UK’s hopes of boosting hydrogen trade hobbled by Brexit

(EurActiv, 26 Aug 2021) The UK hydrogen strategy, unveiled last week (17 August), has many similarities with the EU’s own blueprint presented one year before, analysts say. But trade and regulatory cooperation between the two sides is complicated by Brexit, with the UK likely to become a rule-taker at the end of the day.

Although the UK government didn’t make European cooperation a prominent part of its hydrogen strategy, the document does make it plain that international trade and cooperation with European partners will be essential to the strategy’s success.

“Working with our North Sea and European neighbours will be key to developing common approaches that will support UK hydrogen investment and facilitate regional trade through interconnectors, pipelines and shared infrastructure,” says the UK strategy (p.102).

Opportunities listed by the UK government include the expansion of “regional value chains” and collaboration with North Sea countries on the “production, storage and transportation” of hydrogen.

“Working with our North Sea and European neighbours on a voluntary basis will be vital to developing approaches that will support UK hydrogen investment and facilitate regional trade, including identifying barriers with regards to cross-border pipeline and shipping trade,” said the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) headed by Kwasi Kwarteng.

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EurActiv, 26 Aug 2021: UK’s hopes of boosting hydrogen trade hobbled by Brexit

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