Hydrogen appliances and smart meters top outcomes of UK’s Hy4Heat programme

A range of domestic and commercial hydrogen appliances and hydrogen smart meters are highlighted among the top outcomes of the UK’s Hy4Heat programme.

In an evaluation of the programme, which was launched in 2017 and wrapped up in April 2022, the UK government’s Department for Energy Security & Net Zero highlights the successful development within it of a range of functioning appliance prototypes to demonstration phase.

These include hydrogen heating and cooking appliance prototypes for both domestic and commercial uses as well as ancillary components including smart meters.

Overall the technology readiness level is estimated to have increased by an average 3.2 during the project, with all developers starting at a level of 1 or 2 and the domestic appliances generally further advanced than the commercial ones.

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Among the domestic appliances at the end of Hy4Heat, full certifications had been given to Baxi’s hydrogen boilers, Enertek’s ranges of cookers and fires and two of Clean Burner Systems’ three fires, while the third was field trial certified, as were Bosch’s boilers.

Similarly Enertek’s commercial heating and catering ranges were fully certified, while SolidPower’s micro CHP was field trial certified.

Among the ancillary components, which also included control valves and excess flow valves, at the end of the project MeteRSit’s hydrogen smart meter was fully certified (including MID, ATEX, SMETS2, RED, Zigbee, CPA) while Pietro Fiorentini’s meter was partially certified with full certification ongoing and expected during the summer of 2023.

Alongside the appliance development, several stakeholders felt that one of Hy4Heat’s most important achievements was the letter of assistance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), confirming the relevance of the safety assessment that had been and showing that there are no substantial safety barriers to the introduction of hydrogen for heating system demonstrators.

The evaluation also notes the role of Hy4Heat in informing policy and R&D investment programmes and the decision to proceed with larger scale trials.

While Hy4Heat is formally finished, the appliances and smart meters are still being demonstrated in the hydrogen demonstration homes built by Northern Gas Networks and Cadent at the former’s site near Gateshead in northeast England.