The United Kingdom | Hydrogen Innovation

Posted By: EN Todayon: July 02, 2024In: Alternative Energy News

Election week in the UK, and a lot of interest in the tectonics and hydrogen sector, how things are going to unfurl – and what it means for them.

This was very much in evidence today, and yet another of the increasing outreach sessions held by the sector, this time on home turf in Manchester with a ‘hydrogen innovation showcase’

It is particularly pleasing for me four years ago, when nobody was really interested in the subject, I established and moderate the Hydrogen Innovation focus group, here on LinkedIn, four years ago. It brings together those wishing to engage and to make things happen. It’s interesting to see, with perhaps rather belated engagement and the most welcome State resources to to push it, how hydrogen will fare in the UK.

It is perhaps significant, that the event is taking place directly opposite the Masdar sponsored ‘graphene centre’, representing the brand new Manchester, the home of the first industrial revolution, was to be perhaps a leader in the fourth one now underway.

Sometimes organisers of such events come from an engineering background and fail to communicate with less technically minded stakeholders but one aspect I particularly liked was the rapid fire three minute pitch, where the room full of developers, those from consulting backgrounds, those watching innovation developments, were treated short sharp timed pitches by those involved with technologies, projects, innovations and range of start-up technologies.

Everyone, of course, has their favourites, and everyone addressed a particular niche, one of the main niches, of course, bringing the cost of hydrogen, the cleaner forms of hydrogen, down to compete with the existing fossil based variety. Most speakers sought founding or ‘partnerships’ of some sort.

A blizzard of pitch decks followed and must have got through perhaps 20 innovations. There were some new nuances and a chance to catch up on day two tomorrow, a less intense, and perhaps day where bigger players are also scheduled to plead their cause

The UK is of course alone, other countries are seeking the same early mover advantages but there is the chance for the UK to retain some form of leadership in the nascent sector which is set for further nonlinear progress in the coming years.

Day 2, tomorrow with deep dives into more State outreach on: