Our report on creating a community hydrogen heating trial was published recently by the UK Government.
In the
Government’s 10-point plan for
a green industrial revolution, it announced
plans to trial homes using hydrogen for heating and cooking, starting with a
hydrogen neighbourhood in 2023, moving to a hydrogen village by 2025, with an
aim for a hydrogen town – equivalent to tens of thousands of homes – before the
end of the decade.
Replacing
natural gas with hydrogen in an everyday setting – piping hydrogen to homes and
businesses through the existing gas network – is a new and untested
proposition. And yet piloting this proposition will also be an essential
ingredient to a well-managed low carbon transition.
Our
report, Exploring the evidence on potential issues associated with
trialling hydrogen heating in communities, sets out
findings from a literature review and four focus groups to inform the
development of work to assess issues associated with setting up a community
hydrogen trial.
The
report highlighted the need to establish trust, familiarity and reassurance
around hydrogen heating with communities taking part in any trial. We found
that effective communication strategies will be required to create community
buy-in, logistical challenges will need to be well thought-through and that
incentives - whilst important - need to be tailored to community
needs. Read more here.
