Hydrogen town proposals submitted by Britain’s gas operators

A pilot hydrogen town could be implemented in Britain before the end of this decade, the government anticipates.

In response to an October 2022 request from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the country’s four gas network operators have submitted proposals of locations and other details for the ‘town’, which should have at least 10,000 metering points to trial hydrogen for heating.

While details from the individual operators are limited, Cadent says possible pilot areas have been identified in the Cheshire West and Chester, as well as the Humberside region and Northern Gas Networks has identified areas in Hull and East Riding, Teesside and Leeds.

However, neither SGN nor Wales & West Utilities have released their proposed pilot locations.

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Silvia Simon, head of Hydrogen at Energy Networks Association (ENA), which represents the UK’s energy network operators, said the proposals are a “critical next step” in making net zero a reality, showing how hydrogen infrastructure could start to be rolled out once the industry’s evidence gathering and trials are complete.

“Hydrogen will play a central role in decarbonising a wide range of sectors, and the projects now under consideration by BEIS reflect the progress made and the benefits to customers, businesses and the climate.”

The hydrogen town pilot is slated as a possible follow up to the village trial with about 2,000 homes, which is expected to commence in 2025, and would only progress if a positive decision is made by government about hydrogen for heat, which is currently expected around 2026.

BEIS’s motivation for requesting the hydrogen town proposals now is to better understand how the early stages of any deployment would be best organised and to be in a position to progress to implementation as quickly as possible through the latter half of this decade, its invitation letter states.

Specifically the gas operators were requested to outline planning projects for areas, including possible pilot hydrogen town(s), within their networks, which appear to be most suitable for conversion to enable early deployment of hydrogen heating at scale.

Other information requested included identifying the main energy system and supply chain requirements involved in the deployment and a high level assessment of the range of potential technical solutions.

Hydrogen neighbourhood and village trials

The proposed hydrogen town trial is being preceded by the H100 Fife neighbourhood trial with about 300 homes in western Scotland led by SGN and the hydrogen village trial, for which Northern Gas Networks and Cadent are vying to lead.

The H100 Fife project is currently under development and on track to start in 2024 with provision of 100% zero carbon hydrogen to the participating homes as a replacement for gas for cooking and heating.

The two hydrogen village proposals are both set in northern England and a final decision on the location is anticipated in the summer.