Government mothballs hydrogen town trials

The government has indefinitely paused work on a hydrogen town pilot, in another blow for backers of hydrogen for home heating.

Just months after scrapping plans for a hydrogen village, the government has now decided to pause work on a hydrogen town pilot until after its 2026 strategic decision on the role of hydrogen in decarbonising heat.

In a short statement, the government added that hydrogen “may have a role to play in heat decarbonisation”, however it will be limited to use in just “some locations”.

The town pilot was due to trial hydrogen as a replacement for natural gas in up to 10,000 homes.

Four gas distribution networks submitted applications for government funding to further develop plans for a hydrogen heating town trial in January 2023.

While specific details of the town proposals have not been published, Cadent identified possible pilot areas in Chester as well as the Humberside region and Northern Gas Networks identified areas in Hull and East Riding, Teesside and Leeds.

SGN and Wales & West Utilities also submitted pilot proposals, however have not released any details of the schemes.

The hydrogen town pilot was originally slated as a follow up to proposed the village trials.

However the government said that “in light” of its decision to rule out all proposals for a village trial in December 2023, it would be mothballing the town trials until after 2026.

A government spokesperson said: “The government has decided not to progress work on a hydrogen town pilot until after 2026 strategic decisions on the role of hydrogen in decarbonising heat.

“This follows careful consideration of the future of the work in light of the decision in December 2023 not to proceed with the hydrogen village trial in Redcar.

“We believe that low carbon hydrogen may have a role to play in heat decarbonisation, alongside heat pumps and heat networks, but in slower time in some locations. We plan to take a decision in 2026 on whether, and if so how, hydrogen will contribute to heating decarbonisation.”

A spokesperson for the UK Gas Distribution Networks said: “We welcome the clarity which has been provided on a potential Hydrogen Heating Town and continue to support the need to make use of a range of energy solutions if we are to reach net zero in a fair and affordable way for customers that maintains choice.

“As an industry, we will keep working closely with the government to provide the evidence and expertise required to make an informed decision on the future decarbonisation of home heating.”

Many industry figures and politicians have called on the government to take an earlier decision on hydrogen for home heating in light of recent developments.

In its latest National Infrastructure Assessment, the National Infrastructure Commission urged the government to rule out hydrogen for home heating now, rather than waiting until 2026.

The future of hydrogen for heating in the UK largely rests on the success of SGN’s H100 trial in Fife.

The H100 trial will be used, alongside projects from Europe, as the main evidence base to inform the government’s 2026 decision on how hydrogen could be used for home heating.

However, as reported by Utility Week last month SGN announced that the project is “taking longer than planned” due to supply chain and procurement challenges, with around two-thirds of a new 8.2-mile network built so far.

SGN is now not expecting to go live on its flagship H100 hydrogen for heating project in Levenmouth, Fife, Scotland, until next year.

The project, which is due to supply hydrogen to 300 homes in the coastal settlements of Buckhaven and Denbeath, was due to get underway this year.

Following the announcement, Keith MacLean, gas expert at consultancy Providence Policy, told Utility Week that there is now little point in ministers putting off the decision on whether hydrogen will be used in domestic heating until 2026.