Energy and clean growth minister Claire Perry has announced a £20m funding boost to businesses embracing the potential for a future UK hydrogen economy.

The announcement was made during a visit to Swindon’s Hydrogen Hub and Recycling Technologies.

Hydrogen fuel is currently very costly to produce and transport and the new funding aims to change this.

The minister said: “Clean, green and safe, hydrogen has an exciting role to play powering the UK but needs to be cheaper and more widely available to live up to its potential. Today’s £20m funding boost, part of our modern Industrial Strategy, will help to address these challenges so that we can sustain the exciting momentum building in our low carbon hydrogen economy, creating high-value jobs up and down the country.

“Clean Growth is at the heart of our modern Industrial Strategy and creates huge opportunities for the UK, securing our place as global leaders in this field.”

The minister will meet with Hydrogen Hub members to discuss the UK’s strength in hydrogen and fuel cell technology development, and the potential for the UK to be at the forefront of a new hydrogen economy, helping the government to meet its climate change targets.