Winlaton in Gateshead was the first area to receive a hydrogen blend through the public natural gas network, where some 668 homes, a school, several small businesses and a church all ran on natural gas, which was blended with 20% hydrogen. The idea behind this project was to look at the possibility of reducing our reliance on natural gas for heating. The result was a great success. The success of this is now paving the way for similar projects – but on a more ambitious scale.
A UK gas supplier called Cadent has said it is on course to help create a village which runs fully on hydrogen by 2025. The gas which will feed these communities will be via a modified pipe network, which will help eliminate the UK’s need for fossil fuel to heat homes.
Cadent has announced it had submitted proposals over the last 12 months for the town of Whitby in Ellesmere Port to become a hydrogen village. The government and Ofgem are expected to make a decision on the UK’s hydrogen Village plans over the course of the next 12 months.
In recent draft legislation relating to the Energy Security Bill, there is mention of committing to a hydrogen village trial by 2025. This will then help inform the government in 2026 as to the role hydrogen could play in decarbonising the UK’s energy network. Research from the government has estimated that between 20 and 35% of the UK’s energy usage across all sectors may be hydrogen-based by 2050. This estimate is also backed by the CCC (Committee on Climate Change).
The CCC has previously suggested that hydrogen could cater for around 5% of the UK’s domestic heat demand within 30 years. The CCC – Climate Change Committee is an independent body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. The committee advises the UK (including devolved governments) on emission targets and reports on the progress being made in reducing carbon emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
Cadent said it estimated that by 2027 it would be able to provide a blend of hydrogen and natural gas that can be piped into two million homes in Liverpool and Manchester without the need for new boilers to be fitted. While this will be good as it will cause minimal disruption and cost to homes, a number of boiler manufacturers have pledged to back plans to make hydrogen-ready boilers at a similar cost to current natural gas models. So when current gas boilers come to the end of their natural life, they can easily be replaced. Replacing boilers for pure hydrogen models, regardless of age or condition, at this stage of development at least, would be hugely costly and disruptive.
The benefits of hydrogen are significant. No other energy source is more infinite than hydrogen. Essentially it’s everlasting. Using hydrogen also greatly reduces pollution – it does not release any carbon dioxide any other greenhouse gases when it’s burnt. There are a few disadvantages however. It’s expensive, its also not that easy to store or move around. However, over time as the concept of hydrogen as a fuel source develops, which we are sure it will, infrastructure will improve to accomodiate it.
No energy source is perfect.
