Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the update to the UK Hydrogen Strategy.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
We plan to publish a renewed Hydrogen Strategy, alongside a package of other hydrogen policy documents, as soon as possible.
The renewed Hydrogen Strategy will set out Government’s vision and objectives for hydrogen, and how we intend to work together with industry to continue to transform ambition into action. Our understanding of where hydrogen can deliver the greatest value in our energy system has matured and our strategy will sharpen our priorities, deepen industry collaboration, and unlock the potential of hydrogen over the next decade.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the job creation potential in the UK hydrogen sector by 2050.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
The Industrial Strategy’s Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan (CEI) backs hydrogen as a frontier technology, with potential to drive economic growth, create high-quality jobs, and build industries of the future.
In the UK, hydrogen could support 6,500 – 11,500 jobs by 2035 with opportunities across the graduate and technically trained workforce. We expect these figures to scale with hydrogen sector growth out to 2050.
As part of our Industrial Strategy, we published the Clean Energy Jobs Plan which confirms the workforce needed to deliver our clean energy ambitions and how government will work with industry and trade unions to deliver it.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to finalise the second Hydrogen Allocation Round.
Answered by Lord Whitehead
We have finished due diligence and cost assurance on shortlisted HAR2 projects.
We recognise the need for clarity to help businesses manage resources and expectations of third parties. We are working hard across government to start the Invite to Offer stage of HAR2 as soon as possible and will be in touch with the projects when this commences.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they are taking to (1) implement a national framework for the licensing of land for geothermal drilling, and (2) streamline permissions to enable geothermal drilling to take place.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There are currently no plans to license and streamline geothermal drilling, however, Officials will review the case for a comprehensive geothermal licensing regime as the sector develops. The Government is pleased to see that three geothermal power projects were successful in this year’s contracts for difference auction.