Hydrogen

CMS has been, and continues to be, deeply involved in the development of the energy transition technologies such as hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCUS) which is essential in the development of ‘blue’ hydrogen production, where the hydrogen produced from natural gas uses CCUS to capture the CO2 produced. The CMS Energy and Climate Change practice is exceptionally well placed to advise our clients on the issues they face when considering, investing and developing hydrogen projects. Whatever your role is in this sector, the need to understand the latest risks and legal developments and to navigate the evolving schemes and incentives is key, influencing your ability to maximise your opportunities along the entire hydrogen value-chain.

Our recent experience related to hydrogen includes advising:

• John Laing Investments on partnering arrangements regarding the H2 Bus Europe project (EUR39.6m) to deploy 605 hydrogen fuel cell buses and supporting hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in Denmark, the UK, and Latvia.
• National Grid Ventures in collaboration with Cadent, SGN and Arup on Project Cavendish a hydrogen project to take hydrogen from the Isle of Grain to South London for use in London Underground and to power London’s hydrogen buses.
• Plastic Omnium on the establishment of a joint venture with ElringKlinger for the development and large scale production of fuel cell stacks for CO 2 neutral mobility in Austria and Germany.
• Pale Blue Dot as the consortium developing the Acorn Hydrogen project in Scotland to produce “blue” hydrogen using North Sea gas, with CO 2 emissions stored using existing and reported oil and gas infrastructure.
• Northern Ireland Water on the procurement and contracting of the up to £25m oxygen and green hydrogen project (starting with a 1MW electrolyser project).
• City of Frankfurt am Main on its project in cooperation with Mainova AG on the entire region's value chain for hydrogen projects which included consideration of production, storage transport and delivery consumption issues of hydrogen.
• A technical testing organisation on the establishment of a joint venture to provide consulting and project services related to hydrogen applications for third parties.
• Open Grid Europe GmbH on the European and German regulatory framework for hydrogen including conditions for a market ramp up of blue hydrogen as well as possible support systems. The study is based on the production of hydrogen from natural gas and the permanent offshore storage of the resulting CO2.
• A European transmission system operator on regulatory and legal implications for the gas network of hydrogen transmission and conveyance on the gas network.
• ERM on regulatory and consenting matters relating to its ‘Dolphyn’ (Deepwater Offshore Local Production of Hydrogen) project for the production of ‘green’ hydrogen at scale from seawater by using electrolysis powered by floating, offshore wind turbines.

To find out more about other related services you can visit the Energy & Climate Change expertise section.