The UK hydrogen strategy will see natural gas replaced as an energy source as part of the UK government’s vision to become Net Zero by 2050. In its Strategy, the government states that ‘low carbon hydrogen will be critical for meeting the UK’s legally binding commitment to achieve net zero by 2050’. The government has begun a consultation to introduce a certification scheme by 2025 which, it claims, will ‘help the growing UK green energy market to verify sustainability claims, whilst delivering industry and consumer confidence in low carbon hydrogen’.

Ultimately, the strategy aims to replace natural gas with hydrogen gas across the UK.

What is Hydrogen?

Hydrogen is a natural gas produced and used with low to zero carbon emissions. It is Earth’s most abundant element and it can be utilised as a sustainable energy source for power and heat.

How will hydrogen be introduced to the UK?

The transition from natural gas to hydrogen will be a gradual one. By 2025, between 2% and 5% of the fuel flowing through the country’s transmission network will be hydrogen.

Currently, Hydrogen-ready boilers are in the testing phase and the infrastructure needed to supply hydrogen isn’t ready, meaning that it is not currently possible to switch to 100% hydrogen just yet. It is expected that most gas boilers will be able to use a hydrogen blend without any problems.

That said, according to government proposals made in December 2022, hydrogen-ready boilers could become mandatory in new builds from 2026. In 2021, the ‘Big Four’ boiler manufacturers (Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi and Ideal) united in a joint price-promise that hydrogen-ready boilers will cost no more than natural gas equivalents.

Why replace natural gas with hydrogen?

Natural gas is a fossil fuel that produces CO2 when burned. In contrast, burning hydrogen creates no CO2 and there are ways of making hydrogen gas that are very carbon efficient. Because of this, the government sees hydrogen as a key strategy for the UK to reach its 2050 net zero goal.

Are there alternatives to gas or hydrogen boilers?

As well as hydrogen-ready boilers, air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps are expected to play an important role when it comes to heating a home or commercial property. They are a revolutionary type of low-carbon heating which is energy-efficient and much more environmentally friendly than gas-powered boilers.