Letter from London: Hydrogen’s growing pains
The clean hydrogen sector has endured a difficult year, but it will end 2024 better equipped to fulfil its long-term potential
Will the clean hydrogen sector end this year in better shape than 12 months ago? On the face of it, recent evidence points to a resounding ‘no’, given project cancellations, plunging stock prices, very limited progress in reaching FID and widespread reluctance to commit to long-term offtake deals. UK company Johnson Matthey added to the gloom in late November when it reported a 46% year-on-year drop in first-half sales of hydrogen technologies, citing the “the slowing buildout of supply chains and infrastructure due to a lack of clarity around regulation and incentives.” It has reduced capex and headcount in its hydrogen business, and delayed the startup of an £80m ($101m) fuel-cell componen
Also in this section
14 May 2025
Defining moment for US hydrogen sector as House Republicans seek termination of green tax credits
13 May 2025
Existing specifications have been a good starting point for standardisation of hydrogen quality, but they need rethinking—a 99.5 mol-% specification is a promising candidate
12 May 2025
The sector needs a standard covering hydrogen quality for the entire value chain, but no single hydrogen quality covers the needs of all stakeholders
9 May 2025
Hydrogen quality is an increasingly important area for the sector. Though well-established standards are in place, they typically cover only certain parts of assets and value chain
