Hydrogen predicted to have a key role in the UK’s green growth and future energy bills

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published 26 June 2020

New reports have emerged claiming that hydrogen energy could be used to meet up to half the UK’s energy demand by 2050. It’s believed that this could accelerate the country’s green energy growth, and see renewables becoming the predominant energy sources for UK households.

This, alongside other news that the UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has called for the Government to turn the COVID-19 pandemic into an opportunity to push more green initiatives - plus ScottishPower's ambitious new ‘Green Recovery’ plans - suggests that the future of the country’s energy supply lies with renewables.

So what does that mean for your energy bills? Well, with energy prices currently the cheapest they've been in three years, it makes now a very good time to run an online energy comparison and switch to one of the best green energy suppliers - or at least an energy supplier with a bigger focus on renewables - while greener tariffs are still competitive.

Using hydrogen fuel to unlock more prospects for renewables

According to Aurora Energy Research, if the country was to invest more into the production of blue hydrogen and renewable green hydrogen, as much as 480 terawatt hours could be produced by the middle of the century. It also claimed that the fuel source would become more affordable across this time frame, as the technology involved becomes more efficient and cost-effective, and the price of gas inevitably rises.

Further to this, the company claims that using hydrogen fuels would help to integrate more renewables into the UK’s power system. This is because it could be used instead of fossil fuels, particularly during peak winter months when there’s often a need for more flexible usage of coal and gas alongside renewables. This could then lead to a notable change in the nation's typical household tariffs and energy bills.

Aurora Energy Research did also make the point that Government support would be required to make this happen, citing the economic recovery needed from the COVID-19 pandemic as the ideal time.

Turning a crisis into a green opportunity

The CCC put forward a similar call to action this week in its annual progress report to the Government. While the committee praised the country’s investment in wind energy, it also said more needs to be done to ‘strengthen’ the UK energy network with a broader mix of sources – including hydrogen and other low-carbon renewables.

The recovery from the pandemic was again highlighted as the opportune moment for leaders to come together, go greener and ‘address the climate challenges’ as part of the country’s recovery from the current ‘economic shock’.

Some leading energy suppliers have already started taking action and have unveiled plans to spearhead greener initiatives as part of their own recovery strategies. SSE recently announced major investments in renewables and now ScottishPower has outlined 10 ‘key steps’ it believes will create a stronger green energy infrastructure.

The firm released the steps as its response to the ‘economic upheaval’ caused by COVID-19, and provided hope of more job opportunities and ‘significant economic benefits’ - all while helping the UK to reach its net zero energy targets.

Switching supplier ahead of the curve

These latest developments continue the recent trend we’ve seen towards further investment in renewables, as the economy tries to get back on its feet. So much so, it could mean that fuel sources like hydrogen end up replacing fossil fuels much sooner than first thought – potentially changing the face of our typical household energy consumption.

So to return to a key point, using an energy comparison service to switch to a greener energy tariff could prove to be a smart move. That's because demand for such energy deals will inevitably start to rise as more suppliers phase out coal and gas. Switching ahead of the curve could help ensure you don’t miss out on the best rates.

Rich is a freelance copywriter and content strategist with over 10 years' experience. His career has seen him work in-house and in various agencies, producing online and offline content marketing campaigns and copywriting for clients in the energy industry.