Project Supply Chain Innovation

Developing new standards for hydrogen technology supply chain sustainability evaluation

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This project will assess G20 countries on legislation, regulation and investment in hydrogen technologies. Through this research we will be able to place the UK within the context of hydrogen producers within the G20 countries to inform recommendations for long-term hydrogen production development.

Summary of the Challenge

Hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels can play an important role in the decarbonisation of different sectors in our economy. Hydrogen technologies are being produced across the globe to reduce emissions but there is a gap in legislation and regulation.

The absence of a unified hydrogen standard poses a significant challenge in the current landscape of hydrogen-related activity. This lack of a standardised framework hinders consistency and clarity in various aspects of hydrogen production, storage, and utilisation.

Without a universal set of standards, there is a risk of inconsistencies in safety measures, quality control, and interoperability among different hydrogen technologies. This issue not only complicates regulatory efforts but also hampers the seamless integration of hydrogen into diverse sectors.

To address these challenges and foster a more coherent and efficient hydrogen economy, it is important to establish a unique and widely accepted set of standards that can guide both scientific advancements and policy formulations across the global hydrogen community.

Existing scientific literature, policy reports, and studies lack comprehensive assessments on hydrogen standards and legislation. 

 

Our Response

To address this gap, our study will conduct a comparative analysis of various aspects of the hydrogen economy across G20 countries.

Our aim is to assess and compare the G20 nations, conducting a comparative evaluation of the maturity and state of the hydrogen economy in each of these countries.

Prior research has primarily concentrated on assessing individual countries, while our study seeks to examine multiple nations across diverse aspects of the hydrogen economy—a perspective that has not been thoroughly explored previously.

The scope of this review is designed to broaden through a comprehensive evaluation on a country-by-country basis. Using a novel methodology, the study intends to employ maturity scoring to gauge the development and maturity levels of the hydrogen economy in these nations. Each country will be assigned scores based on the extent of advancement and maturity in crucial factors, including legislation and standards, investment, strategies, and future objectives.

Through this research we will be able to place the UK within the context of hydrogen producers within the G20 countries. This wider insight will provide important information on how the UK can develop a long-term hydrogen production plan.
 

Supply Chain Innovation

News about this project

SYSC Launches Consolidated Research Report

SYSC Launches Consolidated Research Report

30 March 2026

We’re proud to launch the SYSC Consolidated Research Report, the culmination of 4 years of cross-sectoral research focussing on South Yorkshire’s sustainability challenges.

The potential of Hydrogen in South Yorkshire

The potential of Hydrogen in South Yorkshire

27 April 2026

Hydrogen has a key role to play in decarbonising energy intensive industry. But what role will it play in South Yorkshire?