Guidance to Gas Distribution Network (GDN) operators regarding expectations for the detailed design stage of the Hydrogen Village Trial.



Documents

Launch of Stage 2: open letter to gas distribution networks, 6 May 2022

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More about the Hydrogen Village Trial

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Details

31 March 2023

Northern Gas Networks (NGN) and Cadent have submitted detailed designs for a hydrogen village trial. We will publish information on the outcome of the government’s decision here.

The government believes that low carbon hydrogen may have the potential to offer a strategic option for decarbonising heat in buildings, alongside other options. As set out in the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the government intends to make policy decisions in 2026 on what role hydrogen should play in decarbonising heating. The hydrogen heating village trial will provide essential evidence for those decisions.

BEIS and Ofgem issued an open letter to the 4 Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs) on 6 May 2022 (initially published on Ofgem’s site), setting out the expected requirements for GDN applications for funding for the next stages of the village trial.

Proposals received

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Ofgem have now received detailed design proposals for a hydrogen heating village trial from 2 Gas Distribution Networks – Cadent and Northern Gas Networks (NGN). These proposals are applications for funding to convert a large village to hydrogen or alternative heating solution instead of natural gas. The project will trial the conversion of existing gas network infrastructure in the local area, repurposing it for 100% hydrogen.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is currently reviewing the proposals and will announce its decision on the trial location later this year. The proposals will be assessed against the requirements for funding applications set out in the annex of the open letter.

The knowledge and experience gained in delivering trials in communities, together with the results of our wider research and development and testing programme, will enable the government to take strategic decisions in 2026 on the role of hydrogen in decarbonising heat.