Beyond power generation, blending offers wider benefits for the UK’s hydrogen economy. It creates new strategic market opportunities and demand for hydrogen producers, giving them the certainty they need to invest, which will provide new skilled job opportunities as well as making a significant contribution to UK economic growth. The trial comes alongside the completion of a government consultation on hydrogen blending into the gas network, in which the government is proposing blending up to 2 % hydrogen to support the development of the UK’s hydrogen economy and decarbonize the gas grid.
National Gas has already successfully tested various hydrogen blends in a controlled environment using decommissioned sections of the NTS as part of its FutureGrid project in Cumbria. Together with Centrica, the two companies are urging the Government to provide a strategic policy decision for hydrogen blends of up to 5 %. This would maximize the potential of blending, support greater investment and market certainty, while requiring minimal additional technical modifications.
Chris O'Shea, Group Chief Executive of Centrica, said: “This successful trial marks a significant milestone in the development of the UK’s hydrogen economy – an essential piece of the puzzle in the UK’s journey to a low carbon, homegrown energy system. A whole system approach to reaching net zero and realizing an emissions free hydrogen network' is where we want to get to and why we want to help production and demand scale up through blending. Not only does this enhance our energy security, it also ensures we can power the UK when the sun doesn’t shine, and the wind doesn’t blow.
The results of this trial are especially exciting as we push to develop a world-leading hydrogen economy right here in the Humber – with the proposed expansion of our Green Hydrogen production facility at Easington and the development of the Humber Hydrogen Pipeline. If Government can seize this opportunity hydrogen can turbocharge economies like the Humber, creating jobs, boosting economic growth, and ensuring communities across the area remain at the heart of the UK’s energy transition.”
Jon Butterworth, Chief Executive Officer of National Gas, said: “This trial is a further demonstration of hydrogen blending in practice, building on the recent success of our FutureGrid programme. It’s another crucial milestone on Britain’s hydrogen journey, showing how blending can fuel our power stations and unlock new investment opportunities for producers. By using our existing National Gas infrastructure, pipes that have reliably served Britain for decades, we can power the next era of clean British energy and industry. Working with industry and government, we're proud to be leading this effort to make hydrogen a cornerstone of our energy system.’’
Gary Smith, General Secretary of the GMB Union, said: "The success of this trial is a significant moment for our country’s energy future. It highlights the vital role that innovation across our industrial heartlands can play in creating ,highly skilled unionized jobs in working class communities, an essential part of any credible plan to meet our net-zero obligations.”