UK government consults on proposals for making the NSTA the offshore hydrogen transport & storage regulator
24 April 2023
The UK government has opened a consultation on future regulatory arrangements for offshore hydrogen, which is seeking views on proposals for a ‘first layer’ of arrangements for transport and storage.
Representative image: Shutterstock
The consultation, which is open to 22 May, proposes to extend the NSTA’s regulatory remit to become the licensing and consenting authority for offshore hydrogen storage and pipelines transport. It also proposes to extend certain environmental and decommissioning regulations to apply to relevant hydrogen activities, and grants the NSTA powers to issue hydrogen storage licenses.
As a consequence of these proposals, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) would be responsible for relevant offshore environmental impact assessments and habitats assessments prior to the NSTA granting relevant approval(s).
The consultation is open to all to respond, but will be of specific interest to hydrogen economy stakeholders, including:
- Hydrogen producers
- Hydrogen consumers
- Gas transporters
- Storage operators
- Investors
- Consumer champions
- Trade associations
- Academics
In a statement, the NSTA said it welcomes the consultation and looks forward to continuing its work with government and industry to support the development of the UK hydrogen economy.
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