UK hydrogen projects to begin construction as blending in the National Transmission System is examined
Ten commercial-scale green hydrogen projects hope to boost job prospects.
The first phase of the Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1) means spades can now enter the ground on 10 projects across the country, with a particular focus in South Wales, Bradford, North Scotland and Teeside.
The HyMarnham project in Newark, Nottinghamshire, has already started construction and looks to include hydrogen in the old High Marnham coal-fired power station’s waste disposal.
Cromatry Hydrogen Project, one-of-the-10 projects, will start in Northeast Scotland and has three 5MW electrolysers aiming to power local industrial users.
The government has also announced that it will consult on transmission-level hydrogen blending – assessing the economic and technical feasibility for hydrogen to be blended into the networks of Britain’s gas system.
The National Transmission System hydrogen blending: study sets out analysis on the potential impacts of hydrogen blending in the National Transmission System (NTS) at percentages of up to 2%, 5% and 20%.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero commissioned Arup for the technical survey, looking at OEMs and existing gas-end users connected to the NTS.
It assessed:
- The extent of any safety, operability, performance and efficiency impacts and risks of accepting variable blends listed above.
- Whether any modifications to equipment or processes or mitigations (such as deblending) would be required and any associated costs of these.
- The timeline for NTS end-users to be operationally ready to accept variable blends.
- Technologies offered, any technical and operational challenges, R&D for hydrogen-ready equipment and the support OEMs could provide to their customers in a transition to accepting a hydrogen blend.
