Carbon Trust announced its new clean H₂ accelerator, which aims to help secure the UK’s energy supply and support climate targets. The project will join up industry players, backed by BEIS, the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

The Clean Hydrogen Innovation Program (CHIP) aims to speed up the deployment of clean H₂, by reducing the end-to-end cost through technical innovation so that it becomes cost competitive with conventional alternatives.

Clean H₂ is defined as H₂ that is produced with a low level of greenhouse gas, for example using surplus renewable energy to split water into H₂ and oxygen through a process called electrolysis.

The model used for this accelerator will follow the same approach as other highly successful collaborative innovation programs run by the Carbon Trust, including the Offshore Wind Accelerator which has helped to reduce the cost of offshore wind and accelerate growth.

The high end-to-end cost of clean H₂ is one of the main barriers to its use. CHIP’s key focus will be on reducing the costs and risks of clean H₂ through targeting technology innovation at components where industry identify there is the highest cost reduction potential.

Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, Chair of the Carbon Trust said, “This new clean hydrogen accelerator fills a gap in the current innovation landscape by focusing on stimulating the supply chain. It will play a vital role in ensuring the UK can reach its net zero targets.”

The first phase of CHIP will focus on carrying out an innovation needs assessment to identify key priorities for its initial work. Based on this information, the second phase will focus on addressing these issues by stimulating the supply chain through competitive innovation calls. CHIP will receive initial funding from BEIS alongside contributions from industry participants.

Minister for Climate Graham Stuart said, “We are determined to unlock the potential of hydrogen as a clean, home grown energy source, helping transform our economy and reducing our dependency on fossil fuels. This new program will help accelerate the development of the UK’s hydrogen sector, supporting the creation of new jobs and bringing in new investment.”

The Carbon Trust is calling for the industry to engage with the program now to help collaborate and shape the plan to develop solutions that will accelerate further development of clean H₂ to meet the UK’s net zero energy transition goals.