UK Hydrogen Week kicks off to promote H2 in reaching net zero goals

Today marks the start of the UK’s inaugural Hydrogen Week.

Today (Monday February 13th) is the start of UK Hydrogen Week, where stakeholders across the nation will come together to celebrate and promote the role of hydrogen in reaching the UK’s net zero goals.

The week-long awareness campaign will include a wide range of partners.

Running from February 13th to 19th, 2023, UK Hydrogen Week welcomes partners from industry, academia, and government. Spearheaded by the North West Hydrogen Alliance (NWHA), the awareness campaign invites organizations across the UK to get involved by holding hydrogen-themed events and activities.

The UK has a number of trailblazers in its quickly growing hydrogen sector and many of these influential organizations are committed to Hydrogen Week. Among them include:

• Hydrogen UK – A policy leader across all areas of H2, the UK’s hydrogen trade association represents the entire hydrogen value chain to the highest levels of government. Hydrogen UK releases reports based on industry feedback and working with government to enhance the development of low carbon H2.
•  BOC – The largest supplier of industrial hydrogen in the UK, BOC has the more than 100 years of experience producing H2 for critical end-uses and, in recent years, has opened the largest hydrogen bus refueling center in Europe.
• ZeroAvia – A leading hydrogen aviation company with support from big-name partners like American Airlines and Bill Gates, ZeroAvia is working toward achieving zero emissions flights. ZeroAvia recently ran a successful test flight of a 19-seater aircraft powered with a hydrogen electric engine, and the company has plans to have the first commercial offering by 2025.
• Haskel – The leading manufacture of hydrogen refueling stations in the UK, Haskel produces the next generation of hydrogen transport infrastructure. Haskel’s global reach and ambitious plans for growth is allowing them to supply a number of growing markets in Europe, New Zealand, and Australia.

Other influential organizations committed to supporting and making the most of UK Hydrogen Week include: Decarbonised Gas Alliance, Peel NRE, Cadent, Progressive Energy, Costain, Vertex Hydrogen, Inovyn, and Kent.

The hope is that UK Hydrogen Week will raise awareness of the role H2 can play in combating climate change.

“The last few years have seen hydrogen rising in prominence in the net zero agenda,” said Prof Joe Howe, chair of the NWHA and executive director, Energy Research Institute at the University of Chester. “It’s now recognised as critical to delivering on our decarbonisation targets. While there are a number of regions that are already delivering on hydrogen projects, if we really want to capitalise on this huge opportunity the UK needs to collaborate.”

Members of North West Hydrogen Alliance represent organizations who seek to make the most of hydrogen to drive a low carbon economy and support a clean energy recovery. The NWHA is the largest regional membership body dedicated to hydrogen in the United Kingdom.

“The UK has an incredible opportunity to become a world leader in low carbon hydrogen, but this will only materialise if government, industry, and the public work together to make this a reality,” said Clare Jackson, chief executive of Hydrogen UK. “We hope that UK Hydrogen Week can be a springboard for engaging a greater audience around the incredible benefits of hydrogen in delivering net zero.”