Blog Post

The transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas

David Lambert • 3 March 2020

The gas industry is responding to the transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas, with the UK leading the way in hydrogen research

A person is holding a gas burner in their hands.

There has been a lot of talk regarding the government’s Decarbonisation Action Plan – a commitment to a target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. For this target to be achievable, new technology needs to be developed and various sectors of industry needs to make huge changes.

The heating and hot water industry in particular, will find the removal of carbon more difficult than others. This is because of the UK’s existing – almost every home in the country uses natural gas to heat rooms.

It has been determined that replacing natural gas boilers for hydrogen boilers is likely to be the simplest solution. The main by-product of burning hydrogen is water, making hydrogen a carbon-free fuel source.

So what does this mean for the gas industry as it stands? How will the transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas impact homes and businesses?

IGEM response to Decarbonisation Action Plan

A close up of a gas burner with blue flames

Neil Atkinson, Chief Executive of the Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers (IGEM) commented that: “We cautiously welcome Ofgem’s Decarbonisation Action Plan, which states broadly what everyone else has been saying about the path to net zero emissions by 2050; that in order to successfully tackle UK decarbonisation that we need to have a coordinated response from the gas, electricity and transport industries and all corresponding branches of government.

“However, there are no magic bullets when it comes to the future of heating, power and transport. There will not be a fully electric solution and IGEM agrees with the Committee on Climate Change that reaching net zero will require a mix of solutions for the whole energy system including electricity, low carbon gas and renewables. Hydrogen and other low carbon gases such as biomethane will provide transport solutions and will provide clean, green energy to the home...

“This does not mean ripping out gas central heating from every home. Whatever paths we choose, our decisions must be balanced against their feasibility and resilience, their acceptability to the consumer and their cost, especially for the poorest customers, many of whom already struggle to heat their homes within their budgets.”

The UK gas industry – leading the way in research in order to transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas

Industry-wide hydrogen-focused projects, such as H21, Hy4Heat, H100, HyNet and HyDeploy, are supporting the move away from natural gas. Leading boiler manufacturers Worcester Bosch and Baxi are all tackling the challenge to transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas, and have developed highly efficient, hydrogen-ready boilers.

The Worcester prototype hydrogen boiler has been designed to easily make the transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas, burning on natural gas until the switch to hydrogen. It’s build is similar to that of its natural gas counterpart, which means that gas installers will only require minimal additional training to fit the new products.

Martyn Bridges, director of technical communication and product management at Worcester Bosch, said: “The development of hydrogen-fired boilers will mean millions of existing heating systems in our homes can be saved, rather than the entire system needing to be replaced.

“The beauty of hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas is that as well as water as a by-product, Worcester Bosch has developed a technical solution that will feel familiar to both homeowners and installers. The gas network is also in place, so homeowners won’t experience any major infrastructure disruption.

“With fully developed prototypes, various trials planned and many heating engineers and manufacturers in agreement that this could be a viable solution to decarbonise heating and hot water, we are hopeful that the future will be hydrogen.”

The Baxi hydrogen boiler prototype has also been developed to fit into the same footprint as an existing gas boiler and to be hydrogen-ready – burning natural gas until the switch to hydrogen takes place – easing the transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas.

“There isn’t a one size fits all low carbon heating solution, but hydrogen could represent the best solution for many homes in the UK,” says Jeff House, head of external affairs at Baxi Heating. “The UK has the highest penetration of natural gas in the world, with a good safety record and proven ability to respond quickly to high demand. So a hydrogen ready boiler, that is initially able to work on natural gas and can be adapted with just two or three components, makes a lot of sense.”

Starting your career in gas

As you can see, the gas industry will change as the transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas takes place, but the future for gas installers and engineers remains bright and busy. If you are considering a move into the gas industry, there is plenty of work to be had.

Gas Training & Assessment is a leading provider of high quality gas training courses. From IGQ New Entrants courses to refresher training; appliance training to specialist LPG qualifications; our small, friendly and relaxed courses will provide you with the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to achieve your career goals.

We hope you found our article ‘The transition from natural gas to hydrogen gas’ of interest. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or queries about our range of accredited courses.

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