The Hydrogen Taskforce has launched in Parliament to promote the large-scale deployment of the green gas and explore its role in delivering net zero by 2050.

Backed by Arup, Baxi, BOC, BNP Paribas, Arval, BP, Cadent, DBD, ITM Power, Shell and Storengy, the taskforce has released a new report outlining a number of measures to ensure the UK can capitalise on the opportunity to decarbonise cost-effectively and play a leading role in the growing global market.

Over the next five years, it calls on the government to develop a cross-departmental Hydrogen Strategy and commit to spending £1 billion over the next Spending Review Period on hydrogen production, storage and distribution projects.

It also highlights the need to develop financial support structures for the production of hydrogen and the importance of amending safety regulations to enable the fuel can be blended into the gas grid.

Additionally, the study calls for the next steps towards 100% hydrogen heating to be taken through supporting public trials and mandating hydrogen-ready boilers by 2025, as well as stressing the need for collaboration to establish 100 hydrogen refuelling stations by this date to support the roll-out of hydrogen transport.

Jacob Young, MP for Redcar, said: “The political, social and economic arguments for large-scale hydrogen conversion have never been so strong.

“It is clear that we cannot meet our Net Zero 2050 target without hydrogen technology. From heating our homes, to our journeys to work, hydrogen can play a huge part in our decarbonisation in this decade. By taking the next steps and accelerating hydrogen development programs we can create thousands of new, skilled, green jobs and continue to lead the world in the hydrogen economy.”