The UK government has announced a programme to help develop technologies to produce hydrogen from sustainable biomass and waste for hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as transport.
Backed with £5m in funding, the Hydrogen BECCS Innovation Programme will support the development of technologies to produce hydrogen generated via bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS).
The BECCS process produces hydrogen from biomass and waste, with the ability to capture and store the carbon released during the process.
BECCS technology can also remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as the CO2 absorbed during the growth of the sustainable biomass and the organic content found in waste can then be permanently removed from the atmosphere using carbon capture technologies.
The UK government believes that hydrogen BECCS technologies therefore have a key role to play on the UK’s path to net zero emissions, providing hydrogen as a clean fuel for hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as transport and heavy industry, while also removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
UK energy and climate change minister Greg Hands said: “This innovative technology offers incredible potential for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, crucial to reaching our net zero goals.
“This government funding will help support the development of this new technology in the UK, boosting green jobs and investment while slashing carbon emissions.
From today, applicants from small businesses and large companies, to research institutions and universities, will be able to bid for up to £250,000 under Phase 1 of the Hydrogen BECCS Innovation Programme to help develop project plans and demonstrate the feasibility of their proposed innovation.
Phase 2 will then provide further funding to support the most promising Phase 1 projects to demonstrate their projects.
