Page 29 - Gi September2020

Being able to detect leaks from the
blended gas is vital for safety and
resulted in another UK first. Bascom-
Turner Instruments and the HyDeploy
team have developed a gas detector
specially designed for detecting leaks
containing up to 20 per cent hydrogen.
While select traditional natural gas
detectors can be used with the blend,
this requires a recalibration from the
manufacturer, but the new device
automatically detects the blend and
changes its settings accordingly –
resulting in no change needed by
the engineer when responding to an
incident on a network that may or may
not contain a hydrogen blend.

As a UK-first, the project has
given rise to technological
innovations. The grid entry
unit, which injects the hydrogen
blend into the university’s gas
network, is the first hydrogen
grid entry unit to be designed
and manufactured in the UK

HyDeploy has also become the first
project in Europe to trial new gas sensing
equipment, in partnership with European
research organisation TNO and Orbital
Gas. A ‘gas chromatograph on a stick’,
this small probe could be installed on the
gas network to accurately measure the
composition of the blend, which could
help to facilitate a net zero-compliant
billing regime for consumers.
While HyDeploy is researching
low carbon gases – including hydrogen by volume and natural gas can reduce hydrogen blending, H21 is exploring
and biomethane – in delivering a carbon emissions, while at the same how the UK’s gas network could
decarbonised future for heat, industry time enabling customers to use their run on 100 per cent hydrogen. Led
and transport is rapidly gaining ground. gas supply as normal without changes by Northern Gas Networks and
So much so, that in its recent needed to gas appliances or pipework. supported by Cadent, National Grid,
progress report to Parliament, the The first time in the UK that hydrogen SGN and Wales & West Utilities, H21
Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has been injected into a modern gas is currently working towards a risk
described hydrogen as ‘critical to network, HyDeploy is supplying the assessment model for a hydrogen
achieving net zero and needs to be blended gas to 100 homes and 30 network, similar to that for methane.
deployed at scale during the 2020s’. faculty buildings on Keele University’s Hydrogen leakage testing is underway
At Cadent, we have long recognised private gas network. A public trial on at the HSE’s Science and Research
that, as a country, we cannot achieve Northern Gas Networks’ system in Centre in Buxton, and at the DNV GL
decarbonisation if we continue to burn Winlaton, Newcastle, is due to start Spadeadam facility in Cumbria, where
fossil gas at the current levels. With later this year, involving 670 customers. research is being carried out into the
the Energy Networks Association and As a UK-first, the project has given rise consequence of leakage. Spadeadam
our fellow gas networks, we have been to technological innovations. The grid comprises pipes of various sizes
forging ahead with research into low entry unit, which injects the hydrogen and pressures, plus above ground
carbon alternatives. blend into the university’s gas network, equipment, so the entire network
For Cadent, our ground-breaking is the first hydrogen grid entry unit journey can be simulated.
HyDeploy pilot, delivered in to be designed and manufactured Spadeadam is being expanded to
partnership with Northern Gas in the UK. It is also the first time develop a microgrid representative of
Networks, Keele University, Progressive such equipment has been coupled the UK pipeline network that will allow
Energy, HSE Research and Consultancy, with an electrolyser, which produces comprehensive testing of industry
and ITM power, is demonstrating that the hydrogen from water and is processes and procedures on a network
a blend of up to 20 per cent hydrogen manufactured by UK-based ITM Power. transporting hydrogen.

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