Nuclear power too expensive for hydrogen production
Senior UN IPCC figure says reactors are not competitive with other low-carbon forms of power generation so the industry would require substantial subsidies to produce H<sub>2</sub> on either side of the Atlantic
The recent spike in net-zero commitments by companies and countries has brought with it the realisation that massive amounts of decarbonised hydrogen will be needed in the future to slash emissions in hard-to-abate industries. In the UK and US, this has led proponents of the nuclear industry to present it as a potential source of power for the electrolysers to produce what is often referred to as pink hydrogen. Professor Benjamin Sovacool In mid-February, the UK’s Nuclear Industry Council (NIC) released a roadmap report suggesting that as much as a third of UK hydrogen could be produced using nuclear power—both large-scale and small mod
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25 February 2026
Low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia development is advancing much more slowly and unevenly than once expected, with high costs and policy uncertainty thinning investment. Meanwhile, surging energy demand is reinforcing the role of natural gas and LNG as the backbone of the global energy system, panellists at LNG2026 said
18 February 2026
Norwegian energy company has dropped a major hydrogen project and paused its CCS expansion plans as demand fails to materialise
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
