Page 13 - Gi flipbook April 2019
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by the two companies with Norway’s
Equinor. The report explores using 100
per cent hydrogen to heat 3.7 million
homes and 40,000 businesses across
the North, making it the largest clean
energy project in the world.
In parallel, Cadent is advancing
plans through its HyNet project to
supply hydrogen to North West-based
industries that rely heavily on heat.
The hydrogen would be produced at a
purpose-built facility and delivered via
a new pipeline.
It is proposed that hydrogen would
also be blended with natural gas to
heat two million homes in Cheshire,
Merseyside and Greater Manchester and
that further infrastructure would follow,
enabling hydrogen to fuel transport.
And, through its HyMotion project,
Cadent is exploring the delivery of
hydrogen for transport via the gas grid.
Underpinning this ambitious vision
is a critical research project that was
given the green light in November.
HyDeploy will be the UK’s first trial of
hydrogen in a live gas network.
More than 83 per cent of homes
in Britain are connected to the
gas grid – a world-class piece of
infrastructure that has enjoyed
decades of investment and has
the flexibility to meet the huge
fluctuations in heat demand
Led by Cadent, in partnership
with Northern Gas Networks, Keele
University and a consortium of
technical experts, HyDeploy was given
the go-ahead by the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) for a year-long pilot to
blend up to 20 per cent hydrogen (by
volume) with natural gas into part of
Keele University’s gas network.
The importance of this trial is
immeasurable. This is the first practical
demonstration of hydrogen in a
modern gas network in the UK. The
learning from this study will be vital
to informing the two public field trials
planned for the north of England.
Cadent had wanted to test the viability
of blending up to 20 per cent hydrogen
seven Hinckley Point C nuclear power Northern Gas Networks, have been with natural gas. Earlier studies
stations if this heat was electrified. spearheading research into hydrogen. In indicated that this level of blending
Imagine a future in which our homes November, the companies were awarded presented no greater risk than using 100
and industry are fed by clean hydrogen, £13.28 million by industry regulator per cent natural gas, would work without
as they are now by natural gas, and Ofgem to run two field trials on public any changes to gas appliances and could
where HGVs, buses and trains can fill gas networks in the north of England, deliver significant carbon savings.
up directly from the gas grid. blending hydrogen with natural gas. If hydrogen were blended at 20 per
Converting theory into reality, The announcement followed the cent volume with natural gas across the
Cadent, alongside fellow gas distributor H21 North of England report, published UK, it would save around six million
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