Your questions answered
Your questions answered
Your questions answered
Your questions answered
We’re here to answer your questions
Hydrogen is clean gas without the fuss but new energy can be confusing. We aim to help you figure it out.
Hydrogen is one of the ways that we may heat our homes in the future, eventually replacing the natural gas we currently use as we look for long-term, environmentally-friendly ways to reduce carbon emissions and keep bills down.
The problem is – not enough people know about the benefits hydrogen can bring or the work already taking place to start the change.
Hydrogen is a gas that can be produced in the UK and supplied through the same gas pipes already in our streets and going into our homes. Hydrogen boilers and cookers that work just as natural gas ones do today have been developed and can be used the same way as current gas appliances. The UK government plans to make a decision on how much hydrogen we will use to heat homes in 2026, with the supply of hydrogen increasing from 2030.
The switch away from natural gas, to hydrogen, will also help create tens of thousands of jobs in the UK, increase our country’s energy security, reduce greenhouse gases, and end our reliance on fossil fuels imported from overseas.
Hydrogen is a low carbon gas that can reduce the carbon emissions associated with home heating. Today home heating is responsible for 14% of all of the UK’s carbon emissions. Everything that we can do to both use less and shift away from fossil fuels will make a big difference.
Hydrogen is well-suited to play a future role in decarbonising the heat and hot water of the 22m homes and businesses currently connected to the gas grid, alongside other technologies, such as heat pumps and district heating.
Hydrogen boilers work just like natural gas boilers and will provide a like-for-like clean replacement for the natural gas that you use today with comparable upfront costs. Hydrogen boilers are not yet on sale but have been developed and tested and will be used to heat homes in the future. They will become available after the Government decision on the role of hydrogen in home heat which is planned for 2026 and could be mandated from 2030, so all new boilers bought after this date are hydrogen-ready.
Hydrogen boilers have been designed to be ‘hydrogen-ready’, meaning that they can use natural gas today and use hydrogen in the future when it is available. Hydrogen boilers are suitable for home that either cannot afford a heat pump, or for homes that may need costly changes to increase the size of radiators, install larger pipework, insulation or find the space for a hot water storage system – these are some of the measures that are needed to ensure heat pumps can work effectively.
Large-scale changes to things we’re all used to take time – just ask the electric car makers. That’s why we want to make sure the public know about the hydrogen future now. This means we can plan ahead and start the investment needed today to make hydrogen convenient and affordable tomorrow.
The Government will make a decision in 2026 on what Britain’s new heating policy should be and we think households should feel part of that conversation by knowing hydrogen could be one option available.
The cost-of-living crisis has shown how important a long-term energy plan is, including a move away from overseas fossil fuels. That’s why we need to start talking about securing home-grown low carbon energy sooner rather than later to reduce our reliance on imported natural gas.
Andy from High Efficiency Heating –‘If we can produce our own hydrogen in the future, with our own plans, set our own prices, it’s going to be a fantastic contribution to society.’
For support on the cost-of-living crisis you can visit help pages here.
Hydrogen is easy to find as it makes up the H in H2O – better known as water – along with being found in natural gas (CH4). There are lots of different ways of extracting hydrogen with two main methods being the most well developed. The first is through a process called electrolysis, which uses renewable electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The second is splitting hydrogen from natural gas and storing the remaining carbon dioxide away.
The Government has set out rules to make sure future production reduces carbon emissions and is better than continuing to use natural gas. Growing the industry in the UK could also support up to 100,000 jobs in the sector.
European countries and other countries around the world are all developing their plans to make hydrogen – this is because as well as for heating, it can be used to fuel industry, make renewable electricity and power transport. It can be stored for long periods of time ensuring that we have energy when we need it.
Not just yet. With 22 million homes using natural gas for heating and hot water in the UK, not to mention the millions of gas hobs used to cook with, it will take some time to get low carbon solutions into every home. That’s why we are starting the conversation today.
We are confident the switch to hydrogen can work and the UK has history when it comes to this. In the 1970s the country successfully moved from Town Gas to Natural Gas to heat our homes and we think hydrogen is the next viable option for a greener future with minimal fuss for you.
The last natural gas shift took ten years to achieve, and we know another change could take just as long. The good news is, existing gas pipes can carry the new gas and the hydrogen boilers have been developed and tested, we just need the green light from Government and the Health and Safety Executive to make it happen.
There are some trial homes being heated with hydrogen today in the town of Lochem in the Netherlands. See our video here for more information about the community’s experience of hydrogen heated homes.
Yes, new boilers will be needed for homes to use 100% hydrogen. Because hydrogen gas is different from natural gas, boiler manufacturers have innovated new boilers, that are the same size and shape as your boiler today and can be used in the same way. The clever thing they have done is create ones that are hydrogen-ready. This means that the new hydrogen boilers can use natural gas today and then hydrogen when it is available in the pipes. The boiler manufacturers have committed to ensuring they will be the same price as a traditional boiler.
If government give these the go-ahead, you will be able to replace your current boiler at the end of its natural life without the need to replace it early.
So ‘if you just bought a new boiler, then the average life of it should be 15 years. So you don’t need to change anything over,’ says Daniel from Arton Heating and Plumbing.
Think of it like HD-Ready TVs that were introduced before the rollout of High-Definition TV channels – they worked with the old and new technologies seamlessly and the speed of the switchover was done at a gradual pace region by region.
Manufacturers are already making and testing hydrogen-ready boilers, which can be easily converted to use 100% hydrogen in the future. These are expected to be ready for sale in large volumes after 2026 if approved by Government. Boiler makers have said they will need at least three years to develop and produce the hydrogen-ready boilers at scale to keep prices low.
We expect that installing a new hydrogen-ready boiler will be just like installing a current natural gas boiler. It will fit in the same place and won’t need extra space in your home. There will be no need for additional fixtures, fittings or new radiators, meaning the cost of installation will be lower than other heating alternatives.
As emphasised by Andy, Baxter, Managing Director of High Efficiency Heating: ’it’s less disruption to the person and less disruption to the household.’
The UK Government will make a decision on the role of hydrogen in heating homes in 2026 and if positive will likely mandate hydrogen-ready boilers from 2030. This means that from this date, all new models of gas boilers sold will be hydrogen-ready versions – making your home ready to receive hydrogen when it is available in the pipes.
Most current gas cookers and hobs do not work with 100% hydrogen, and they will need to be adapted or replaced to use it. Many will work with a 20% hydrogen mix – which will be the first step towards 100% hydrogen. But, as with boilers, changes won’t be needed until the appliances reach the end of their natural lives. New hydrogen cookers and hobs are in development and will work in the same way as those using natural gas. The Government is keen to encourage the industry to innovate new low carbon appliance technology and we expect these to be ready before hydrogen comes to our homes.
The best part about getting a hydrogen boiler is there will be no difference to how your current boiler works. The thermostat and radiators will remain the same and you can still get the heat going as fast as you currently can. You won’t have to learn anything new to heat your home.
Natural gas will be replaced with hydrogen when we have a good supply of hydrogen and when we have strong coverage of hydrogen-ready boilers. We expect this to be from 2030 onwards if the Government approves the use of hydrogen. With boilers having a life span of 15 years, we can replace many with hydrogen-ready boilers as soon as they are available.
Figuring out the cost of hydrogen gas when the technology is in its infancy is difficult at this stage. We do know it will fall as efforts across the industry to develop new technology ramp up.
New technology always takes time to adapt. For example, the cost of harnessing wind power used to be unaffordable but today it is one of the cheapest forms of energy in the UK following years of investment and development. We see the same happening with hydrogen.
We also know that developing a hydrogen economy right here in the UK will protect households from some of the fluctuating energy costs we’ve seen in recent months because the country will have control over its supply.
Once it’s up and running, domestic hydrogen will become more affordable over time. We are not the only country looking at hydrogen. The UK Government is already working with countries across Europe, the US, Australia and Chile to make sure hydrogen can be affordable to households with an aim of it costing around the same price as natural gas before the recent energy price crisis.
The Government has said it believes hydrogen can play a key role for future energy needs. Ministers have produced a Hydrogen Strategy, setting out a path for the development of a hydrogen economy.
This includes an ambition to have ten gigawatts of hydrogen production capacity by 2030 – enough to heat more than two million homes every year – and Government departments have set up a series of funds to help the industry develop new technology.
They have also led programmes to develop hydrogen appliances for the home and set target dates for blending 20% hydrogen into the gas grid, alongside offering support for industry-led hydrogen villages and towns.
Yes. The UK gas sector has a strong safety record and will continue to improve this through the switch to hydrogen. A detailed programme across government and industry alongside the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is developing the evidence that demonstrates the safety of hydrogen for home heating.
We know that hydrogen molecules are smaller than natural gas molecules, but tests in the Netherlands and in the UK have shown that the existing plastic piping that is used in the majority of our natural gas systems it is perfectly safe for use with hydrogen. With the proper valves, fittings and maintenance hydrogen will be just as safe as natural gas in a home.
Hydrogen has proven to be safer than natural gas in some key areas. Hydrogen-ready appliances are being designed with more efficient burners, reducing nitrogen oxide emissions, whilst the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is removed entirely as carbon monoxide occurs from the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuel (complete combustion creates carbon dioxide). Since there is no carbon in hydrogen gas, no carbon dioxide or monoxide is produced.
If a leak were to occur, hydrogen actually diffuses 3.8 times faster than natural gas, reducing the chance that it could build into a concentration that would present a risk of explosion.
When introduced, there will be familiar aspects that alert consumers to the presence of gas. The hydrogen flame will be a visible orange, and we know that hydrogen can take the odorant that we currently use to make the familiar smell of natural gas.
We expect industrial users like factories and power stations to receive hydrogen supplies first, followed by homes getting at first a blend of hydrogen and natural gas.
The gas networks then plan to extend hydrogen supplies to residential areas nearby. And at the same time start the conversion of the national grid gas system that runs the length of the country connecting up these hydrogen production sites.
We don’t know just yet who will get hydrogen first but, working with the Government, we expect to be able to produce a roadmap in the coming years.
Hello Hydrogen will help keep you informed of new developments in the transition to a hydrogen future. When your boiler needs replacing, you can expect to start seeing manufacturers offering hydrogen-ready versions in future years. But with the ease of the switch to hydrogen, you won’t need to worry about having to plan extensively for welcoming a new heating system or upending your house to fit in the new technology.
In the meantime, you can read more about energy efficiency, how to heat your home for less and environmental changes by clicking here.
Blending hydrogen into the gas network has been approved by the UK Government subject to the future approval by the Health and Safety Executive. This allows some hydrogen (up to 20%) to be mixed with natural gas for use in homes and businesses. A programme called HyDeploy has safely demonstrated the use of blended hydrogen in 600 homes in a village called Winlaton and showed no impact on appliances or consumer satisfaction.
Everyone’s in agreement that homes will need to be heated by other means in the future to ensure we protect the planet and end our reliance on energy from overseas. Hydrogen will be one route in the great switch we can expect.
As we look ahead ‘we have to again see what the alternative is to natural gas…it just seems common sense to run a greener fuel, which is hydrogen’ says Andy from High Efficiency Heating.
For homes with a gas boiler, we expect a switch to hydrogen to be easy, and we’ll learn more over the next few years with the neighbourhood and village trials. Existing radiators and pipework won’t need replacing and hydrogen boilers will fit neatly in the same space as your current one – ideal if you live in a flat or have limited space for installing alternatives like a heat pump.
We expect there will be different options for different homes as we all move away from natural gas boilers and recognise some may prefer to install heat pumps, which runs solely on electricity.
But, unlike electricity, hydrogen can be stored for long periods of time and used when needed. We believe relying entirely on electricity for heating our homes may not provide the reassurance everyone wants or allow us to hit the targets we have been set to reduce carbon use. That’s why we want more people to know about the other options available because we think a diverse supply of energy that includes hydrogen gas will be essential to ensure everyone can keep their homes warm.
Hydrogen for widescale home heating is still a long way off so if you need to upgrade your boiler, you can be sure it will continue to work for it’s entire life before hydrogen fully replaces natural gas.
The UK Government planned a series of trials to establish just how hydrogen will be rolled out across the UK. This was through a programme that included a neighbourhood, a village and then upon approval in 2026, the first town conversion to hydrogen. The trials are not tests for safety, as this work has already been completed, but they are trials to show just how a conversion to hydrogen will happen in the home and in the street. The government announced in December 2023, that they will no longer progress with the village trial in Redcar because they could not secure sufficient low carbon hydrogen supply. Instead, they will continue with the programme, and the planned neighbourhood trial as well as utilise data being collected from other countries such as Germany and the Netherlands that already have people living in homes heated with hydrogen. The government plans to use this data to enable them to decide on hydrogen’s role in heating homes in 2026.
We work closely with the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in the government to ensure that hydrogen is at the forefront of political discussion concerning the future of energy and our sustainability targets. It is a solution that suits consumers and supports the UK job market and infrastructure. As Hello Hydrogen represents a collective of the UK’s biggest gas networks, we are able to keep our finger on the pulse and ensure we’re abreast of all changes in policy and the wider industry as we work towards a decarbonised future.
We’re here to answer your questions
Hydrogen is clean gas without the fuss but new energy can be confusing. We aim to help you figure it out.
Hydrogen is set to play a vital role in the way we heat our homes in the future, eventually replacing the natural gas we currently use as we look for long-term environmentally-friendly ways to save the planet and keep bills down.
The problem is – not enough people know about the benefits hydrogen can bring or the work already taking place to start the change.
Hydrogen can be produced in the UK and supplied through the same gas pipes already in our streets and going into our homes. Hydrogen boilers and cookers that work just as natural gas ones do today have already been developed.
The first hydrogen homes and villages are being trialled to find out how easy it will be to replace your current boiler and appliances to hydrogen-ready ones at the end of their natural lives. This switch will help create tens of thousands of jobs in the UK, reduce greenhouse gases and end our reliance on fossil fuels from overseas.
Large-scale changes to things we’re all used to take time – just ask the electric car makers. That’s why we want to make sure the public know about the hydrogen future now. This means we can plan ahead and start the investment needed today to make hydrogen convenient and affordable tomorrow.
The Government will make a decision in 2026 on what Britain’s new heating policy should be and we think households should feel part of that conversation by knowing hydrogen could be one option available to them.
The cost-of-living crisis has shown how important a long-term energy plan is, including a move away from overseas fossil fuels. That’s why we need to start talking about securing home-grown low carbon energy sooner rather than later to reduce our reliance on imported natural gas. Another cost-of-living crisis can be avoided but only if we start the conversation now.
For support on the cost-of-living crisis you can visit help pages here.
Hydrogen is easy to find as it makes up the H in H2O – better known as water – along with being found in methane. There are lots of different ways of extracting hydrogen.
In the UK there are two main methods being developed to make our own hydrogen and not relying on shipping it in from other countries. The first is through electrolysis, which uses renewable power to split hydrogen from water. The second is splitting hydrogen from natural gas and storing the remaining carbon dioxide away.
The Government has set out rules to make sure future production reduces carbon emissions and is better than continuing to use natural gas. Growing the industry in the UK could also support up to 100,000 jobs in the sector.
Not just yet – unless you are lucky enough to live in one of the proposed hydrogen neighbourhoods and villages which will be the first places to use hydrogen.
With 22 million homes using natural gas for heating and hot water in the UK, not to mention the millions of gas hobs used to cook with, it will take some time to get low carbon solutions into every home. That’s why we are starting the conversation today.
We are confident the switch to hydrogen can work and the UK has history when it comes to this. In the 1970s the country successfully moved from Town Gas to Natural Gas to heat our homes and we think hydrogen is the next viable option for a greener future with minimal fuss.
The last natural gas shift took ten years to achieve and with more villages and even towns looking to use hydrogen we hope you will be able to use hydrogen soon too. The existing pipes can pump the new gas, the hydrogen boilers are in development, we just need the green light from Government to make it happen.
Yes, new boilers will be needed for homes to use 100% hydrogen. The benefit of a hydrogen-ready boiler is, it will fit in the same spot as your old one and manufacturers have committed to ensuring they will be the same price as a traditional boiler.
You also won’t need to upgrade your boiler until it runs to the end of its natural life. Think of it like HD-Ready TVs that were introduced before the rollout of High Definition TV channels – they worked with the old and new technologies seamlessly and the speed of the switchover was done at a gradual pace region by region.
Manufacturers are already making and testing hydrogen-ready boilers, which can be easily converted to use 100% hydrogen in the future. These are expected to be ready for sale in large volumes from 2026. Boiler makers have said they will need at least three years to develop and produce the hydrogen-ready boilers at scale to keep prices low.
We expect that installing a new hydrogen-ready boiler will be just like installing a current natural gas boiler. It will fit in the same place and won’t need extra space in your home. There will be no need for additional fixtures, fittings or new radiators, meaning the cost of installation will be lower than other heating alternatives.
The UK Government is due to make a decision on whether all new boilers should be hydrogen ready later this year, in time for a full-scale rollout of hydrogen-ready boilers from 2026.
Most current gas cookers and hobs do not work with 100% hydrogen, and they will need to be adapted or replaced to use it. Many will work with a 20% hydrogen mix – which will be the first step towards 100% hydrogen. But, as with boilers, changes won’t be needed until the appliances reach the end of their natural lives.
New hydrogen cookers and hobs are in development and will work in the same way as those using natural gas. The Government is keen to encourage the industry to work on new appliance technology and we expect these to be ready before hydrogen comes to our homes.
The best part about getting a hydrogen boiler is there will be no difference to how your current boiler works. The thermostat and radiators will remain the same and you can still get the heat going as fast as you currently can. You won’t have to learn anything new to heat your home.
Natural gas will be replaced with hydrogen when we have a good supply of hydrogen and when we have strong coverage of hydrogen-ready boilers. We expect this to be from 2030 onwards if the Government approves the use of hydrogen. With boilers having a life span of 15 years, we can replace many with hydrogen-ready boilers as soon as they are available.
For the first users of hydrogen, we don’t expect hydrogen to cost much more than for natural gas or electric alternatives. This is because it is anticipated that there will be a subsidy to support this early growth. This is much the same way as renewable electricity was supported when wind turbines were initially costly. The costs of these have since come down substantially as the country has got better at delivering renewable projects. We expect to see the same for hydrogen.
We also know that developing a hydrogen economy right here in the UK will protect households from some of the fluctuating energy costs we’ve seen in recent months because the country will have control over its supply.
The Government has said it believes hydrogen can play a key role for future energy needs. Ministers have produced a Hydrogen Strategy, setting out a path for the development of a hydrogen economy.
This includes an ambition to have ten gigawatts of hydrogen production capacity by 2030 – enough to heat more than two million homes every year – and Government departments have set up a series of funds to help the industry develop new technology.
They have also led programmes to develop hydrogen appliances for the home and set target dates for blending 20% hydrogen into the gas grid.
Yes. The UK gas sector has a strong safety record and will continue to improve this through the switch to hydrogen. A detailed programme across government and industry alongside the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is developing the evidence that demonstrates the safety of hydrogen for home heating.
We know that hydrogen molecules are smaller than natural gas molecules, but tests in the Netherlands and in the UK have shown that the existing plastic piping that is used in the majority of our natural gas systems it is perfectly safe for use with hydrogen. With the proper valves, fittings and maintenance hydrogen will be just as safe as natural gas in a home.
Hydrogen has proven to be safer than natural gas in some key areas. Hydrogen-ready appliances are being designed with more efficient burners, reducing nitrogen oxide emissions, whilst the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is removed entirely as carbon monoxide occurs from the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuel (complete combustion creates carbon dioxide). Since there is no carbon in hydrogen gas, no carbon dioxide or monoxide is produced.
If a leak were to occur, hydrogen actually diffuses 3.8 times faster than natural gas, reducing the chance that it could build into a concentration that would present a risk of explosion.
When introduced, there will be familiar aspects that alert consumers to the presence of gas. The hydrogen flame will be a visible orange, and we know that hydrogen can take the odorant that we currently use to make the familiar smell of natural gas.
The Government wants to see ten gigawatts of hydrogen production capacity in operation by 2030. On its own, that’s enough to heat more than two million homes.
We expect industrial users like factories and power stations to receive hydrogen supplies first, followed by homes getting at first a blend of hydrogen and natural gas.
The gas networks then plan to extend hydrogen supplies to residential areas nearby. And at the same time start the conversion of the national gas pipeline system that runs the length of the country connecting up these hydrogen production sites.
We don’t know just yet who will get hydrogen first but, working with the Government, we expect to be able to produce a roadmap in the coming years.
Hello Hydrogen will help keep you informed of new developments in the transition to a hydrogen future. When your boiler needs replacing, you can expect to start seeing manufacturers offering hydrogen-ready versions in future years. But with the ease of the switch to hydrogen, you won’t need to worry about having to plan extensively for welcoming a new heating system or upending your house to fit in the new technology.
In the meantime, you can read more about energy efficiency, how to heat your home for less and environmental changes by clicking here.
Blending hydrogen into the gas network has been approved by the UK Government subject to the future approval by the Health and Safety Executive. This allows some hydrogen (up to 20%) to be mixed with natural gas for use in homes and businesses. A programme called HyDeploy has safely demonstrated the use of blended hydrogen in 600 homes in a village called Winlaton and showed no impact on appliances or consumer satisfaction.
Everyone’s in agreement that homes will need to be heated by other means in the future to ensure we protect the planet and end our reliance on energy from overseas. Hydrogen will be one route in the great switch we can expect.
As we look ahead ‘we have to again see what the alternative is to natural gas…’it just seems common sense to run a greener fuel, which is hydrogen’ says Andy from High Efficiency Heating.
For homes with a gas boiler, we expect a switch to hydrogen to be easy. Existing radiators and pipework won’t need replacing and hydrogen boilers will fit neatly in the same space as your current one – ideal if you live in a flat or have limited space for installing alternatives like a heat pump.
We expect there will be different options for different homes as we all move away from natural gas boilers and recognise some may prefer to install heat pumps, which runs solely on electricity or join a heat network.
But, unlike electricity, hydrogen can be stored for long periods of time and used when needed. We believe relying entirely on electricity for heating our homes may not provide the reassurance everyone wants or allow us to hit the targets we have been set to reduce carbon emissions. That’s why we want more people to know about the other options available because we think a diverse supply of energy that includes hydrogen gas will be essential to ensure everyone can keep their homes warm.
22m homes already use the gas network today, and whilst heat pumps have a role to play in decarbonising heat and hot water in many homes and businesses, they will not be the best solution for all consumers. Many will not be able to afford the £13k average installation cost of a heat pump and even with the current subsidy of £7,500, a heat pump is still an expensive investment. Around 80% of homes will have in 2050 have already been built. 61% of them are still below EPC-C[1], making them less suitable for heat pumps. This means roughly half (46%) of homeowners will find their properties are less suitable for a heat pump without significant upgrades such as new pipework, larger radiators or a hot water storage system.
Government have recently announced that 20% of homes will be able to opt-out of having a heat pump and select an alternative heating solution, and hydrogen may be a good choice for these homes. In this way there is an affordable solution for every home.
Hydrogen for widescale home heating is still a long way off so if you need to upgrade your boiler, you can be sure it will continue to work for its entire life before hydrogen fully replaces natural gas.
The UK Government planned a series of trials to establish just how hydrogen will be rolled out across the UK. This was through a programme that included a neighbourhood, a village and then upon approval in 2026, the first town conversion to hydrogen. The trials are not tests for safety, as this work has already been completed, but they are trials to show just how a conversion to hydrogen will happen in the home and in the street. The government announced in December 2023, that they will no longer progress with the village trial in Redcar because they could not secure sufficient low carbon hydrogen supply. Instead, they will continue with the programme, and the planned neighbourhood trial as well as utilise data being collected from other countries such as Germany and the Netherlands that already have people living in homes heated with hydrogen. The government plans to use this data to enable them to decide on hydrogen’s role in heating homes in 2026.
We work closely with the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in the government to ensure that hydrogen is at the forefront of political discussion concerning the future of energy and our sustainability targets. It is a solution that suits consumers and supports the UK job market and infrastructure. As Hello Hydrogen represents a collective of the UK’s biggest gas networks, we are able to keep our finger on the pulse and ensure we’re abreast of all changes in policy and the wider industry as we work towards a decarbonised future.