energy storage and dispatchable power.
Encourage a mixed hydrogen economy – Support both domestic production and imports to secure supply and scale up cost-effectively.
Ensure regulatory clarity – Simplify hydrogen project licensing and accelerate permitting for storage and production facilities.
By addressing these challenges, the UK can accelerate hydrogen adoption, enhance energy security, and maintain its global competitiveness in the hydrogen economy.
Introduction
Session 2 of the Foresight Hydrogen Production Conference brought together key industry leaders to discuss cutting-edge hydrogen production technologies, storage solutions, and the integration of hydrogen into industrial and energy systems. The session featured presentations from Glacier Energy, Wild Hydrogen, Volta Hydrogen, and X-Energy, each highlighting innovative approaches to hydrogen production, storage, and utilisation.
1. Hydrogen Storage Innovations by Glacier Energy
Speaker: John Alexander, Development Engineer, Glacier Energy
Key Highlights:
Transition from Type 3 to Type 4 Hydrogen Storage: Glacier Energy shifted its focus to Type 4 hydrogen storage vessels after research and development (R&D) showed that Type 3 was not commercially viable.
Technology Development:
Partnered with Robert Gordon University to research new composite storage technologies.
Engaged with National Composite Center (NCC) to develop advanced carbon fiber wrapping techniques that enhance efficiency and reduce waste.
Implemented electric roto-molding technology to improve liner consistency and reduce energy consumption.
Market Strategy & Future Plans:
Developing a 40ft hydrogen storage unit for trailer transport, launching in Q2 2026.
Working on dual certification to enable cross-border hydrogen transportation between the UK and Europe.
Establishing a servicing and certification facility in the UK to support long-term hydrogen storage needs.
2. Breakthrough Hydrogen Production with Wild Hydrogen
Speaker: James Milner, CEO, Wild Hydrogen
Key Highlights:
Supercritical Water Hydrolysis for Hydrogen Production:
Converts biogenic waste (wood, plastics, sewage) into hydrogen, biomethane, biochar, and CO₂.
Operates at 800°C and 240 bar, making it a highly efficient process.
Achieves 98% conversion efficiency, compared to anaerobic digestion at 27-32% efficiency.
Commercialisation Plans:
Scaling from pilot plants to a 1MW modular reactor by 2028.
Announced a partnership with Wales & West Utilities to inject biomethane into the UK gas grid.
Secured funding, including a £6 million investment round, to accelerate commercialisation.
Future Applications:
Envisions carbon-negative aviation fuel production.
Exploring partnerships with breweries and water treatment plants to repurpose industrial waste into clean energy.
3. Methane Pyrolysis for On-Site Hydrogen Production by Volta Hydrogen
Speaker: Robert Bell, CEO, Volta Hydrogen
Key Highlights:
Decentralised Methane Pyrolysis:
Converts natural gas into hydrogen and solid carbon using a high-temperature, electrically heated reactor.
More energy-efficient than electrolysis, requiring less than 5 kWh/kg of hydrogen (compared to ~50 kWh/kg for electrolysis).
Key Benefits of On-Site Hydrogen Production:
Avoids high transport costs of liquid/compressed hydrogen.
Enables use of existing gas infrastructure, avoiding major capital investment.
Produces high-value graphite as a byproduct, which can be used in EV batteries and industrial applications.
Market Approach:
Targeting industrial heat applications, including ceramics, glass, and food processing.
Modular units (2-3MW) can be deployed directly at manufacturing sites to decarbonise industrial operations.
4. Role of Nuclear in Hydrogen Production by X-Energy
Speaker: Stephen Coates, Commercial Manager, X-Energy
Key Highlights:
Generation IV High-Temperature Gas Reactors (HTGRs):
The XE-100 reactor is a 200MW high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor designed for hydrogen and steam production.
Uses TRISO fuel, which is considered intrinsically safe and can operate in high-density industrial areas.
Strategic Partnerships & Expansion:
Dow Chemicals is purchasing a four-pack (320MW) of XE-100 reactors for steam and electricity generation.
X-Energy aims to deploy 40 reactors in the UK by the early 2030s.
Working with Cavendish Nuclear and Amazon Energy Northwest to advance reactor deployment.
Hydrogen Production Potential:
One XE-100 reactor can produce 16,000 tons of hydrogen annually.
A 12-reactor plant could generate 189,000 tons of hydrogen per year.
Supports multiple hydrogen production technologies, including solid oxide electrolysis and thermochemical processes.
Panel Discussion & Audience Q&A: Key Takeaways
1. Hydrogen Infrastructure & Collaboration Challenges
Speakers emphasised the need for joined-up thinking across hydrogen, nuclear, and industrial decarbonisation.
Concerns over government policy fragmentation were raised, particularly around separate funding streams for production, storage, and transport.
Calls for stronger collaboration between nuclear, hydrogen storage, and production technologies to create a holistic energy system.
2. Distributed Hydrogen Production & Grid Integration
Wild Hydrogen and Volta Hydrogen discussed challenges of scaling decentralized hydrogen production.
Managing diverse feedstocks for supercritical water hydrolysis remains a challenge.
Questions around grid capacity and regulatory frameworks for blending hydrogen into the existing gas grid.
3. CO₂ Management & Sequestration
Wild Hydrogen highlighted that their process is carbon-negative, allowing flexibility in CO₂ management.
Interest in linking with CO₂ transport and sequestration projects such as HyNet and Teesside CO₂ clusters.
Volta Hydrogen emphasised that their solid carbon byproduct could replace mined graphite, reducing emissions in battery production.
4. Policy & Regulatory Considerations
X-Energy noted the UK is revising nuclear site selection criteria (EN-6 to EN-7) to accommodate small modular reactors.
Concerns over public perception and regulatory hurdles for deploying nuclear reactors in populated areas.
Volta Hydrogen emphasised the need for a clear regulatory framework for methane pyrolysis and hydrogen blending into gas networks.
Conclusion & Recommendations
Key Takeaways:
Hydrogen storage must advance alongside production to ensure supply reliability.
Innovative production methods like supercritical water hydrolysis and methane pyrolysis can reduce reliance on electrolysis.
Integrating nuclear and hydrogen projects can provide baseload clean energy for industrial decarbonisation.
Collaboration across industries and with policymakers is crucial to overcoming regulatory and market barriers.
By fostering partnerships, securing government backing, and accelerating technological development, the UK can position itself as a global leader in hydrogen production and storage solutions.
Introduction
Session 3 of the Foresight Hydrogen Production Conference continued the deep dive into the practical deployment of hydrogen technologies, focusing on industrial applications, supply chain resilience, and strategic energy integration. This session featured industry experts from Progressive Energy, AVEVA, The Carbon Trust, and the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), offering insights into large-scale hydrogen projects, digital innovation, policy coordination, and military applications of hydrogen energy.
Key Presentations & Insights
1. Hydrogen Implementation in Industrial Users by Progressive Energy
Speaker: Mike Cairns, Principal Engineer, Progressive Energy
Key Highlights:
Hydrogen Deployment through HyNet:
Progressive Energy is leading the UK’s HyNet project, focusing on large-scale hydrogen production and CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage).
First large-scale CCS-enabled hydrogen production plant (350 MW HPP-1) is in development, followed by a 1000 MW HPP-2.
Industrial Fuel Switching (IFS) Program:
Aim: To convert large-scale industrial users to hydrogen rather than focusing on small-scale domestic conversions.
Key industrial sectors targeted: Glass, food production, chemicals, and power generation.
Industrial Demonstrations:
Pilkington Glass: Successfully trialed hydrogen in high-temperature furnaces without affecting product quality.
Unilever: Demonstrated hydrogen combustion in boilers for steam production, confirming comparable efficiency and NOx emissions within limits.
Kellanova (formerly Kellogg’s): Tested hydrogen in cereal production, showing no impact on product quality.
Novelis (Aluminum Recycling): Trialing hydrogen for melting furnaces, assessing efficiency and material impact.
2. Digital Solutions for Hydrogen Deployment by AVEVA
Speaker: Roy Calder, Industry Principal for New Energies, AVEVA
Key Highlights:
Digital Twin for Hydrogen Projects:
Use of AI-driven digital twins to optimize hydrogen production and reduce costs.
Helps forecast hydrogen demand, assess real-time efficiency, and lower operational risks.
Lifecycle Cost Reduction for Hydrogen:
Optimised design processes can cut CAPEX costs.
Predictive maintenance models can improve OPEX efficiency.
Industrial Collaboration & Standardisation:
Urged the need for supply chain coordination to ensure cost efficiency and faster hydrogen adoption.
Highlighted the importance of policy alignment to maintain investment security.
3. The Clean Hydrogen Innovation Program by The Carbon Trust
Speaker: Fiona Landy, Hydrogen Lead, The Carbon Trust
Key Highlights:
Addressing Barriers in Hydrogen Adoption:
The Clean Hydrogen Innovation Program (CHIP) is a multi-year initiative backed by DESNZ to address midstream hydrogen challenges.
Focuses on developing a resilient supply chain and de-risking hydrogen projects.
Phase 1-2 Achievements:
Collaboration with Scottish Power, SSE, and National Gas Transmission to assess hydrogen transportation bottlenecks.
Evaluated the feasibility of hydrogen blending and storage solutions.
Phase 3 Goals:
Transitioning to demonstration projects, including hydrogen compressors and electrolyser advancements.
Expanding government-industry collaboration to ensure investment certainty.
Encouraging hydrogen cluster integration to avoid duplication and maximise efficiency.
4. Hydrogen Integration in Military Operations by UK Ministry of Defence (MOD)
Speaker: Richard Griffiths, Project Lead, MOD Strategic Command
Key Highlights:
Hydrogen as a Strategic Military Fuel:
MOD seeks to eliminate diesel dependency at overseas bases, starting with the Falkland Islands.
Trialing hydrogen for battlefield power, mobile energy systems, and decentralised fuel production.
Current and Future Trials:
Phase 1: Successfully operated off-grid hydrogen electricity production for 12 months.
Phase 2 (2024): Testing hydrogen-powered logistics vehicles and refining renewable energy integration.
Phase 3 (2027+): Aiming for full hydrogen-powered military bases, starting with the Falkland Islands.
Challenges & Next Steps:
Reliability concerns due to remote locations (Falklands 8000 miles from service centres).
Regulatory hurdles for hydrogen fuel storage on military bases.
Exploring NATO collaborations to standardise hydrogen integration across allied forces.
Panel Discussion & Audience Q&A: Key Takeaways
1. Supply Chain & Policy Coordination
Need for central coordination to avoid redundant hydrogen projects and funding inefficiencies.
The UK lacks a unified hydrogen strategy, compared to EU and US models which integrate production, transport, and offtake agreements.
2. Speeding Up Hydrogen Deployment
Industry calls for faster decision-making on hydrogen business models.
Government support needed for long-term infrastructure investment in hydrogen transport & storage.
Hydrogen producers need firm offtake agreements to ensure investment viability.
3. Investment in UK Hydrogen Manufacturing
Concerns that UK hydrogen innovation risks being outpaced by European and US markets.
Policy incentives should prioritize domestic hydrogen supply chains.
MOD noted that military adoption of hydrogen could accelerate UK manufacturing capabilities.
4. Public Perception & Education on Hydrogen
Misinformation about hydrogen safety and viability remains a challenge.
More public engagement campaigns needed to improve understanding and confidence in hydrogen projects.
Conclusion & Recommendations
Key Takeaways:
Hydrogen can replace natural gas in industrial applications, with trials proving efficiency and compliance.
Digital solutions can improve hydrogen cost-efficiency, but widespread adoption depends on standardisation and policy stability.
Collaboration between hydrogen clusters, policymakers, and private sector is critical to ensure coordinated investment and infrastructure development.
Military hydrogen adoption could serve as a catalyst for large-scale renewable fuel deployment.
Recommendations:
Prioritise investment in hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure to match supply with demand.
Accelerate regulatory approval processes for hydrogen deployment in industrial and military applications.
Encourage UK-based hydrogen manufacturing to secure long-term economic benefits.
Expand cross-sector collaboration to align hydrogen projects with energy security and industrial growth.
By addressing these challenges and opportunities, the UK can establish itself as a global leader in hydrogen innovation and deployment.
Introduction
The final session of the Foresight Hydrogen Production Conference focused on the development of green hydrogen projects, national hydrogen infrastructure planning, certification mechanisms, and the water requirements for large-scale hydrogen production. Experts from Scottish Power, National Energy System Operator (NESO), Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), and Evides presented key insights into their respective projects, strategies, and challenges.
1. Green Hydrogen Development by Scottish Power
Speaker: Mark Griffin, Head of Hydrogen Development, Scottish Power
Key Highlights:
Scottish Power’s Green Hydrogen Entity:
Scottish Power has established a standalone green hydrogen business to deliver large-scale hydrogen projects.
Part of the global Iberdrola group, leveraging expertise from hydrogen projects in Spain, Brazil, the US, and Japan.
Hydrogen Production Approach:
100% renewable energy-based electrolysis using onshore and offshore wind and solar PV.
Co-located hydrogen production near renewable generation sites to optimize costs.
Current focus on road haul, short-distance pipeline distribution, with future expansion into larger distribution networks.
Project Updates:
Whitelee Hydrogen Project (10MW): Co-located with the UK’s largest onshore wind farm.
Cromarty Hydrogen Project (15MW): Joint venture with Storegga, focused on decarbonising the Scottish distillery sector.
Both projects signed Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreements (LCHA) with the UK Government.
2. National Hydrogen Infrastructure Planning by NESO
Speaker: Angus Paxton, Head of Gas & Whole Energy Network Development, NESO
Key Highlights:
The Need for a National Hydrogen Backbone:
Hydrogen transport is critical for industrial decarbonisation.
Many stakeholders support the idea, but government clarity is still needed.
Strategic Energy Planning:
NESO’s Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) will assess the economic and environmental viability of a national hydrogen network.
The Centralised Strategic Network Plan (CSNP) will detail hydrogen pipeline design, pressure requirements, and integration with existing gas networks.
NESO aims to finalise these studies by 2026, with a national hydrogen transport plan by 2027.
Challenges & Considerations:
Government alignment on funding and business models for hydrogen infrastructure is still in progress.
Coordination with National Gas Transmission (NGT) and Cadent to integrate their existing hydrogen pipeline planning efforts.
3. Hydrogen Certification & Market Confidence by Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC)
Speaker: Annabel Sarling, Energy Certification Manager, LCCC
Key Highlights:
Certification for Low-Carbon Hydrogen:
Aims to verify hydrogen emissions intensity, supporting compliance with the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard (LCHS).
The certification system will be technology-agnostic, meaning green, blue, and other hydrogen types can qualify as long as they meet emissions thresholds.
Designed to enhance investment confidence and support international trade of UK hydrogen.
Development of a Digital Certification Ledger:
LCCC is implementing a blockchain-based distributed ledger for tracking and verifying hydrogen credentials.
Certification will follow a mass balance approach, ensuring hydrogen certificates are directly tied to physical hydrogen volumes.
Industry Consultation & Future Use Cases:
The certification framework may be expanded to biomethane and other low-carbon gases.
Potential applications include supporting green taxonomy compliance, enabling blending strategies, and facilitating international hydrogen trade.
4. Water Demand for Green Hydrogen by Evides
Speaker: Colin Robinson, Business Development Manager, Evides
Key Highlights:
Understanding Water Requirements for Hydrogen Production:
100MW electrolyser requires 18 tons of purified water per hour to produce 2 tons of hydrogen.
Additional cooling water needs can raise total site demand to 50+ tons per hour.
Challenges in Sourcing Water:
Green hydrogen plants require ultra pure water (Type 1 demineralised water), which is difficult to produce at scale.
Alternative water sources, such as wastewater reuse and desalination, are being explored but remain energy-intensive.
Ongoing R&D in Water Efficiency:
Cooling system innovations to reduce water consumption and minimise wastewater discharge.
Investigating the feasibility of using waste heat from electrolysis for water treatment.
Desalination challenges: Cold seawater requires significant pre-heating, making it a high-energy process.
Panel Discussion & Audience Q&A: Key Takeaways
1. Hydrogen Transport Infrastructure & Policy Alignment
Industry consensus on the need for a UK hydrogen backbone, but government clarity is lacking.
Concerns that UK hydrogen policy lags behind the EU and US, potentially hindering investment.
NISO’s upcoming 2026/2027 network plans will shape long-term infrastructure investment.
2. Certification as a Market Enabler
Certification could help unlock investment by verifying emissions intensity.
Concerns about whether certification will integrate with the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreements (LCHA).
Potential for cross-border certification alignment with EU CertifHy and other global schemes.
3. Water Resource Challenges for Hydrogen
Hydrogen production could strain local water supplies, especially in water-stressed regions.
Industrial clusters need water reuse strategies to ensure sustainable hydrogen production.
Waste heat-driven water purification is an emerging R&D focus.
Conclusion & Recommendations
Key Takeaways:
Scottish Power’s hydrogen projects mark a significant step toward industrial hydrogen deployment.
A UK hydrogen backbone is essential, but policy alignment and business models must be clarified.
Certification mechanisms will enhance hydrogen tradeability and investment confidence.
Water availability and quality are critical concerns for scaling up hydrogen production.
Recommendations:
Accelerate government policy decisions on hydrogen transport infrastructure to enable investment certainty.
Ensure certification aligns with UK and EU regulatory frameworks to support cross-border hydrogen trade.
Promote R&D in water-efficient electrolysis technologies and alternative water sources for hydrogen production.
Strengthen collaboration between industry, government, and energy networks to streamline hydrogen deployment.
By addressing these challenges and fostering cross-sector collaboration, the UK can position itself as a global leader in hydrogen innovation and infrastructure.
Production Conference - Day One | |
Production Conference - Day Two | |
Mobility Conference - Day One |
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