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Amy Prole

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NWHA quote (2)

The UK’s Hydrogen Opportunity: Will We Repeat Offshore Wind Mistakes? 

The economic opportunity presented by hydrogen is well documented, with reports such as the North West Hydrogen Alliance’s Economic Impact Assessment estimating that investment in hydrogen in the region could deliver a £3.4bn boost and 11,500 jobs by 2030. This opportunity coupled with the UK’s mandate to decarbonise its energy system has led to the development of Government support schemes to drive investment into hydrogen.  

The UK has a strong track record in the deployment of low carbon technologies, however we have traditionally struggled to establish the same global leadership in the development of the supply chains to support this deployment. This is very clearly demonstrated in offshore wind, where the UK is second only to China in its deployment of offshore wind, however the vast majority of the high value items are imported meaning that we are missing out on a large chunk of the economic benefit associated with these deployments.  

We need to ensure that the same mistake is not made with hydrogen. The Government has committed to supporting hydrogen projects across the UK, including several in the North West. Given the sizable investment that we are making in hydrogen, it only makes sense to try to maximise the economic benefit that these projects bring to the country. This means that, where possible, we should be using local contractors and local supply chains and trying to maximise the UK content in projects and ensuring that local projects benefit local communities.  

More often than not, this is not happening with the UK’s hydrogen projects. Currently, project developers are not incentivised to use local contractors or local supply chains. When selecting projects to support, the Government places highest weight on cost and deliverability and very little on UK content. As such, developers are likely to use contractors that they have existing relationships with and prioritise lower cost over local content when it comes to technology selection. Similarly, support for UK hydrogen supply chain companies is fragmented and weak when compared to other countries.   

There are some simple things that could be done quickly to improve the picture for local suppliers such as the government requiring that project developers applying for funding support conduct a UK supply chain assessment to identify local suppliers and contractors and give them an opportunity to bid for contracts. Government creating central databases of projects, giving supply chain companies visibility of the pipeline of opportunities could also help to drive investment into hydrogen capabilities. Other things may take more time, such as the development of a long term strategic investment programme for supply chain companies to strengthen UK capabilities and create a supportive environment for innovation and scale up.  

The North West is home to some of the biggest and most mature hydrogen projects in the world and over the next decade will see billions invested into the sector. Ensuring that that investment benefits local communities and maximises job creation in the region should be a top priority. We have an opportunity to learn from the past, let’s not miss out this time! 

NWHA quote (2)

The UK’s Hydrogen Opportunity: Will We Repeat Offshore Wind Mistakes? 

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The economic opportunity presented by hydrogen is well documented, with reports such as the North West Hydrogen Alliance’s Economic Impact Assessment estimating that investment in hydrogen in the region could deliver a £3.4bn boost and 11,500 jobs by 2030. This opportunity coupled with the UK’s mandate to decarbonise its energy system has led to the development of Government support schemes to drive investment into hydrogen.  

The UK has a strong track record in the deployment of low carbon technologies, however we have traditionally struggled to establish the same global leadership in the development of the supply chains to support this deployment. This is very clearly demonstrated in offshore wind, where the UK is second only to China in its deployment of offshore wind, however the vast majority of the high value items are imported meaning that we are missing out on a large chunk of the economic benefit associated with these deployments.  

We need to ensure that the same mistake is not made with hydrogen. The Government has committed to supporting hydrogen projects across the UK, including several in the North West. Given the sizable investment that we are making in hydrogen, it only makes sense to try to maximise the economic benefit that these projects bring to the country. This means that, where possible, we should be using local contractors and local supply chains and trying to maximise the UK content in projects and ensuring that local projects benefit local communities.  

More often than not, this is not happening with the UK’s hydrogen projects. Currently, project developers are not incentivised to use local contractors or local supply chains. When selecting projects to support, the Government places highest weight on cost and deliverability and very little on UK content. As such, developers are likely to use contractors that they have existing relationships with and prioritise lower cost over local content when it comes to technology selection. Similarly, support for UK hydrogen supply chain companies is fragmented and weak when compared to other countries.   

There are some simple things that could be done quickly to improve the picture for local suppliers such as the government requiring that project developers applying for funding support conduct a UK supply chain assessment to identify local suppliers and contractors and give them an opportunity to bid for contracts. Government creating central databases of projects, giving supply chain companies visibility of the pipeline of opportunities could also help to drive investment into hydrogen capabilities. Other things may take more time, such as the development of a long term strategic investment programme for supply chain companies to strengthen UK capabilities and create a supportive environment for innovation and scale up.  

The North West is home to some of the biggest and most mature hydrogen projects in the world and over the next decade will see billions invested into the sector. Ensuring that that investment benefits local communities and maximises job creation in the region should be a top priority. We have an opportunity to learn from the past, let’s not miss out this time! 

Fact Friday NWHA (5)

North West Hydrogen Alliance announces new members as hydrogen momentum gathers pace

The North West Hydrogen Alliance (NWHA) has welcomed three new members, further strengthening the region’s position as a leader in the UK’s hydrogen transition.

Construction consultancy Walker Sime, civil engineering specialist A E Yates Group, and global technology leader Yokogawa UK Ltd are the latest organisations to join the NWHA’s growing membership working together to drive forward the hydrogen economy in the North West.

The news comes as momentum continues to build for hydrogen deployment across the UK, with the recent announcement that 27 projects have been shortlisted for the second Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR2) and plans from Government for a new Hydrogen Strategy.

The North West is at the forefront of this transition, with major projects spanning hydrogen production, industrial decarbonisation, transport refuelling, and energy storage. The new members come on the back of the UK’s third Hydrogen Week, a national awareness-raising campaign spearheaded by the NWHA.

Dave Richardson, Interim Chair of the NWHA and Decarbonisation Solutions Director at Costain, said: “Momentum is continuing to grow in the hydrogen space, and nowhere is this more true than in the North West. Our ambition is for the North West to be a global leader in hydrogen, delivering transformative economic growth and significant opportunity for supply chain companies across the region and beyind. We’re thrilled to welcome aboard three new members in Walker Sime, A E Yates Group, and Yokogawa UK Ltd whose collective wealth of experience and knowledge will further bolster our already strong membership.”

Walker Sime joins the NWHA to drive the decarbonisation agenda in construction and infrastructure. The consultancy is actively supporting the development of hydrogen infrastructure in the North West, providing cost consultancy, project management, and quantity surveying expertise on key hydrogen projects. By working alongside major stakeholders in the hydrogen economy, Walker Sime is ensuring that the transition to low-carbon energy is underpinned by practical, deliverable solutions.

Sheryl Durham, Director of Project Controls and Decarbonisation Lead, at Walker Sime, said: “Hydrogen has a pivotal role to play in delivering a net zero future, and we’re proud to be working with clients and partners across the North West to help realise that vision. Joining the NWHA is an important step for us as we continue to support the delivery of infrastructure that enables meaningful and measurable progress in decarbonisation.”

A E Yates Group, a civil engineering and construction specialist, brings decades of experience delivering major infrastructure projects. The company is committed to supporting the hydrogen supply chain by leveraging its expertise in sustainable and innovative construction practices.

Sven Till, Chief Executive Officer at the A E Yates Group, commented: “We’re excited to become part of the NWHA and support the North West’s position at the forefront of hydrogen development. Our experience delivering complex infrastructure projects puts us in a strong position to help make hydrogen deployment a reality, contributing to a greener, more resilient energy system.”

Yokogawa UK Ltd, a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation, is at the cutting edge of technology solutions for the hydrogen economy. With expertise in process control, data-driven optimisation, and energy system integration, Yokogawa is already helping drive forward projects such as HyNet North West and will play a key role in ensuring the safe, reliable, and efficient deployment of hydrogen infrastructure.

Tony Williams, Senior Business Development Manager for Energy Transition at Yokogawa UK Ltd, added: “Yokogawa UK Ltd has joined the NWHA to support the development of the hydrogen economy as a partner in the region and contribute its expertise in industrial automation, process control, and safety systems. As a key player in the energy transition, Yokogawa aims to collaborate with industry leaders, share knowledge, and help drive the successful deployment of hydrogen projects. By joining the NWHA, Yokogawa strengthens its commitment to decarbonization, aligning with initiatives like HyNet and other hydrogen-focused developments in the North West of England.”

With Walker Sime, A E Yates Group, and Yokogawa UK Ltd now part of the NWHA, the alliance continues to bring together leading organisations across the hydrogen value chain, reinforcing the North West’s status as a hub for hydrogen innovation and deployment.

The North West Hydrogen Alliance is the largest industry-funded regional hydrogen alliance, representing some of the UK’s most influential organisations driving forward the development of a hydrogen economy in the North West of England.

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

For further information:

Rebecca Eatwell: rebecca@fontcomms.com / 07827 353113

Emma Dickson: emma@fontcomms.com / 07547 214582

 

About the North West Hydrogen Alliance

The North West Hydrogen Alliance brings together some of the UK’s most influential organisations driving forward the work to develop the region as the UK’s primary hydrogen economy. The region’s reputation as the industrial North – including the necessary industries, academia, innovation, skills and natural assets – means it is in pole position to grasp the opportunity of hydrogen use.

For further information visit www.nwhydrogenalliance.co.uk/ or follow @HydrogenNw

 

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Delivering the Hydrogen Economy: A Look Back at a Transformative Event

On 26 February industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators gathered in Liverpool for Delivering the Hydrogen Economy, a key event during Hydrogen Week 2025. The discussions reaffirmed the North West’s ambition to be at the forefront of the UK’s hydrogen revolution, with strong government backing and a clear commitment to tackling challenges such as storage, transportation, and infrastructure development.

 

A Region Poised for Hydrogen Growth

One of the key messages from the event was that the North West already has the skills and supply chain in place to support a thriving hydrogen economy. However, raising awareness and education—starting in schools and continuing through industry—will be essential to inspiring the next generation and helping businesses transition to hydrogen-powered solutions.

 

Hydrogen’s Role in Net Zero and Beyond

Hydrogen is set to play a crucial role in decarbonising industry, providing dispatchable power, and transforming the transport sector. With momentum building, the focus now shifts to turning ambition into action, ensuring that policies, investment, and infrastructure keep pace with the growing demand.

 

Thank You to Our Sponsors & Speakers

The success of Delivering the Hydrogen Economy would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors:

Northern Valve & Fitting Company Limited, Dräger, Schneider Electric, INEOS Electrochemical Solutions, SETsquared Partnership, and HyNet.

A special thank you to all our speakers and panellists, including our keynote speaker, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool, for their invaluable insights and expertise.

 

Looking Ahead to 2026

The event reinforced the need for continued collaboration across the sector. With hydrogen set to play a major role in the UK’s net zero ambitions, we need the support of the whole industry to drive progress.

If you’d like to be part of next year’s Delivering the Hydrogen Economy event—whether as a sponsor, speaker, or attendee—please get in touch.

Megan Hine 1

Why safety is so critical when it comes to hydrogen

Megan Hine is Safe Energy Transition Business Development Manager at Draeger Safety UK, the global safety and medical technology leader.

Responsible for driving awareness of safety within the energy transition, and supporting customers in this sector, Megan has a wealth of experience working with UK industry, including the oil and gas sector. Passionate about ensuring safety keeps pace within the UK’s energy transition, and specifically in relation to the use of hydrogen, she is a frequent speaker on the topic.

Megan guest writes for us on the topic of why safety is so critical when it comes to hydrogen.

 

When the Government announced its ambitious energy transition programme to deliver a decarbonised electricity system by 2030, this brought the energy transition and the use of hydrogen into renewed focus, with plans to accelerate investment in the industry.

However, the practical reality behind the headlines is that to meet ambitious timeframes, safety must be prioritised. Without comprehensive safety procedures in place, there is a very real risk of setbacks, particularly in the area of investment, which may impact the ability to meet the Government’s 2030 goal.

We’ve identified five key safety areas to be addressed as the energy transition accelerates:

1. Challenge perceptions – Unlike the oil and gas sector, many people view green energy as ‘clean, green and safe’, while in reality the safety risks involved in energy transition industries are not vastly dissimilar to those faced in the oil and gas sector.

Understanding and accepting the safety realities is a vital priority for those operating in the clean energy sector, and every opportunity should be taken to encourage the transfer of safety knowledge from other, related industries such as oil and gas.

It’s vital that the move away from a carbon-based economy doesn’t come at the expense of safety. To do so risks setbacks which have the potential to harm the overall end goal of protecting the planet for future generations.

2. Put safety first – The safety industry has a key role to play in communicating the need for rigorous safety standards across industries which use hydrogen, in line with the well-established safety standards in the oil and gas industry.

Indeed, research has found that injury rates in some renewable energy sectors are higher than in the offshore oil and gas industry, a trend which it is anticipated will increase because of the growth and implementation of new technologies creating additional challenges.

But the success of renewable energy, including the use of hydrogen, will depend on confidence and trust in these newer industries. Having comprehensive safety measures in place is a vital component to building and maintaining public trust in the new energy industry, and to ensure that it secures the required level of investment.

3. Boost research & development (R&D) collaboration – With a growing emphasis on the need for innovation to help reduce the global reliance on fossil-fuels, many of the current advances being seen in the energy transition are new to market, and in some cases, not yet widely tested.

Partnerships with academia, R&D and industry experts as well as those with working experience of new safety risks, are vital for the innovation to move forward in a safe and optimum way.

Dräger has been working with the University of Aberdeen for several years to support its research into hydrogen, working to advise on safety technology installations for the University’s hydrogen lab. Once complete, the lab will provide a safe environment for their research into the use of hydrogen.

The very nature of R&D is to encourage blue-sky thinking, often through highly interdisciplinary and disruptive solutions – something that is not necessarily as easy to do, or indeed possible to do, in an industry setting.

4. Embrace the potential of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) – Technology and AI offer significant potential for safety in areas such as the transportation of hydrogen. While advances in technology involved in remote satellite observation and remote monitoring of safety systems offer further potential.

At a more fundamental level, better and more connected technology as well as improved user interfaces offer scope to make safety easier: Easier for managers or those with overall safety responsibility to monitor colleagues and more quickly identify potential issues, and easier for colleagues to be alerted to hazards in the vicinity in which they are working.

One additional consideration in relation to the fastening pace around AI is the energy penalty associated with its use, somewhat ironically further driving the need for a clean energy transition to support its increased adoption. At the time of writing, governments around the world have just debated an international AI accord in Paris, the first debate to also consider the energy use driven by adoption of AI.

5. Safety must keep pace and respond to new intelligence – As mentioned earlier, we need to know and understand the safety risks involved but currently there is a very limited track record, and new technology, and techniques are being constantly developed so there is an element of the unknown when it comes to safety.

This means that the safety sector must be nimble and ready to keep pace in order to address constantly evolving safety requirements and to put in place comprehensive safety training for employees in areas such as hydrogen detection.

The bottom line is that if those involved in industries which use hydrogen don’t get safety right now safety related incidents are likely to lead to further challenges, such as difficulty getting planning permission, insurance, investment and public backing.

Safety does not need to hinder progress nor speed of deployment. Instead, getting safety right will ultimately speed things up both now and in the long term.

For information on renewable energy safety: https://www.draeger.com/en_uk/Safety/Clean-Energy-Solutions

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