Hydrogen will be blended onto a public gas network for the first time in the next phase of the green £22.5 million HyDeploy project.
Following an exemption granted by the HSE to the current limit of 0.1 per cent hydrogen in the UK gas network a total of 668 houses, a school and some small businesses will receive the blend of up to 20 per cent hydrogen in Winlaton, Gateshead.
An Ofgem Network Innovation Competition (NIC) project, HyDeploy is being delivered by a consortium including Northern Gas Networks, Cadent, Progressive Energy, Keele University, HSE – Science Division and ITM Power.
During the first phase of the project 100 homes and around 30 commercial buildings on a closed network at Keele University successfully used the hydrogen blend for a period of 18 months which ended in the spring.
Due to start in August, a 10-month long pilot led by Northern Gas Networks will see customers use their gas supply and appliances as normal, without the need to make any changes as current appliances are designed to operate with a blend of up to 23 per cent hydrogen.
The consortium behind HyDeploy said if hydrogen were blended with natural gas across the UK at a similar level to the project, it could save around 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually.
Tim Harwood, head of programme management and H21 project director at Northern Gas Networks, said: “We’re delighted the HSE has given us the go-ahead for the next phase of HyDeploy at Winlaton.
“The project will provide more vital evidence about the possibilities of blending hydrogen into the natural gas network across the UK, as a stepping-stone to decarbonising heat with no disruption to customers.
“We’ve engaged with the community of Winlaton over the past 18 months and, with the support of the council, undertaken safety checks on their appliances to reassure residents that they can continue to use their gas as normal whilst playing a vital role in the decarbonisation of the gas network ”