Gas network battles revolt against Redcar hydrogen heating trial

THE last hope for trialling hydrogen heating in Britain is teetering on the brink, as the gas network behind the project faces a local revolt.

Staff at Northern Gas Networks (NGN) have been going door-to-door in Redcar to shore up support for their experimental scheme amid growing discontent and the threat of protests by some residents.

The NGN trial would see the company supply hydrogen instead of natural gas to as many as 2,000 homes in the area from 2025.

The fate of the project has significant implications for British energy policy because it is seen as the last chance for the gas industry to prove to the Government that hydrogen heating can be practically implemented.

Ministers cancelled the only other proposed national trial in Whitby, Ellesmere Port, over the summer because of a lack of “strong local support”.

Now, a group of residents in Redcar are campaigning for the hydrogen trial there to be cancelled as well, with just weeks to go before ministers are expected to announce whether it can go ahead. Residents are planning to hold protests, including one on Nov 18.

Opposition there has so far been less vocal than in Whitby but is growing, raising serious doubts about whether

NGN will be able to prove it commands widespread local support.

Dawn Campbell, a grandmother-of-two who owns two properties likely to be affected by the trial, said on Friday: “It is the fact that we were never really asked whether we wanted this, which I think is undemocratic, but I am also concerned about the safety aspect.

“This would be an experiment really. I am worried about my two tenants and also worried about my investments.”

If the trial proceeds, residents would be able to choose between having their natural gas heating converted to run on hydrogen or – if they do not wish to participate – having an electrical alternative installed, such as a heat pump.

On Friday, the Government reiterated that it would not progress the trial in Redcar without community support.

A decision is expected before the end of this year.

Amid the rising concern, NGN has been asked by Redcar and Cleveland Council to organise a meeting for residents to have their fears heard and addressed next month. NGN is looking at the proposal and whether a Government representative could attend.

It follows a separate meeting organised by residents last week, featuring a panel of independent experts. NGN was invited, but did not attend.

Alec Brown, the local authority’s leader, said he suggested holding another event after seeing social media claims that hydrogen heating would put homes at risk of explosions.

NGN insists hydrogen heating is perfectly safe and that all proposals would have to be signed off by the Health and Safety Executive before going ahead.

The company also says the project will bring large economic benefits to the area, including £300m of investment and hundreds of new jobs.

A spokesman for the company said: “We will never install anything that risks people’s safety or homes.

“The safety of our customers is our number one priority and we have decades of experience safely and reliably delivering gas to people’s homes.

“We want to ensure people feel comfortable with the changes and will provide further reassurance through a meeting for impacted residents, along with local councillors.”

On Friday, a government spokesman said: “We have always said we wouldn’t force these trials on communities without their support.”