Page 14 - Gi March 2019 - Flipbook

hydrogen – the heat is on

HYNTS

from across the business to help drive existing infrastructure could be used The 2018 Future Energy Scenarios,
our hydrogen ambitions. to supply hydrogen to London and the produced by National Grid after wide
South East of England. consultation with energy stakeholders,
NIA projects: We’ll be undertaking design and project that hydrogen could heat one
Exploring the future for hydrogen modelling work to assess the potential third of UK homes by 2050 – but only
There are three significant pieces CO₂ reductions that could be achieved if there is co-ordinated action in the
of work currently underway to look and looking into the business model 2020s to develop city and regional
at different aspects of the future for options. The project will also consider hydrogen networks.
hydrogen. All three are funded via the wider economic benefits, the We’re continuing to liaise with
Ofgem’s Network Innovation Allowance regulatory arrangements that might other transmission system operators.
(NIA) and are at the feasibility stage, be needed, plus the commercial and A number of them are pursuing a
with NGGT working alongside industry funding aspects. similar hydrogen vision, so there are
partners and suppliers. opportunities to collaborate.
Aberdeen Vision: Aberdeen Vision is led
Feasibility of hydrogen in the NTS: by SGN, with support from NGGT, and What next for hydrogen?
This study aims to understand the runs until September 2019. Its aim is to The UK is approaching a crossroads
capability of the NTS to transport study the potential of blending two per when it comes to the future of heat.
hydrogen either as a blend with natural cent hydrogen at the St Fergus reception Policy direction in the coming years
gas or as a pure feed of hydrogen. terminal and the viability of converting will be crucial. There’s no question
The key milestones we are looking a pipeline from St Fergus to Aberdeen. that hydrogen holds significant
at are two per cent, 20 per cent and A hub at Aberdeen would then supply potential to help society decarbonise
100 per cent hydrogen. hydrogen for heat – both blended and heat if it can be produced at scale
NGGT is working with the Health 100 per cent – as well as for transport. affordably. Methane reformers are the
and Safety Executive (HSE) on the The feasibility work will look at the most likely candidates to do this.
project, which will run until April technical and commercial issues of The question then becomes
2019. It includes a review of assets, producing hydrogen using a steam whether the UK adopts a regional
a pipeline case study and it will also methane reforming process, as well or national approach. Should
create a roadmap for offline trials and as the potential to capture carbon hydrogen conversion be targeted
later phases of the project. and store it offshore at the proposed at regions where maximum benefit
As well as looking at the physical ACORN CCS reservoir. could be reaped from carbon
capabilities of the NTS, we will emissions reduction or should the
evaluate work that is taking place aim be to create a national hydrogen
in the UK and internationally on The UK is approaching a transmission system that emulates
hydrogen and conduct a gap analysis crossroads when it comes what we have today for natural gas?
for the NTS. We will consider potential to the future of heat. Policy These are far-reaching questions
locations for a second stage offline trial direction in the coming years that will shape the UK’s energy system
and determine the range of assets we of the future. The hydrogen debate has
could use to test our assumptions. will be crucial a long way to go and it should matter
to all of us.
Project Cavendish: This project is
focused on the potential of the Isle These three NIA projects form the core National Grid owns and operates the
of Grain in Kent to act as a hydrogen of our current activities, but we’re also gas NTS in Great Britain, with day-to-
production and storage catalyst. NGGT, doing lots of work behind the scenes day responsibility for balancing supply
Cadent and SGN are working with modelling scenarios to assess how the and demand. For more information visit
partner Arup to examine whether future for hydrogen might pan out. www.nationalgridgas.com

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