What is Hydrogen?
Hydrogen is a gas produced and used with low to zero carbon emissions. It is the most abundant element on the planet and it can be utilised as a sustainable energy source for power and heat.
In its UK Hydrogen Strategy, the government states that ‘low carbon hydrogen will be critical for meeting the UK’s legally binding commitment to achieve net zero by 2050’. The government has begun a consultation to introduce a certification scheme by 2025 which, it claims, will ‘help the growing UK green energy market to verify sustainability claims, whilst delivering industry and consumer confidence in low carbon hydrogen’.
Ultimately, the idea behind the strategy is for the UK to replace natural gas with hydrogen gas.
How will hydrogen be introduced?
Firstly, it’s important to understand that the transition from natural gas to hydrogen will be gradual, between 2% and 5% of the fuel flowing through the country’s transmission network will be hydrogen by 2025.
It is expected that most gas boilers will be able to use this hydrogen blend without any problems. Currently, Hydrogen-ready boilers are in the testing phase and the infrastructure needed to supply hydrogen isn’t ready, meaning that it is not currently possible to switch to 100% hydrogen just yet.
That said, according to government proposals made in December 2022, hydrogen-ready boilers could become mandatory in new builds from 2026. In 2021, the ‘Big Four’ boiler manufacturers (Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi and Ideal) united in a joint price-promise that hydrogen-ready boilers will cost no more than natural gas equivalents.
Why replace natural gas with hydrogen?
Natural gas is a fossil fuel that produces CO2 when burned. In contrast, burning hydrogen creates no CO2 and there are ways of making hydrogen gas that are very carbon efficient. It’s because of this, that the government sees hydrogen as a key strategy for the UK to reach its net zero goal by 2050.
Are there any alternatives to gas or hydrogen boilers?
When it comes to heating a home or business premises, as well as hydrogen-ready boilers, air and ground sourced heat pumps are also expected to play an important role. They are a revolutionary type of low-carbon heating which is energy-efficient and much more environmentally friendly than gas-powered boilers.
Contact us
Contact us on 07889 105050 or info@nreservices.co.uk if you’d like to talk further about the strategy to replace natural gas with hydrogen, or if you’d like to discuss the best sustainable energy solution for your business.