The UK Hydrogen Strategy: Industrial Decarbonization and Industrial Policy

The UK hydrogen strategy aims at making the UK a leader in green industries and improving national energy security. Its “twin track” approach simultaneously promotes hydrogen from natural gas with carbon capture and hydrogen from low-carbon electricity. Despite the UK’s initial focus on applying hydrogen to industry, it has since emphasized creating demand by using hydrogen for heating and transportation. Exporting hydrogen itself was not considered until relatively late, and potential connections to Europe have been pushed by industry rather than government. Given the rise in industrial policy measures including for hydrogen in other countries, the UK’s goal of becoming a major hydrogen player seems unlikely without a significant change in policy clarity and ambition.