Assessing Hydrogen Supply and Demand in the Liverpool City Region: A Regional Development Review from Stakeholders' Perspective

Under the UK’s carbon neutrality goals for 2050, the Liverpool City Region’s (LCR) strategic positioning, with its rich industrial heritage and infrastructure assets such as extensive port facilities and proximity to vast renewable energy resources, positions it as a potential leader in the UK’s shift towards a hydrogen economy. Given this, the regional hydrogen industry and stakeholders in decarbonisation initiatives intend to undertake a critical review of the opportunities, challenges and uncertainties to local hydrogen supply and demand systems to assist in their decision-making. To achieve this goal, this study reviews the readiness of the hydrogen supply chain infrastructure within the LCR, which highlights four sectors in the hydrogen economy, i.e., production, storage, transportation, and utilisation. Subsequently, to offer the first-hand data in practice, a multi-faceted approach that incorporates a broad array of stakeholders through the Triple Helix (TH) model is adopted. Special attention is given to hydrogen’s role in transforming heavy industry, transportation, and heating sectors, supported by significant local projects like HyNet North West. During a roundtable discussion, industry-academia-government stakeholders identify challenges in scaling up infrastructure and assess the economic and technological landscape for hydrogen adoption. To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first regional academic endeavour to comprehensively examine the alignment between hydrogen supply and demand, theory and practice. Based on a detailed SWOT analysis, this study outlines the region’s strengths, including established industrial clusters and technological capabilities in manufacturing. It also highlights weaknesses such as the high costs associated with emerging hydrogen technologies, technological immaturity, and gaps in necessary infrastructure. The opportunities presented by national policy incentives and growing global demand for sustainable energy solutions are considered alongside threats, including regulatory complexities and the slow pace of public acceptance. This comprehensive examination not only maps the current landscape but also sets the stage for strategic interventions needed to realise hydrogen’s full potential within the LCR, aiming to guide policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers in their efforts to foster a viable hydrogen economy. Moreover, the findings offer valuable insights that can inform the development of hydrogen strategies in other regions and cities.