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UK and Norway work together on new clean energy partnership
The United Kingdom and Norway have announced a new agreement to accelerate the transition to clean energy, support investment, and boost job creation
The partnership is part of a UK-Norway Strategic Partnership and will focus on renewable energy opportunities in the North Sea hoping to cement both countries as leaders in the green energy transition.
Driving investment in offshore wind and green hydrogen
The shared commitment to invest in offshore wind and green hydrogen projects is central to the new Green Industrial Partnership.
The North Sea is set to play a pivotal role in this strategy, with both nations agreeing to collaborate on large-scale renewable energy infrastructure.
This includes grid development, the protection of offshore installations, and reducing obstacles to developing a cross-border carbon dioxide storage hub.
With the potential to power over 120 million homes through offshore wind by 2030, the North Sea could become a renewable energy powerhouse. Research indicates closer cooperation between the UK and Norway could generate up to 51,000 new jobs, reduce household energy bills, and inject up to £36 billion into the UK economy.
A strategic focus on energy security and economic growth
The agreement comes when energy security has become a critical issue for Europe. By investing in locally generated clean energy sources, both the UK and Norway aim to reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets.
The partnership also supports the UK Government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower and reduce household energy costs.
As part of the agreement, the UK and Norway will explore opportunities to unlock the vast carbon storage capacity beneath the UK’s seabed, estimated at up to 78 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. This could be vital to Europe’s broader efforts to reduce emissions and reach climate targets.
Boosting green industry and jobs
In addition to its environmental and energy security benefits, the partnership is expected to bring substantial economic advantages. By aligning innovation, infrastructure, and industrial capacity strengths, the UK and Norway aim to create thousands of clean energy jobs and develop new green industries.
Norwegian and British companies are already playing a leading role in this transition. Norwegian energy giants such as Equinor, Statkraft, Fred Olsen, and Vårgrønn have significantly invested in UK renewable projects, including offshore wind, carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen production.
Part of a wider UK-Norway strategic partnership
This new energy agreement builds on decades of collaboration between the UK and Norway in the energy sector.
It also forms part of a wider Strategic Partnership covering defence, trade, climate change, and security. With shared goals in climate diplomacy and rainforest protection, both countries are working closely to implement the Paris Agreement and promote global sustainability.
The clean energy partnership reflects the UK’s “Plan for Change,“ which seeks to position the country as a hub for renewable innovation, job creation, and climate leadership.
With growing momentum behind the green transition, the UK and Norway’s enhanced cooperation could set a new standard for international collaboration in the renewable energy sector.
The post UK and Norway work together on new clean energy partnership appeared first on Open Access Government.
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UK solar-powered car parks will cut costs and improve clean energy
Motorists and businesses across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland could soon see the benefits of solar-powered car parks under new government proposals to cut energy bills and improve access to electric vehicle charging
The change is part of the Plan for Change, which focuses on delivering cheaper, cleaner energy while improving energy security and supporting the UK’s transition to net zero.
Creating solar-panelled car parks
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has launched a call for evidence to explore how installing solar canopies in car parks, known as solar carports, can help reduce costs, support EV adoption, and better use underutilised urban space. These solar carports generate electricity and provide shaded parking for motorists, improving the customer experience during hot weather.
Initial estimates suggest that a car park with 80 spaces could save up to £28,000 per year on electricity bills if all the solar energy generated is used on-site.
These savings are based on forecasted commercial energy prices from 2025 to 2054, assuming a load factor of 11% and full self-consumption of the electricity produced.
Businesses could also earn additional income by selling excess power back to the grid or through long-term power purchase agreements.
More accessible charging points for EVs
For drivers, the rollout of solar carports means access to more EV charging points, cheaper charging costs, and cooler parking during heatwaves. This move complements the government’s £2.3 billion investment to support the switch to electric vehicles, which has helped increase the number of public EV chargers in the UK to over 76,500.
In addition to supporting electric vehicles, the government is introducing the Fuel Finder scheme to help petrol and diesel drivers save at the pump.
Under the scheme, all petrol stations must share price updates within 30 minutes of any change. This real-time price transparency is expected to drive competition and save motorists between 1 and 6p per litre on average.
Making solar panels mandatory in car parks is already implemented in some countries like France and Slovenia, and the UK government is now considering a similar approach. If widely implemented, solar carports could significantly contribute to the UK’s goal of reaching 45 to 47 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity by 2030. Since July alone, nearly 3 GW of solar capacity has already been approved, enough to meet the annual electricity needs of one million homes.
The success of solar carport’s so far.
Several large-scale installations already show the potential of this approach. Bentley Motors in Cheshire has the UK’s largest solar carport, with 10,000 panels supporting its manufacturing operations. Eastbourne District General Hospital became the first in the country to run partially on power from a solar carport, cutting its emissions by 222 tonnes in one year.
At the Metrocentre in Gateshead, over 5,300 rooftop and carport solar panels now generate 40% of the centre’s electricity needs.
The solar sector already supports around 17,500 jobs across the UK, which could grow with further investment in solar infrastructure. By converting car parks into energy-generating assets, the government hopes to reduce electricity bills, create jobs, support the EV transition, and ensure the UK remains on track to becoming a clean energy superpower.
The post UK solar-powered car parks will cut costs and improve clean energy appeared first on Open Access Government.
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Affordable hydrogen fuel production: Novel surface reconstruction strategy
Scientists at Tohoku University have pioneered an affordable hydrogen fuel production method using a novel surface reconstruction strategy for catalysts. This breakthrough in non-noble metal cathodes brings cost-effective clean fuel closer to reality, targeting commercial applications
A team of scientists at the Advanced Institute for Materials Research (AIMR), Tohoku University, announced a significant breakthrough in the quest for affordable and efficient hydrogen fuel production. Their innovative approach focuses on a surface reconstruction strategy to create highly durable and cost-effective catalysts, potentially bridging the gap between laboratory research and large-scale commercial application of clean hydrogen fuel.
The findings, published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials on April 3, 2025, offer a promising pathway to meet the US Department of Energy’s ambitious 2026 hydrogen production cost target.
Overcoming HER inefficiencies with non-noble metals
The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) holds immense promise for generating clean hydrogen fuel, a crucial component in tackling the climate crisis. However, the inherent inefficiency and slow kinetics of HER have hindered its widespread commercialisation. Traditionally, expensive noble metals are employed as catalysts to accelerate this reaction.
Recognising the need for more affordable alternatives, the Tohoku University research team focused on transition metal phosphides (TMPs), a class of durable and cost-effective non-noble metal compounds known for their catalytic potential.
Fluorine modification unlocks enhanced catalytic activity
The research team’s novel strategy involved modifying cobalt phosphide (CoP) with fluorine. Through meticulous experimentation and advanced analytical techniques, including operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and Raman measurements, they elucidated the mechanism behind the enhanced catalytic performance.
The incorporation of fluorine into the CoP lattice facilitated the formation of phosphorus vacancy sites on the catalyst’s surface. These vacancies act as highly active sites, significantly accelerating the HER process.
Promising performance and cost projections for hydrogen fuel production
The modified catalyst, F-modified CoP, demonstrated exceptional durability, maintaining stable performance for over 300 hours under acidic conditions, a crucial requirement for proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers.
Lead researcher Heng Liu (AIMR) highlighted the economic viability of their approach, stating, “This reconstructed Co is highly active, works in acidic conditions, and can maintain approximately 76 W for over 300 hours. We’re getting close to an affordable method to produce fuel. The calculated cost of using this method is $2.17 per kgH2-1 – just 17 cents over the current production target set for 2026.”
Bridging the gap to commercial application
Beyond laboratory-scale experiments using a three-electrode setup, the researchers extended their findings to commercial-scale PEM electrolysers, demonstrating the practical potential of their innovation. This advancement represents a significant step forward in HER catalyst research, providing a blueprint for the rational design of other high-performance non-noble metal-based cathodes.
Paving the way for a sustainable energy future
“We’re always thinking about the end goal, which is for research to make its way into everyday life,” emphasised Liu. “This advancement brings us one step closer to designing more realistic options for commercial PEM application.”
This research offers a compelling pathway towards affordable and sustainable hydrogen fuel production, potentially playing a pivotal role in the transition to a cleaner energy future.
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