The five benefits of hydrogen

In 2025, for the first time an entire village will swap away from natural gas and to low carbon hydrogen. This exciting programme will help show how the rest of the UK could move away from fossil fuels for their heat, hot water and cooking. 

Cadent and British Gas are now working with the community around Whitby, Ellesmere Port, to look into whether Whitby could be that village. 

But why hydrogen? 

Here are five of the key benefits the UK could gain from switching to hydrogen gas. 

1. Hydrogen can be made in Britain, delivering growth and increasing energy security

Low-carbon hydrogen can be made in Britain. 

Currently, most UK homes and businesses rely on natural gas for heating and cooking. The UK imports around 50% of its gas from international markets, mainly from Norway, Qatar, the United States and the Netherlands. 

These imports are increasing. In 2021, UK gas imports rose by 312% compared to the year before. 

2. Hydrogen can create energy security

Low carbon hydrogen can be made right here in the UK and therefore offers an opportunity to begin reducing these imports in future, creating jobs, delivering economic growth and improving our energy security. 

3. Using hydrogen can reduce carbon emissions

We need to reduce the average household’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 95% by 2050. 

Most UK homes and businesses rely on natural gas for heating and cooking, which releases carbon dioxide (CO2). This accounts for about 23% of the UK’s overall CO2 emissions. 

Low carbon hydrogen can be produced in the UK and when used to either heat your home or cook with it doesn’t release CO2.

4. Hydrogen is cheaper than many alternatives (and there’s no immediate need to change your boiler)

Compared to heat pumps, hydrogen could be a more effective and cost-efficient way to heat your home, especially if it’s poorly insulated. Heat pumps, for example, can cost thousands of pounds and take several days to install. And if your home is poorly insulated, doesn’t have a hot water cylinder or particular pipework, could need additional renovation work before they can operate effectively. 

The cost of building a low carbon electricity system capable of ensuring everyone is safe and warm in the depths of winter is also expensive.  We’ll therefore need a mix of technologies to decarbonise our heat and hot water – including hydrogen. 

85% of the UK's homes already use gas boilers. These boilers can be replaced in future with versions that run fully on hydrogen. 

Hydrogen can also be easily transported to the homes and businesses that are connected to the UK’s existing and extensive network of gas pipes. 

5. Hydrogen creates jobs

Building the UK’s hydrogen economy has the potential for over 9,000 high-quality jobs by 2030 while unlocking £4 billion in investment, according to the UK Government’s first ever Hydrogen Strategy.

Hydrogen also safeguards industrial and manufacturing jobs, decarbonising processes which require high temperature heat which is difficult to provide using other technologies. Cadent are part of the HyNet consortium decarbonising industry around the Whitby area. 

To learn more about Cadent and British Gas’ proposed hydrogen village programme in Whitby, Ellesmere Port, please visit hydrogenvillage.com.