Published this week, the results of the HyDeploy trial, led by Cadent Gas in partnership with Keele University, have shown that hydrogen can be blended at up to 20 per cent into natural gas networks with no adverse effects for users, but with the potential to reduce carbon emissions.
The trial ran at Keele University throughout 2020, with 30 campus buildings and 100 private homes on Keele’s gas network using the blended gas for heating and cooking appliances.
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During the trial over 42,000 cubic metres of hydrogen were blended into the gas network, which has reportedly led to 27 tonnes of CO2 being saved from entering the atmosphere.
If rolled out nationally, a 20 per cent blend of hydrogen could remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere equivalent to taking 2.5m cars off the road, and all without changes to current heating and cooking appliances.
Steve Fraser, chief executive of Cadent said: “HyDeploy is a ground-breaking collaboration and has demonstrated very clearly that consumers can safely receive up to 20 per cent hydrogen blended with natural gas, without the need to make any changes to their existing appliances.
“With 8 in 10 of our homes in the UK heated by natural gas – it is an energy we are familiar with. Adopting hydrogen blending across the gas networks would save carbon emissions equivalent to removing 2.5m cars from our roads – a huge step towards Net Zero.
“Importantly customers experienced no disruption and felt positively towards using hydrogen and the trial. Blending hydrogen into the natural gas network is a critical stepping-stone in helping the UK reach Net Zero by 2050.”
Professor Trevor McMillan, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University said: “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Keele so we are extremely proud to have been involved in this landmark trial, and we are pleased to hear that our residents and staff who have been using the blended gas have had a positive experience.”
A further trial is now underway in Winlaton, North East England, to test the blended gas for the first time in a public network.
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