Lhyfe: Developing Offshore Renewable Green Hydrogen in the UK
Lhyfe and Centrica have agreed to jointly develop offshore renewable green hydrogen in the UK in a first for the country. Hydrogen Industry Leaders spoke to Lhyfe about how this could accelerate green hydrogen as part of the energy transition.
Under the agreement, Lhyfe and Centrica will explore combining their expertise to collaborate on a pilot green hydrogen production site in the Southern North Sea.
How Will The UK Become A World Leader In Hydrogen Production?
Colin Brown, Country Manager (UK & Ireland) at Lhyfe
Hydrogen Industry Leaders spoke to Colin Brown, Country Manager (UK & Ireland) at Lhyfe about the project and how by combining expertise, Lhyfe and Centrica are aiming to accelerate the development of renewable green hydrogen.
He said: “The partnership will combine Lhyfe’s expertise in green hydrogen production and Centrica’s experience in gas storage and infrastructure.
“The goal is to create a pilot green hydrogen production site in the North Sea, which will demonstrate that a centralised end-to-end hydrogen production, storage, and distribution system is possible in the country.”
It is essential that the industry sees the acceleration of renewable green hydrogen development. A focus on hydrogen would demonstrate climate leadership, create thousands of green jobs, level up regions, and kickstart a green industrial revolution.
Colin explained that the project could help the UK to become a world leader in the production of renewable green hydrogen: “As an island, the UK has access to a significant amount of offshore wind potential.
“This partnership will prove a centralised model for hydrogen production at a national scale by combining know-how, skills, and assets that exist across both parties.”
How Can Companies Accelerate Hydrogen Innovation?
Scaling up production to meet the rising demand for renewable energy is one of the greatest challenges facing the hydrogen industry.
Colin revealed that new technological innovations and collaborations can make a world of difference when it comes to scaling up green hydrogen production to decarbonise: “Collaborations and partnerships like this one can help to accelerate the development of green hydrogen in the country, which is essential for achieving the country’s net zero emissions targets.”
By investing in green hydrogen, the UK can also improve its energy security and create new economic opportunities.
Although many of the skills for the hydrogen economy are said to already exist in the UK, those individuals still need to be retrained and upskilled.
Industry experts have estimated that there are currently around 1,000 to 2,000 individuals in the country that have specific hydrogen-related skills.
Colin revealed that there is now an urgent need to support the creation of hydrogen-related jobs and upskill relevant existing workforces with hydrogen skills and training.
He said: “Hydrogen is a complex and interdisciplinary field that requires a range of skills and expertise. By pooling our resources and expertise, companies can accelerate innovation and progress in the industry. This will ensure a smooth and safe transition of energy infrastructure as well as skills.”
As the demand for hydrogen continues to grow, we need to see more collaboration and partnerships in the industry to ensure that we can meet this demand in a sustainable and cost-effective way.
Collaborations can also lead to the development of new technologies and solutions that can reduce costs and increase the efficiency of hydrogen production, storage, and distribution.
Going forward, it is crucial that we see more innovations like this take place in the industry, especially now during the global energy crisis.
Diversifying the energy supply and improving its flexibility will help to stabilise energy prices and hydrogen has a vital part to play in this.
