A clean energy technology company has claimed that producing hydrogen at the point of use could help strengthen UK and European energy security as concerns grow over gas storage levels ahead of winter.
Kinetic7 Technologies, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, says its hydrogen-on-demand system could reduce reliance on imported natural gas and large-scale storage by generating hydrogen only when it is needed.
The company's comments come as Europe faces renewed concerns over gas supplies, with storage levels reported to be below the five-year average for late July, increasing focus on supply resilience, liquefied natural gas competition and the UK's limited gas storage capacity.
Founded by Australian entrepreneur Rick Parish, Kinetic7 has developed technology that uses water and electrolysis to produce hydrogen on demand without the need for conventional storage or transport infrastructure.
Originally developed for humanitarian and disaster relief applications, the technology powers portable cooking systems that can operate using mains electricity, batteries or solar panels.
The company has since adapted the technology into a commercial product, known as the HODBox, aimed at restaurants, hotels and catering businesses.
Kinetic7 is also developing a domestic version designed initially for off-grid homes, which could provide hydrogen for cooking, hot water and heating.
Rick Parish, founder and chairman of Kinetic7 Technologies, said: "Europe's current gas challenge shows why energy resilience can no longer depend solely on centralised infrastructure, imported fuel and large-scale storage. Hydrogen produced at the point of use gives governments, businesses and households another route to clean, secure and deployable energy."
He added: "Energy security is now being shaped by multiple pressures at once: geopolitics, conflict and uncertainty around strategic supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, ageing infrastructure, limited storage, competition for LNG, extreme weather, rising demand and the challenge of integrating more renewable power into national grids.
"No single technology can solve those pressures alone, but decentralised hydrogen-on-demand can form part of a broader resilience strategy by creating clean gas where and when it is needed, rather than relying entirely on long supply chains and large centralised storage."
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