UK and Ireland Hydrogen Bodies Unite to Accelerate Sector Growth and Deployment
Three leading hydrogen industry organisations from the UK and Ireland have agreed to coordinate their activities in a move aimed at accelerating hydrogen deployment, strengthening energy security and supporting the development of a connected clean energy system across the region and into Europe.
Hydrogen Scotland, Hydrogen Ireland (H2Irl) and the Hydrogen Energy Association (HEA) announced the alliance as part of a shared effort to align policy engagement, industry development and public dialogue around hydrogen’s role in the energy transition. The collaboration builds on their joint work on the “State of the Hydrogen Nation” report published in 2025.
The organisations plan to coordinate a series of flagship conferences in 2026 designed to present a unified vision for hydrogen development across the UK and Ireland. The events will focus on how hydrogen can support industrial decarbonisation, improve energy system resilience and enhance economic competitiveness through cross-border cooperation.
Hydrogen Ireland Chief Executive Paul McCormack said the region’s combined strengths in offshore wind, engineering capability, industrial infrastructure and research expertise create a strong foundation for large-scale hydrogen deployment. He said coordinated action is now needed to translate these advantages into investment and delivery at scale.
The Hydrogen Energy Association will open the conference series in London in July 2026, focusing on UK growth, energy security and decarbonisation. Further events will follow in Scotland and Ireland, including a conference in Glasgow in October and a Hydrogen Ireland summit in Cork in November.
HEA Chief Executive Dr Emma Guthrie said hydrogen is now a present opportunity rather than a future ambition, adding that progress depends on stronger alignment between governments, industry and investors. She said the coordinated programme is intended to help turn policy ambition into real-world deployment across multiple sectors.
Hydrogen Scotland Chief Executive Nigel Holmes said the collaboration reflects a shared vision of an integrated hydrogen-enabled energy system linking electricity, transport, industry and digital infrastructure. He added that closer coordination could help position the UK and Ireland as a leading hydrogen region with strong links to European markets.
The alliance also coincides with Ireland’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2026, which the organisations see as an opportunity to highlight hydrogen’s role in Europe’s broader energy transition. The group said this period could help align national strategies with emerging EU priorities on energy security, industrial competitiveness and climate policy.
The three bodies said their collaboration is intended to create a more coherent hydrogen development pathway, supporting investment, improving policy coordination and accelerating the move from demonstration projects to commercial-scale deployment across the region.
