The UK government has shelved plans for a pilot “hydrogen town” project that was intended to trial hydrogen use in domestic heating as a step toward decarbonising home heating systems.
A decision on whether hydrogen can contribute to heating decarbonisation, and potentially how, is due to be taken in 2026. A plan for a pilot project will not be considered at least until that year, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said on Thursday.
Following Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution unveiled in 2020, the UK has been exploring hydrogen’s potential to replace gas. All national gas grid operators were invited to outline plans for a possible hydrogen town.
Smaller-scale proposals for two hydrogen villages, in Redcar and Whitby, were scrapped last year following protests by locals. A research project called H100 Fife is set to run between 2025 and 2027 to showcase the use of hydrogen for home heating on a neighbourhood level. According to the government’s statement, hydrogen “may have a role to play in heat decarbonisation,” but its deployment will be slower than initially expected and limited to “some locations.” Currently, heating accounts for about 37% of total UK carbon emissions, including industrial processes, shows data by research and technology organisation Energy Systems Catapult. (May 10, 2024)
UNITED KINGDOM - GREENH2 - GENERAL INFORMATION