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The UK government has shelved the UK's biggest trial of using hydrogen to heat homes, dealing a new blow to the prospects for gas use in the transition to net zero.
Ministers said they would halt preparatory work on a project to heat up to 10,000 homes with hydrogen instead of fossil fuels. They plan to review this move in 2026 after formally deciding what role, if any, they expect for hydrogen compared to alternative low-carbon heating options such as electric heat pumps. .
The government said it believes “low-carbon hydrogen has the potential to play a role in heat decarbonisation alongside heat pumps and thermal networks, but this will take time in some places.”
But Energy Secretary Martin Callanan added: “For the foreseeable future, heat pumps and heat networks will be the main means of reducing emissions from homes.”
said Jan Rosenau, program director of the non-governmental organization Regulatory Assistance Project. home heating. ”
The decision to halt work on the project comes after the government was forced to abandon two small-scale hydrogen heating trials last year amid local opposition and gas availability constraints.
Reducing emissions from home heating is one of the biggest challenges facing governments as they seek to meet legally binding targets of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Domestic boilers account for about 14 percent of the country's carbon dioxide emissions.
The prospect of using hydrogen to heat homes is controversial, with critics claiming the process is highly inefficient compared to heat pumps, which run on electricity and draw warmth from outside air.
Last year, the UK's chief infrastructure adviser, the National Infrastructure Commission, called on the government to rule out hydrogen support and focus instead on subsidies for heat pumps.
NIC Commissioner Nick Windsor said hydrogen was “simply not ready at scale”. The gas is produced by splitting methane or water, both of which are energy-intensive and costly.
Trials are still to be carried out in Fife, Scotland, where around 300 homes will be supplied in the first stage. However, its launch has been delayed until next year, with operator Scotia Gas Networks citing “supply chain and procurement challenges”.
Any decision on the role of hydrogen will have a significant impact on the UK's gas distribution network, including Cadent, owned by Australian investment manager Macquarie.
In a joint statement, the UK gas supply networks said they “welcomed the clarity” on the proposed trial and “recognizes the need to leverage a range of energy solutions to achieve net zero in a fair and affordable way”. I will continue to support it.” Customers retaining choice.”
