Global law firm Ashurst continues to advise the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), as the first three of eleven landmark low carbon hydrogen production contracts under Hydrogen Allocation Round 1 (HAR1) are signed. The remaining contracts are expected to be signed in early 2025.
The private sector signatories to the contracts – the Cromarty, Whitelee and West Wales projects – represent first-of-a-kind, low carbon hydrogen production projects in Great Britain and, once operational, will have a combined capacity of 31.8MW, enabling clean hydrogen production while reducing emissions across key industries.
HAR1 is the largest single allocation of such contracts at commercial scale announced simultaneously in the UK and Europe, and Ashurst has been advising DESNZ on the wider low carbon hydrogen programme (of which HAR1 is a key part) since 2022.
Commenting, partner Anthony Johnson said: "We're delighted to be advising DESNZ on the successful signing of these first three landmark low carbon hydrogen production contracts. The UK Government's low carbon hydrogen programme will play a pivotal role in advancing the UK's journey to Net Zero, so this is an extremely exciting programme to be supporting."
Partners Anthony Johnson and Harvey Weaver are leading the Ashurst team who is advising DESNZ in relation to HAR1 and the associated low carbon hydrogen production contracts.
This follows the closing of UK's first CCUS projects, announced earlier in December 2024.
