Accelerating to Net Zero with Hydrogen Blending Standards Development in the UK, Canada and the US
Hydrogen is expected to play a critical role in the move to a net-zero economy. However, large-scale deployment is still in its infancy. Exciting pilot projects are being conducted and explored in the UK, Canada and US states such as California to determine the technical feasibility of blending hydrogen into existing natural gas systems. There is increasing interest around permitting significant percentage blends of hydrogen into gas networks, which would enable the carbon intensity of gas supplies to be reduced, create a new demand for hydrogen and, with the use of separation and purification technologies downstream, support the transportation of pure hydrogen to markets.
Gaps in codes, standards and regulation need to be addressed to enable adoption, and there may be opportunities for international collaboration and harmonisation to ensure that best practices are shared globally and to facilitate the growth of trade and export markets. There is an opportunity for the UK, Canada and the US, three G7 countries, to work together and show market-making leadership in key enabling regulation for the new hydrogen economy.
The British Consulate-General Vancouver and the UK Science and Innovation Network in Canada and the US partnered with KTN Global Alliance to deliver two webinars on 2nd and 3rd March 2021 and a workshop on 15th March 2021.
Webinar recordings and workshop summary are now available
2nd March | Highlights and Perspectives from the UK
3rd March | Highlights and Perspectives from Canada and California
15 March 2021 Workshop – View the Summary Report here.
With experts from industry, academia and policy, the 2nd and 3rd March webinars showcased hydrogen blending pilot projects and highlighted challenges and opportunities for standards development in the UK, Canada and California.
The 15th March virtual workshop provided a platform for industry, regulatory, policy and academic leaders from the UK, Canada and the US to share their expertise around work already done that can be shared between countries, gaps where UK-Canada-US collaboration would be helpful, and how such collaboration can happen. Areas covered in detail included materials and infrastructure, safety, and consumer engagement / the social license to operate.
As well as supporting UK-Canada-US collaboration in the development of the low carbon hydrogen economy, these events form part of the UK’s international engagement to build momentum towards a successful outcome at COP26, the UN climate summit that the UK will host in Glasgow in November 2021.