Bosch research shows increased interest in hydrogen as alternative energy source

• A third of Brits say hydrogen should be a mainstream fuel source
• Hydrogen use in electricity generation is welcomed
• Bosch invests a billion euros in hydrogen from 2021 to 2024

Experts say the rising price of gas could trigger the UK population to adopt more green energy habits, with interest in hydrogen increasing.

Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, has conducted a survey that reveals a third of those surveyed would like to see hydrogen adopted as a mainstream fuel by 2030. There is an increasing appetite to use more green energy rather than natural gas. And as more strive to be green, a third said they would be willing to pay an extra £94 a month on average to use green energy such as hydrogen.

However, whilst the demand to be green is evident, this new research shows not enough is known about the benefits of using hydrogen or the UK’s approach to it. Half of those surveyed said they don’t know if it is a clean energy. Unsurprisingly two thirds were unsure if the UK had a strategy to implement hydrogen as a mainstream fuel.

With the UK being in a gas crisis, could hydrogen be the answer in the long term? 42% agree, saying that using hydrogen could be the answer to future fuel crises.

In fact, Bosch has identified hydrogen as a megatrend and its research suggests the market for green hydrogen in the EU will be worth almost 40 billion euros (£33.73 billion) by 2030 – with annual growth rates of 65 percent.

Carl Arntzen, CEO of Worcester Bosch, said: “We already have a hydrogen-ready boiler for household central heating, developed here in the UK! Tomorrow, we are meeting with government representatives and other businesses to offer a glimpse into what hydrogen can do, and we’ll have our new boilers on display alongside the many other hydrogen-ready products in London’s Science Museum.”

“For the heating and hot water industry, removing carbon entirely is a complex matter, largely because of the existing infrastructure, where the majority of UK homes use natural gas for heating. Yet, with a third of UK greenhouse gases coming from our homes, it is clear that the UK will not meet its climate change targets without a change in home heating technology and fuel.

“Replacing natural gas boilers with hydrogen gas may be the simplest solution to the nation’s heating problems. The only by-product of using hydrogen is water, meaning that it is a carbon-free fuel source and could be a key method to help decarbonise heating and hot water in UK homes”.

Vonjy Rajakoba, Managing Director of Bosch UK, said: “This is an exciting time for us in the UK and further afield. While hydrogen plays a substantial role in the decarbonisation plan laid out by the UK government, consumers are waking up to the positive impact that hydrogen power can have on the environment and our day-to-day lives. We truly hope that alternative fuels such as this will be high on the agenda at COP26 in Glasgow this month.”

Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity, and Bosch is developing both stationary and mobile fuel-cell solutions. From 2021 to 2024, Bosch plans to invest one billion euros (£850 million) in fuel-cell technology, and estimates that the market for mobile fuel-cell components will be worth around 18 billion euros (£15.37 billion) by the end of the decade.

The uses of the fuel are numerous, with hydrogen fuel cells being developed to power vans and trucks, hydrogen-ready boilers to heat homes, and hydrogen-powered mini power stations able to provide energy to facilities such as data centres and bus stations. The public likewise agree that hydrogen should be used in a variety of scenarios from fuel for vehicles (55%), heating (50%) and electricity (58%).

James Bolton
Phone: +44 1895 87-8049
James.Bolton@uk.bosch.com

The Bosch division Building Technologies is a leading global supplier of security, safety, and communications products and systems. In selected countries Bosch offers solutions and services for building security, energy efficiency and building automation. About 8,800 associates generated sales of 1.9 billion euros in 2020. Protecting lives, buildings and assets is the major aim. The product portfolio includes video security, intrusion detection, fire detection and voice evacuation systems as well as access control and management systems. Professional audio and conference systems for communication of voice, sound and music complete the range. Building Technologies develops and manufactures in its own plants in Europe, Americas and Asia.

Additional information is available online at https://www.boschbuildingtechnologies.com

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 395,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2020). The company generated sales of 71.5 billion euros in 2020. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology.

As a leading IoT provider, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, Industry 4.0, and connected mobility. Bosch is pursuing a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe, and exciting. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to facilitate connected living with products and solutions that either contain artificial intelligence (AI) or have been developed or manufactured with its help. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. With its more than 400 locations worldwide, the Bosch Group has been carbon neutral since the first quarter of 2020. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At 129 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 73,000 associates in research and development, of which nearly 34,000 are software engineers.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, LinkedIn : @BoschUK