A Westminster Hall debate on the UK hydrogen economy has been scheduled for Thursday 17 December 2020 at 3.00pm. The debate will be led by Alexander Stafford MP. This House of Commons Library debate pack provides background information and press and parliamentary coverage of the issues.
UK Hydrogen Economy (433 KB , PDF)
The Government has legally binding targets under the Climate Change Act 2008 to reach ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050. Background information is available from the Library webpage on Climate Change: an overview.
In order to meet the net zero target, the use of fossil fuels (without abatement such as carbon capture usage and storage) across the economy will need to be almost entirely phased out by 2050. Hydrogen gas is regarded as an energy option to help decarbonisation, especially in relation to applications that may be more challenging to decarbonise. These applications include heating, transport (including heavy goods, shipping, and aviation) and some industrial processes.
The Government has legally binding targets under the Climate Change Act 2008 to reach ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050. Background information is available from the Library webpage on Climate Change: an overview.
In order to meet the net zero target, the use of fossil fuels (without abatement such as carbon capture usage and storage) across the economy will need to be almost entirely phased out by 2050.[1],[2] Hydrogen gas is regarded as an energy option to help decarbonisation, especially in relation to applications that may be more challenging to decarbonise.[3] These applications include heating, transport (including heavy goods, shipping, and aviation) and some industrial processes.[4]
[1] CCC, 2019. Net Zero – The UKs contribution to stopping global warming.
[2] National Grid, 2020. Future Energy Scenarios 2020.
[3] Sectors can be harder to decarbonise for many reasons, but a key reason is that the energy these sectors use cannot easily be replaced with electricity (an energy source with many low carbon generation options such as a renewables).
[4] CCC, Hydrogen in a low-carbon economy, November 2018
UK Hydrogen Economy (433 KB , PDF)
The Water Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 16 October 2024, and its second reading took place on 28 March 2025. The second reading debate was adjourned, and is scheduled to continue on 4 July 2025, if there is time in the sitting. The Library briefing provides an overview of the bill and background information.
Typical household energy bills increased by 54% in April 2022 and 27% in October 2022. Lower wholesale prices have led to falls in prices, but current bills are still 43% above their winter 2021/22 levels.
A debate has been scheduled for 1 July on regulatory powers over billing of energy supply to businesses. The subject has been chosen by the Back Bench Business Committee and the debate will be opened by Sarah Edwards MP.
