UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard: emissions reporting and sustainability criteria (April 2023 guidance available shortly)
WeGuidance expectand toa publishcalculator versiontool 2for (Aprilhydrogen 2023)producers ofto theuse guidance and calculator for greenhouse gas emissions reporting and sustainability criteria under the UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard shortly.Standard.
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The Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard sets a maximum threshold for the amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed in the production process for hydrogen to be considered ‘low carbon hydrogen’. Compliance with the standard will help ensure new low carbon hydrogen production makes a direct contribution to our carbon reduction targets.
Update 821 AprilSeptember 2022
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Calculator files updated 11with Aprilminor 2023
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This 2guidance (Aprilsets 2023)out ofthe methodology for calculating the guidanceemissions associated with hydrogen production and calculatorthe steps producers should take to prove that the hydrogen they produce is compliant with the standard.
It is for use by hydrogen producers seeking support from government schemes and policies that have adopted the standard.
The standard requires hydrogen producers to:
meetaGHGemissionsintensityof20gCO2e/MJLHVofproducedhydrogenorlessforthehydrogentobeconsideredlowcarboncalculatetheir(GHG)uptothe‘pointofproduction’setoutariskmitigationplanforfugitivehydrogenemissionsmeetadditionalrequirementsfortheuseofbiogenicinputs,whererelevantascriteriaappropriateunderforthe UKfeedstocksourceandclassification
Hydrogen emissions calculator
Use the hydrogen emissions calculator (HEC) to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a prospective hydrogen production facility and determine its likely compliance with the Low Carbon Hydrogen StandardStandard.
You shortly.do not need to use the calculator for Strand 1 of the NZHF, but it is necessary if you are applying to Strand 2. For the remaining strands of the NZHF and future allocations of the hydrogen business model, the appropriate scheme guidance will confirm how the calculator should be used.
There are 3 versions of the calculator: use the streamlined versions for the production routes specified, and the full version for any other production route, or those that differ from ‘standard’ electrolytic or CCS-enabled projects.
1. For electrolytic projects - this streamlined version can accommodate data related to typical electrolytic hydrogen production processes (covering all types of electricity source).
2. For fossil gas reforming projects with carbon capture and storage (CCS) - this streamlined version can accommodate data related to typical hydrogen production processes with fossil gas as the primary input (steam methane reforming, autothermal reforming and partial oxidation processes).
3. The full version - this accommodates data related to any current hydrogen production process.
Calculator training videos
We have produced training videos on various aspects of using the calculator:
FossilgasreformationwithCCSexampleprojectBiomassgasificationwithCCSexampleprojectMunicipalsolidwaste(MSW)gasificationwithCCSexampleprojectBiomethanereformationwithCCSexampleproject
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Calculator files updated: minor functionality improvements and text clarifications.
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Guidance and HEC training videos updated. Clarification questions added.
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Added final 3 Hydrogen emissions calculator training videos.
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Original versions of the standard guidance and Hydrogen Emissions Calculators (HECs) updated, 1. so that the default natural gas upstream emissions factor better reflects the current composition of the UK natural gas network, 2. to improve the HEC functionality.
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Hydrogen emissions calculator training videos added.
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Added hydrogen emissions calculator. This can be used to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a prospective hydrogen production facility, and so determine its likely compliance with the Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard.
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First published.
Update history
2026-01-19 10:48
Version 4 of the Standard published.
2024-03-21 09:48
Updated Hydrogen emissions calculator (HEC) files to resolve some errors highlighted through HAR 2 applications. All applicants should use updated HEC files (version 4.8) to avoid errors.
2023-12-21 13:51
The Hydrogen Production Revenue Support (Directions, Eligibility and Counterparty) Regulations 2023 are now in force: we have republished the Standard to note that this version will be used for assessing eligibility under the Regulations.
2023-12-13 15:39
Published Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard version 3.
2023-05-18 15:02
We have updated the calculator files with a fix to a broken formula and minor usability improvements.
2023-04-21 13:36
Published calculators for use with version 2 of the Standard.
2023-04-19 16:38
UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard Version 2, April 2023, published.
2023-04-11 14:12
We expect to publish version 2 (April 2023) of the guidance and calculator for greenhouse gas emissions reporting and sustainability criteria under the UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard shortly.
2022-09-21 15:51
Calculator files updated: minor functionality improvements and text clarifications.
2022-07-21 14:56
Guidance and HEC training videos updated. Clarification questions added.
2022-06-17 11:03
Added final 3 Hydrogen emissions calculator training videos.
2022-06-13 14:57
Original versions of the standard guidance and Hydrogen Emissions Calculators (HECs) updated, 1. so that the default natural gas upstream emissions factor better reflects the current composition of the UK natural gas network, 2. to improve the HEC functionality.
2022-05-23 08:39
Hydrogen emissions calculator training videos added.
2022-04-14 15:35
Added hydrogen emissions calculator. This can be used to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with a prospective hydrogen production facility, and so determine its likely compliance with the Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard.
2022-04-08 10:01
First published.