(Ellesmere Port, Redcar / Great Britain) – By 2025, the British government would like to have a town remodeled so that its residents are fully supplied with hydrogen. The aim is to gain insight into the extent to which the energy source for residential buildings can provide not only electricity, but also heat.
In order to answer this question, studies are being carried out as part of two model projects. The ultimate aim is to find benchmarks and create an assessment basis for any political decision on whether gas networks should be converted on a large scale for the use of hydrogen for cooking and heating purposes.
Hydrogen networks in the northwest and northeast
In a tender in December last year, three operators of gas distribution networks applied to develop such projects in their respective supply areas: Cadent Gas Ltd., Northern Gas Networks Ltd. (NGN) and Scotland Gas Networks plc (SGN).
The national regulator Ofgem (Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) has decided that two of the three proposed projects will be shortlisted: Cadent and NGN won the race, but SGN's application will not be pursued further.
Cadent creates study for Ellesmere Port
Cadent has been awarded the contract to build a site in the industrial town of Ellesmere Port, south of Liverpool 
English county of Cheshire in the northwest of the island. The aim is to involve 2.000 residents of the Whitby district.
According to its own information, the company has already started discussions with the population. If the preliminary studies are positive and the area is selected, the stoves and heating systems in every house in the new “Hydrogen Village” will be converted free of charge. The residents would then no longer heat and cook with natural gas, but with hydrogen. It is also guaranteed that they will not have to pay more for the use of hydrogen than for natural gas during the two-year duration of the program.
The cost of the Cadent project is £8,4 million (€9,8 million). Of this, £3,38 million (€3,9 million) will be provided by Ofgem.
NGN examines neighborhoods in Redcar
Northern Gas Networks was awarded the second contract for its project in Redcar, a town in North Yorkshire, in the north-east of the country. 
The region borders directly on the industrial site of Teesside, which owes its name to the River Tees, which flows into the North Sea here.
A study is also being carried out there on converting the gas supply from natural gas to hydrogen with the participation of around 2.000 residents. According to the plans, the town center as well as the areas of Warrenby, Coatham and part of Kirkleatham will be included.
NGN said it chose Redcar for the pilot because it is located within the East Coast industrial cluster and is in close proximity to established energy infrastructure, including hydrogen production and storage facilities. The “diverse residential development in the region” is “representative of the rest of the UK”.
According to the concept, the hydrogen should be in... Teesside are produced where a number of corporations have been working for some time on several projects to decarbonize the industrial metropolitan area using hydrogen. would get Redcar If the contract is awarded, this “hydrogen village” could produce the energy source locally. The gas supplier estimates investments at 6,38 million pounds (7,48 million euros), of which 5,74 million pounds (6,73 million euros) come from the regulatory authority.
Interest groups should have a say
To develop their detailed studies, Cadent and NGN will involve local stakeholders as well as undertake logistical and technological studies. Only after the evaluation will it be decided at which location the conversion will begin in 2023 - and from 2025 onwards it will be completely supplied with hydrogen for a test phase initially limited to two years.
Photos
NGN will carry out a study on the full supply of residential buildings with hydrogen. © Northern Gas Networks Ltd.
Graphic above
Ellesmere Port is located south of Liverpool in the English county of Cheshire © Wikipedia
Graphic below
The industrial conurbation of Teesside with Redcar on the coast. © Eopside – CC BY-SA 4.0
