Energy companies have injected green hydrogen into Britain’s gas grid and used the low-carbon gas to generate electricity, in a landmark development for the UK’s climate ambitions.
For the first time in the UK, a 2% blend of green hydrogen was injected into the gas grid and blended with traditional gas to fuel the Brigg power station in North Lincolnshire which generated electricity for the power system.
Blending hydrogen into the gas system has already taken place in controlled environments using decommissioned sections of the transmission system, but the first “real-life” test in the UK was carried out by British Gas’s parent company, Centrica, and National Gas, which owns Britain’s gas transmission system.
The companies believe the test’s success shows the potential for hydrogen, which does not produce any carbon dioxide when burned, to cut harmful emissions from areas of the economy where other low-carbon options might not be available.
Green hydrogen is produced by splitting water using electricity from renewable energy sources, with minimal emissions. It is seen as key to decarbonising energy-intensive industries – although there is fierce debate over its use, with claims that heat pumps powered by electricity are much more efficient.
Gary Smith, the 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 unionised jobs in working-class communities, an essential part of any credible plan to meet our net zero obligations.”
Centrica and National Gas are urging the government to back the use of hydrogen blends of up to 5% in the UK’s gas system.
Jon Butterworth, the chief executive of National Gas, said: “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.
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“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.”
