“The prize of green hydrogen – a truly zero-carbon fuel, cheaply produced using wind power – could be within reach.”

That’s according to GMB’s National Secretary Andy Prendergast in a letter to the Guardian, who insists the benefits will only be met with the “right investment.”

The GMB Union represents “thousands” from the gas industry, he writes – and many members are now warming to the idea of the green gas.

Mr Prednergast says: “The substitution of hydrogen for natural gas can deliver a just transition in a range of industrial and domestic settings. Writing off such a solution when other countries are investing heavily in the technology threatens the future of those workers’ jobs.”

The costs of hydrogen are falling in line with investment, he argues – which can lead to a greener future with the right level of support.

He warns: “The UK risks repeating the mistakes of the renewables programme, when we failed to build up a domestic industrial base, which has left us reliant on imports.”

Ushering members of the union and the industry forward, he concludes: “There is a historic opportunity here to create a new export-led industry that assists with the decarbonisation of our own economy and we should seize it with both hands.”