UK engineering institute sees hydrogen, power-to-gas as great renewable energy integrator

LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
Image: Getty Images.

The UK’s power system could become greener and more efficient if excess generation, typically from renewable sources, was used to create hydrogen, a national association of engineers has said.

Greater deployment of such power to gas systems would help accelerate decarbonisation in the UK and solve a key barrier to the greater deployment of renewables, a new report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) claimed.

The report, ‘Energy from gas: Taking a Whole System Approach’, published today, calls upon the government and industry to collaborate to bolster investment in the technology.

This would allow excess renewable power from wind and solar to be used to create hydrogen via electrolysis, which could then either be used locally to heat homes or power transport solutions, or injected into the gas grid in low-hydrogen concentrations.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Enjoy 12 months of exclusive analysis

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Annual digital subscription to the PV Tech Power journal
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The report further suggests that this system of energy storage could be more efficient than other solutions, such as batteries.

Jenifer Baxter, head of engineering at IMechE and lead author of the report, said that both government and industry needed to step up their efforts to find investment and bring forward demonstrator projects.

“The UK has a strong track record of being at the cutting edge of new energy developments, and this could present the country with a chance to be a world leader in power-to-gas and hydrogen technology,” she said.

Among the report’s findings are three key recommendations, chief among them that the government commit to the creation of an industrial forum bringing together representatives from the nuclear, renewables and gas sectors.

It also urges the government to promote the use of up to 20% hydrogen in the country’s gas distribution network – which would require infrastructure investments to pipes and materials – by 2023, and the commissioning of a comprehensive study comparing the long-term sustainability of materials used to create lithium-ion EV batteries versus power-to-gas systems or fuel cells.

“We need to move away from our wasteful culture to a more sustainable and circular economy. Power-to-gas and hydrogen technology could and should play a major role in building this future,” Baxter added.

Outside of the UK, in mainland Europe, there has been more discussion and emphasis on longer term or longer duration storage of energy using hydrogen, power-to-gas and power-to-x technologies. This could mean seasonal storage of energy and greater transmission of renewable energy across national borders. Visitors to the annual trade show Energy Storage Europe in Germany in the past couple of years have seen a full conference programme focusing on the subject.

Read Next

Premium
August 27, 2025
We catch up with the CEO of BESS developer Harmony Energy about its strategy and plans going forward, following the sale of its affiliated Harmony Energy Income Trust (HEIT).
August 21, 2025
Statera Energy has begun operating the biggest BESS project in the UK, connected to a National Grid substation that formerly supported two coal power plants.
August 20, 2025
Now is the moment for long-duration energy storage to become a key pillar of the energy transition, writes LDES Council CEO Julia Souder.
Premium
August 20, 2025
Long-term BESS offtake and PPA deals are clearly on the rise in Europe, but how are they evolving vi-a-vis structures, tenors and regional differences?
August 19, 2025
AGL Energy has deployed approximately AU$900 million toward BESS and renewables in Australia during the fiscal year ending June 2025.

Most Popular

Email Newsletter