Working Group Summary

The Low Carbon Hydrogen Production Working Group sits at the heart of HEA’s efforts to shape the policy and regulatory environment for hydrogen producers across all production pathways. The group brings together developers, technology providers, consultants and academic institutions to formulate policy positions and translate on-the-ground project experience into evidence-based asks to Government. The group provides a forum for supporting a whole range of production pathways, from commercially available electrolytic pathways to emerging and future technology routes such as nuclear-enabled and offshore hydrogen production.

Hydrogen’s role as a feedstock for low carbon fuels and chemicals is a key industrial application for hydrogen, supporting food, maritime and aviation industries. HEA’s Derivatives Working Group is a dedicated forum for discussion on policy and regulatory topics related to ammonia, e-methanol, sustainable aviation fuel, developing positions that translate market and technical insight into actionable asks.

This group is the custodian of HEA’s policy thinking on planning matters affecting hydrogen project deployment. Getting hydrogen projects through the planning system is one of the most immediate practical challenges facing the sector today; HEA’s Planning for Hydrogen Projects Working Group exists to build a network between the hydrogen and planning sectors – for example via the Hydrogen Planning Forum, a five-part webinar series to cultivate dialogue between the two sectors.

Transport is one of hydrogen’s most visible and impactful end-use opportunities, with strong operational advantages, UK business opportunities and decarbonisation potential. This Working Group advocates for the role of hydrogen as a fuel for a range of use-cases, including aviation and maritime but also in those which are less-recognised in current policy thinking, such as heavy-duty road and off-road applications as well as the need for refuelling infrastructure. This opportunity is explored and demonstrated in HEA’s report on ‘The Role of Hydrogen for Land Transport’, published in July 2026.

HEA’s Hydrogen Transportation and Storage Working Group is developing positions and specific policy asks to ensure the supporting infrastructure for the sector can be built strategically. The infrastructure needed to move and store hydrogen at scale is important for supporting the UK’s hydrogen economy, whether this is via hydrogen pipelines, repurposing of existing gas networks, virtual road or rail pipelines or large-scale storage facilities.

For hydrogen to fulfil its potential in the UK energy transition, the sector needs to speak clearly, consistently and with confidence to a wide range of audiences, from policymakers and investors to the public. HEA’s Communications Working Group is a driving force in developing this coherent voice. The group feeds directly into HEA’s media and public affairs activity and takes a proactive approach to identifying and addressing acceptance barriers. The group operates in close coordination with HEA’s other working groups so that when major Government publications land, the Communications Working Group can mobilise quickly to develop a coordinated, evidence-led response, ensuring HEA’s voice is heard at the moments that matter most.