Project Background Information
The move to a hydrogen economy will be a long-term process, and it is likely to be many years before hydrogen vehicles are in mainstream use in the UK. However, in order to move towards the widespread use of such vehicles, DfT, other Government Departments, and industry will need to start carrying out the groundwork in the next few years to support the development and construction of hydrogen storage, production, and refuelling infrastructure that will be required if hydrogen vehicles are to be widely used in the future by businesses and the public. The project will examine the fiscal and legislative measures that could be used to enable, encourage, and if necessary accelerate the development of hydrogen infrastructure.
Specific objectives of this study are:
- to review institutional barriers including current planning and safety legislation;
- to identify how institutional barriers in other countries (including the USA and other European countries) have been overcome;
- to examine the economic barriers to the wider development of hydrogen infrastructure; and,
- to provide guidance and recommendations on the most appropriate support mechanisms for the UK context, including the costs associated with these mechanisms.
The study involves a review of past and ongoing research and demonstration projects in the UK and internationally, facilitated by stakeholder interviews and seminars, the first of which was held in January 2007.
