Learnings from our SHINe co-creation workshop

19 November 2025 | 3 minute read

The long-term viability of the hydrogen industry requires strong collaboration across the sector to help overcome the biggest barriers facing deployment.

The SHINe co-creation workshop, held in Glasgow on 23 October 2025, brought together industry, academia, and early-stage innovators. The workshop aimed to overcome what the SHINe Industry Board sees as priority challenges.

Three challenge areas

Members of the Board presented three challenge areas:

• Flexible electrolyser operation and long-term degradation
• The practice of hydrogen venting versus flaring
• Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) procurement process.

Attendees rotated through facilitated breakout sessions and provided their insights into how to overcome these challenges, based on their unique industry expertise and experience.

The combination of business, academia and research and development bodies (R&D) led to a productive and insightful event, identifying solutions to some of today’s biggest implementation challenges.

Flexible electrolyser operation and long-term degradation

Renewable energy generation for hydrogen production varies. Therefore, electrolysers must operate flexibly, with ramping, turndown, and start-stop capabilities. 

However, this cycling can result in greater electrolyser wear and tear. Flexible operation also limits vendor data and guarantees. Additionally, while vendors undertake stress tests for their products, this may not always mirror real-world degradation patterns.

Proposed solutions 

Co-creation workshop attendees highlighted that methods such as hot-standby and hybridisation with batteries can reduce this degradation and improve efficiency.

Those working in academia also provided their insights into the models in development across Scottish universities that will better predict electrolyser degradation and improve efficiency. 

Other proposed solutions discussed at the workshop included:

• Developing a Scottish Hybrid Testbed Programme to combine emulation, long-duration trials and shared data standards - this will use Scotland’s wealth of existing test facilities to conduct pilots
• Developing a public Electrolyser Flexible Operation Protocol to guide testing and certification
• Creating a data trust framework to allow secure and anonymised sharing of operational electrolyser data

Hydrogen venting versus flaring

Hydrogen projects must manage excess gas safely and responsibly. However, the choice between venting and flaring the excess gas is complex, site-specific and poorly regulated.

Our attendees outlined how venting is often cheaper and simpler, but raises environmental and safety concerns. Flaring reduces hydrogen release but introduces nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, noise and visual pollutants. 

Without clearer guidance on which method to use, projects face delays, add costs and increase public uncertainty.

Proposed solutions 

Workshop participants outlined their proposed solutions that will help to remove these inconsistencies. These include:

• Developing quantified risk assessment models to compare venting versus flaring impacts, informed by collaboration between academia and industry
• Encouraging data sharing across Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to improve system design and reduce fugitive emissions
• Creating a framework for graded hydrogen use based on its purity and use-case
• Prioritising elevated flares where flaring is necessary and pairing them with ultra-low NOx combustion technologies
• Creating breathing space for early projects by pausing strict regulation on flaring and venting, allowing data collection and best practice to develop after 3-4 years.

EPC procurement process

The traditional EPC process can be difficult for hydrogen project developers to navigate. The standard model is often too rigid and risk-averse for new hydrogen innovations.

Projects and developers struggle to secure cost-effective delivery using this method. The traditional EPC process also results in contractors hesitant to engage with hydrogen projects due to technical uncertainty and lack of standardisation. 

A more flexible approach could provide an opportunity for projects and developers to keep capital expenditure costs low and increase project viability.

Proposed solutions 

The workshop attendees collaborated to create alternative EPC models and new tools that will assist new developers and increase hydrogen project viability. Suggestions included:

• Creating a collaborative EPC model, which develops partnerships between OEMs, EPC contractors, and developers - this results in both shared risk and lower delivery costs
• Developing standardised hydrogen-specific tender frameworks and delivery playbooks to streamline procurement
• Creating support tools such as shared datasets and case studies that will assist projects in reaching final investment decision (FID)
• Fostering closer collaboration between project developers and safety regulators to co-design permitting pathways and de-risk new hydrogen projects
• Adjusting the Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR) mechanism to avoid unnecessary delays, considering fewer or more streamlined milestones

Conclusion

Our co-creation workshops allow those at the heart of the Scottish hydrogen industry to collaborate and share their project and research expertise with their peers. The workshops also help us understand the lived experiences of stakeholders navigating the sector, creating solutions that accelerate the development of a thriving hydrogen industry.

If you’re a hydrogen innovator or academic and want to contribute to the discussion, contact the SHINe team.