Hydrogen UK, organised the Annual National Conference and Awards 2024, on 11-12 March, at the National Conference Centre, Birmingham. Dr Chryso Sotiriou and Dr Anna Artemi from ideopsis team attended the event with the support of the British High Commission Nicosia.

The conference brought together leaders in the hydrogen space, spanning production, distribution, and end use applications for blue and green hydrogen, highlighting the experts’ ambition to pave the way for the UK to become a global leader. The event hosted more than 70 exhibitors from across the UK, who showcased initiatives, specialised products and services, all essential for integrating the hydrogen value chain.

The keynotes and panel discussions emphasised that decarbonisation, and ultimately net zero, is not possible without harnessing hydrogen. Concurrently, hydrogen is considered a key element to economic growth and energy security.

Key themes considered as essential for the UK Hydrogen Industry to achieve the 10 GW producing capacity target for low-carbon hydrogen by 2030 include:

• Ensuring consistent policy and financial support across the value chain, to mitigate risks associated with current and future hydrogen projects, and thereby bolster investor confidence.
• Investing in blue and green hydrogen projects concurrently, to jumpstart the development of a robust hydrogen value chain by leveraging proven technologies, while also advancing innovative ones.
• Utilising renewable energy sources for green hydrogen production, particularly outside the UK, and importing it back into the country in the form of green ammonia, to expedite the integration of green hydrogen into the energy mix.
• Thoroughly evaluating the renewable energy sources and water intensity associated with green hydrogen production, to help make informed decisions and optimise resource utilisation.
• Implementing regional hydrogen clusters plays a critical role in accumulating knowledge and experience. This knowledge can then be effectively transferred and scaled up at the national level, fostering the growth of the hydrogen industry.

The award ceremony recognised the hydrogen innovators of 2023, with awards given under the themes ‘innovation project’, ‘infrastructure project’, ‘green project’, ‘hydrogen for transport’, ‘industrial application’ and ‘future hydrogen leader’.

ideopsis actively promotes the development of green hydrogen projects in Cyprus, leading the efforts for developing a local hydrogen ecosystem that draws on EU, UK, and international experience.

More information about the event Hydrogen UK Annual National Conference and Awards 2024