The UK hydrogen industry holds profound significance for both the country’s economy and energy security. As a key player in the global transition to cleaner energy sources, hydrogen offers a versatile solution to decarbonising various sectors, from transportation to industry. With hydrogen, the UK can reduce dependency on imported energy, enhance energy resilience, create new job opportunities, and establish itself as a frontrunner in cutting-edge sustainable technologies.
Ups and downs are inevitable during a clean energy industry’s tipping point in the transition away from fossil fuels. As such one of the UK’s leading hydrogen companies ITM has certainly experienced its share of bumps in the road but recently has made significant progress again.
ITM Power, the UK hydrogen equipment manufacturer, has reported significant headway in its turnaround efforts as it disclosed annual revenues that surpassed expectations.
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The company, based in Sheffield and specialising in electrolysers used to produce green hydrogen, a critical component of global endeavors to reduce carbon emissions, achieved a revenue of £5.2 million in its fiscal year, surpassing the projected £2 million.
The development comes amidst a substantial restructuring within ITM aimed at streamlining operations and reducing costs after the company had faced challenges.
Established in 2001, ITM is considered one of the United Kingdom’s prime contenders for a domestic manufacturing leader in future energy sectors.
CEO Dennis Schulz expressed optimism about the progress achieved since the initiation of the company’s turnaround plan earlier in the year. He indicated that ITM was on track to transform into a highly efficient and dependable volume manufacturing entity.
Schulz assumed the position of CEO in December, transitioning from his previous role within the engineering division of ITM’s largest stakeholder, Linde. He committed to restoring investor and customer trust, including efforts to reduce the company’s product range and decrease the workforce by 25 percent.
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Hydrogen is pivotal in the transition away from fossil fuels due to its carbon emissions-free combustion. Electrolysers are instrumental in splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. The International Energy Agency projects that electrolyser capacity must expand to approximately 560 GW by 2030, a substantial increase from the estimated 3 GW in the present year, in order to achieve clean energy targets.
In its recent results ITM has also noted a “temporary slowdown” in investor approvals for new projects, attributed to elevated electricity costs, inflation, and uncertainties about government support. Nonetheless, this situation has granted ITM the “breathing space required to focus on implementing” its turnaround plan.
Investec analyst Alex Smith commended the company’s recovery plan for being “on track” and stated that it was “successfully gearing up.”
ITM anticipates generating revenue between £10 million and £18 million in the fiscal year 2024, with an adjusted loss (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) of £45 million to £55 million.
Following these developments and as reported by the FT, ITM shares rose by almost 5 percent during afternoon trading, reaching 91.46p.
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