The UK Government says that moving to a hydrogen economy could pull billions of pounds worth of investment and create nearly 10,000 jobs.

New plans aim to create a “thriving” low carbon hydrogen sector in Britain, in line with the government’s ambition to substantially reduce carbon emissions by the end of the decade.

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has laid out the plans for Britain’s first-ever Hydrogen Strategy which “drives forward” Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s commitments in his green industrial revolution plans.

Supposedly, a move to a hydrogen-led economy could pour up to £4bn pounds of energy investment into the country, as well as creating 9,000 jobs, which the government said could rise to 100,000 by 2050, and add up to £13bn to Britain’s economy.

Ahead of COP26, the UK Government has made firm commitments to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions over the next 10 years, and the ambitious task of reducing emissions to net zero by mid-century.

Commenting on the new plans, Kwarteng said: “Today marks the start of the UK’s hydrogen revolution.

“This home-grown clean energy source has the potential to transform the way we power our lives and will be essential to tackling climate change and reaching Net Zero.

“With the potential to provide a third of the UK’s energy in the future, our strategy positions the UK as first in the global race to ramp up hydrogen technology and seize the thousands of jobs and private investment that come with it.”

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Research carried out by the government indicated that 20-35% of the country’s energy consumption could be hydrogen-based by 2050 and sees the energy source as “critical” to meet our net zero target and to generally cut emissions by 78% by 2035.

The government claimed that a low-carbon hydrogen economy could deliver emissions savings equivalent to the carbon captured by 700 million trees by 2032 and is a “key pillar” of capitalising on cleaner energy sources as the UK moves away from fossil fuels.

Commenting on the new Hydrogen Strategy, Energy and Climate Change Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan added: “Today’s Hydrogen Strategy sends a strong signal globally that we are committed to building a thriving low carbon hydrogen economy that could deliver hundreds of thousands of high-quality green jobs, helps millions of homes transition to green energy, support our key industrial heartlands to move away from fossil fuels and bring in significant investment.”

Scotland’s hydrogen role

Scotland will play an important role in the government’s drive to net zero over the coming years, with projects and research centres focusing on clean energy solutions being announced so far this year.

Clean energy tech firm Trojan Energy has also been making headway after £2.2m in funding to roll out on-street EV charging hubs on Scottish streets.

Trojan said the investment will be used to further improve its charging technology, install additional charge points across the country and expand its team.

Scotland is also making gains towards hydrogen-energy adoption and research, with news in June of a new energy transition zone, supported by a £26m investment from the Scottish Government, to support the country’s move to net zero.

Aberdeen will also play host to the Acorn Hydrogen project which will use existing oil and gas infrastructure off the coast to turn North Sea natural gas into low carbon hydrogen.

Emissions created from generating the hydrogen are “safely removed and stored through carbon capture, usage and storage,” the government said.

Last year, Scottish hydrogen company Logan Energy announced the opening of Scotland’s first hydrogen refuelling station the central belt, which sits as the only point at which hydrogen-electric vehicles can fill up between Aberdeen and Sheffield.