Platts to launch new UK hydrogen assessments

After a period of public consultation, S&P Global Platts has decided to assess the cost of hydrogen production in the United Kingdom.

In its new suite of hydrogen assessments, Platts will consider the daily cost of hydrogen production via three pathways: Autothermal reforming with carbon capture (ATR w CCS), proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis and alkaline electrolysis.The assessments will launch April 1, 2021.

The UK hydrogen assessments will consider the feedstock costs alone, as well as a second set of assessments that will include assumptions for capital expenses (CapEx). Assessments will be made in GBP/kg and GBP/KWh.

The assumptions for ATR w CCS costs will be based on industry research, including an H-Vision reported titled "Blue hydrogen as accelerator and pioneer for energy transition in the industry," published 2019.

Electrolysis assumptions will be based on the existing Platts methodology, and will incorporate the same changes as currently proposed in a separate methodology update.

Daily inputs will include the month-ahead National Balancing Point assessment; the month-ahead UK GTMA base and peak power assessments, a UK water price, and the quarterly EC carbon auction spot average as a proxy for UK carbon costs.

The assessments and their respective Platts symbols will be named as follows:

Please send any comments to hydrogenassessments@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing. Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.