Major boost for hydrogen as UK unlocks new investment and jobs

• Eleven new production projects will invest around £400 million up front over the next 3 years, growing the UK’s green economy
• more than 700 jobs to be created, representing the largest number of commercial scale green hydrogen production projects announced at once anywhere in Europe
• new certainty for industry as government sets out hydrogen ambitions, including future production, transport and storage rounds

Over 700 jobs will be created across the UK in a world-leading hydrogen industry from the South West of England to the Highlands of Scotland, backed by £2 billion in government funding over the next 15 years.

The 11 winners

Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho announced backing for 11 major projects to produce green hydrogen – through a process known as electrolysis – and confirmed suppliers will receive a guaranteed price from the government for the clean energy they supply.

Sopna Sury, Chief Operating Officer Hydrogen RWE Generation said:

Today’s announcements on the first 2 hydrogen allocation rounds mark a significant milestone in the development of the UK hydrogen economy.  They represent a shift from policy development to project delivery, giving industry more clarity on the route to final investment decisions.  Alongside the wider policy publications, this demonstrates that the UK wants to be a leader in delivering the clean energy transition.

These early projects are vital not only in driving the production of electrolytic hydrogen but also in signalling the need to build-out the T&S infrastructure for its wider distribution.

As a company with ambitions to develop approximately 2 gigawatts of green hydrogen projects across all our markets, and to invest around 8 billion euros net in green technologies in the UK between 2024-2030, RWE looks forward to being part of building a thriving hydrogen ecosystem in the UK.

Business Opportunities for the Hydrogen Economy