Hydrogen is set to play a pivotal role in the UK’s journey to net-zero and Greater Manchester has a real chance to establish itself as a leader in the global hydrogen economy.
On 24 September, the city region unveiled its new Hydrogen Strategy 2025–30 as part of the Greater Manchester-Germany Innovation Summit. My main takeaway: now is the time for something tangible and deliverable. There is much we can learn from our counterparts in Germany and the Ruhr region of North Rhine-Westphalia, especially when it comes to connecting hydrogen production with potential industrial users.
Andy Burnham spoke at the event and reiterated Greater Manchester’s commitment to becoming a zero-carbon city by 2038. He talked about the shared opportunities Manchester and the Ruhr region of Germany have by investing in clean energy to power both new and existing industries.
He also unveiled the launch of the new five-year strategy, which is now out for consultation, and alluded to “significant infrastructure” arriving in Greater Manchester in early 2026.
This, event attendees later learned, was the Bosch Challenge, a call to businesses to become part of Bosch’s supply chain to build the region’s first electrolyser stack in Trafford Park.
Later on during the Production, Distribution and Usage break out section led by Amer Gafer, the panellists highlighted how outdated and unfit for purpose UK legislation was in this sector, where the last piece of major legislation was 1986’s Gas Act.
Manchester has always been known as a city of firsts. Even before this event Greater Manchester had been calling for a more joined-up approach to hydrogen, including clearer regulation through the development of the Hydrogen Network Code.
The UK government has since closed its consultation on this. The code would act as a legal “rulebook”, setting out how hydrogen network owners and users interact, with Ofgem responsible for granting and enforcing licences. If designed well, it could give the sector much-needed clarity and confidence.
A recent report, sent to me by Amer Gaffar, director of industrial strategy partnerships at Manchester Metropolitan University, highlights a fundamental challenge: the lack of co-ordination across hydrogen production, transport, and storage. Policy uncertainty and outdated regulations add further pressure. The existing regulatory framework is based on the Gas Act 1986, which is not designed for hydrogen. The Energy Act 2023 aims to address some regulatory gaps, but progress has been slow.
So what needs to change?
A coordinated approach is necessary to unlock hydrogen’s potential. I agree with Amer and with speakers at today’s event that now is the time to translate rhetoric into actionable steps as part of a joined up approach to Hydrogen development.
That’s why it’s important to engage with this consultation process and send feedback on realistic targets, so that Manchester can continue to lead the way to a cleaner, greener future.
The contrast with our German partners is stark. Germany has a comprehensive regulatory framework including the National Hydrogen Strategy, the recently approved Hydrogen Acceleration Act, and various amendments to existing energy laws to establish rules for hydrogen production, infrastructure, and market development. This evolving framework aims to facilitate the ramp-up of Germany’s hydrogen economy and achieve its ambitious climate goals.
Germany is already betting big on hydrogen. As for the UK? Greater Manchester has the chance not just to participate in the hydrogen economy, but to set the pace nationally.
If you’re interested and have a view on the strategy they’re asking for feedback so have your say.