Posted on 08 Sep 2022
UK’s gas distributor Cadent says it has achieved a milestone in its project with British Gas to make the country’s first “hydrogen village,” Kallanish reports.
The project, first announced in May, plans to convert 2,000 homes in Ellesmere Port, northwest of England, to use low-carbon hydrogen instead of natural gas. The properties in the Whitby area will use hydrogen at scale for heating and cooking.
The intention is to supply hydrogen from 2025 using existing network of gas pipes. Every property in the area will get free boiler upgrades to new hydrogen-ready versions, producing no carbon emissions when burned to heat properties. According to Cadent, the average UK household emits over 2.7 tonnes of CO2 per year, mainly by burning natural gas for heating and cooking purposes.
Earlier this month, engineers completed the 100th assessment of the properties involved in the two-year programme. This was achieved “in a matter of weeks after starting,” the gas distributor says. The assessments are free and include a thorough safety check of all gas appliances in the household, to ensure it’s fit to participate in the conversion.
A final decision on the project is expected next year. If approved, the project will demonstrate how the rest of the UK can become more environmentally-friendly, paving the way for a potential grid switch by 2050.
The gas network in the North West is set to receive a further £800 million ($917.7m) in investments over the next five years to ensure its pipes are hydrogen-ready.
Source:Kallanish
