Britain ‘can lead the world in hydrogen power’, says CPS report

A new report from the Centre for Policy Studies, a centre-right think tank, is urging the Government to make sure sufficient progress is made to convert the UK heavy truck and shipping industry to hydrogen fuel.

The ‘Driving Change’ report, authored by Eamonn Ives, calls for hydrogen to be given a much bigger role in transport decarbonisation by using the UK bus fleet as a testbed for the technology.

CPS argues that embracing hydrogen would give Britain an opportunity to lead the world in a vital sector and create thousands of green jobs.

The report also points out that Britain will likely need a hydrogen infrastructure to help decarbonise other sectors, such as domestic heating and industrial processes.

The CPS report recommends: 

• Setting out a UK-wide hydrogen strategy before COP26, and establishing a cross-departmental working group
• Ensure that Britain develops an adequate hydrogen infrastructure, including investment via the Government’s clean energy funds
• Setting a target of 2038 for the UK bus fleet to become zero-emission
• Developing individual strategies within the Transport Decarbonisation Plan for decarbonising HGVs and LGVs, buses, trains, shipping and aviation
• Reforming the Bus Service Operators Grant and Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
• Introducing clean air targets in line with WHO guidelines and strengthening Clean Air Zones

Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, said: “As we begin the road to recovery from Covid-19 and rebuild our economy and infrastructure I am clear we can’t just go back to how we were before.

“We have the opportunity to create a more prosperous, stronger and greener country and transport will be at the heart of that.

“Therefore, I welcome the work done by the CPS and others to come up with new and innovative ways to deliver on this government’s decarbonisation agenda.”