The UK government has scrapped plans for Britain’s biggest trial of using hydrogen gas to heat homes. This is the latest blow for the use of the gas as part the transition to net zero.
Ministers announced that they would stop preparatory works on a project to replace fossil fuels with hydrogen to heat up 10,000 homes. The move will be reviewed in 2026, after they have made a formal decision about the role hydrogen should play, if at all, when compared to other low-carbon heating options such as electric heat pump.
Government stated that “low carbon hydrogen could play a role in heat decarbonisation along with heat pumps and heating networks but at a slower pace in some areas”.
Martin Callanan is a minister at the Energy Department. He said on X that “heat networks and heat pumps will be the primary route to cut household emissions in the near future”.
Jan Rosenow, program director at Regulatory Assistance Project (a non-governmental organization), said: “I believe you can read between lines that this is another step toward a decision which will not be in favor of the widespread usage of hydrogen for home heat.”
After having to abandon two smaller-scale hydrogen heater trials last year due to local opposition and limited gas availability, the government has decided to stop the project.
The government faces a major challenge in reducing emissions from domestic heating as it strives to achieve its legally-binding goal of reducing carbon emissions to zero net by 2050. About 14 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States are attributed to domestic boilers.
It has long been controversial to use hydrogen to heat homes. Critics say the process is inefficient, compared to heat pumps that run on electricity and draw heat from outside air.
Last year, National Infrastructure Commission (the UK’s leading infrastructure advisor) urged the Government to stop subsidizing hydrogen and instead focus on heat pumps.
Nick Winser said that hydrogen “simply isn’t ready for scale”. Gas is created by splitting methane from water or water from methane. Both of these processes are energy-intensive and expensive.
In Scotland, Fife is set to conduct a trial that will supply about 300 homes during its initial phase. The start of the trial has been delayed to next year. Operator Scotia Gas Networks blames “supply-chain and procurement challenges”.
The UK’s gas networks, including Cadent, which is owned by Macquarie the Australian investment manager, will be affected by any decision made on hydrogen.
In a statement released jointly, UK gas distribution network said that they “welcomed” the “clarity” regarding the proposed trial. They also “continued to support the use of a variety of energy solutions in order to reach net zero on a fair, affordable and choice-preserving basis for our customers.”