Hydrogen – It's Not a Matter of If, It's a Matter of When
If you’ve ever had the retro-futuristic thrill of watching the latest production of Starlight Express, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s roller-skating rock musical, you might recall a brief but punchy number titled “Hydrogen.” The track captures something rather timeless - an energy, a spark of possibility. “Hydrogen,” as sung in the show, represents the future of power, sleek and bold, racing into tomorrow — a metaphor that feels surprisingly apt for those who follow the development of hydrogen technologies and their broader industrial and commercial adoption.
In a somewhat less theatrical but equally poignant post, Andy Beard, President, Hydrogen at Shell, recently stated that it is commonly understood that hydrogen has a clear and key role to play in decarbonisation. However, contrary to the “silver bullet” narrative, the reality is that the energy transition will require a “mosaic of solutions spanning across sectors, geographies, and technologies”. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
As part of our various projects and partnerships spanning the automotive, aerospace, marine and distributed power sectors, Viritech is often asked to break down the current status of the hydrogen sector and provide guidance on where it’s headed. Our conversations echo a theme that’s growing louder in industry circles: hydrogen will happen, but it will take time. It won’t arrive with a bang like a West End finale. Instead, it will unfold gradually, as part of a wider, more intricate energy transformation.
As an industry player, we’re seeing growing and clear signals that the hydrogen market is moving. These signals include increasing commercial interest in our products and engineering services, investment in infrastructure, reduction in the cost of hydrogen, and an increasing interest in pilot programs - all moving the needle. We’re also seeing a greater level of collaboration between the various players in the value chain, bringing together more complete solutions from hydrogen production down to the various use cases, such as transport and power generation.
However, for hydrogen adoption to continue gaining momentum, public-private partnerships are essential, as is stimulating third-party demand. The continued support from innovation funding via organisations such as the APC, NVN, and IUK is essential to support the building of necessary infrastructure, engaging cross-sector players, and cultivating a supportive ecosystem.
The last piece of the puzzle is effective policy and regulation. We need frameworks that reward first movers, incentivise both supply and demand, and, perhaps most importantly, deliver a clear and stable policy environment. As always, long-term certainty will be essential to unlock the capital, collaboration, and creativity this sector needs.
So, where does that leave us?
It leaves us needing more open, candid dialogue. We must continue to bridge the gap between industry and government, producers and consumers, visionaries and pragmatists. Together, we can navigate the supply-demand mismatches, the funding gaps, and the technological unknowns.
Hydrogen isn’t just a catchy track in a musical; it’s destined to become a powerful and essential part of our future, given the time, investment, and policy support it needs to grow. As Starlight Express predicts, the momentum is building and “It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when” - Hydrogen - Official Lyric Video | Starlight Express.
Simon Willis
Head of Engineering Chief Technical Officer
Simon has 20 years’ experience in automotive and motorsport roles, including powertrain engineering, marketing, and after-sales. He combines deep engineering knowledge with a strong track-record of delivering projects on time and on budget.
