Future Energy Networks

The LTS Futures project aims to understand how the local transmission system (LTS) could be repurposed from Natural Gas to hydrogen. The project encompasses several elements which will feed into a blueprint methodology for repurposing the LTS to hydrogen. During one of the work elements, LTS Futures conducted full-scale testing of pipeline defects and small-bore connections exposed to hydrogen. Testing was conducted until failure to provide information for hydrogen pipeline design, standards, and operational procedures. This project will undertake further detailed analysis of the fracture surfaces to provide a visual confirmation of hydrogen diffusion into the pipeline microstructure and if this contributed to failure.

The key subject of HIRSA stage 2 projects is to understand if using hydrogen in the gas network will result in an increased likelihood of ignition from static discharge generated by particulates in flowing gas. Building on stage 2A, stage 2B will provide further experimental testing aimed at determining the absolute difference in electrostatic charge generated, identify whether any external factors impact one gas more than the other, and to control the factors affecting generation of the charge. The outputs of this work should provide the industry with a better understanding of the potential change in ignition risk when switching from Natural Gas to hydrogen and will also highlight relevant mitigations to manage this risk.

Laboratory and full-scale testing have demonstrated that hydrogen gas affects the fracture performance of pipeline steel welds. To avoid severe knockdown factors stipulated by existing hydrogen pipeline codes, mechanical property data from welds tested in high-pressure gaseous hydrogen is required to enable optimised operation of the NTS in hydrogen.

National Gas Transmission have conducted a series of fracture toughness and fatigue crack growth rate tests on a wide selection of pipeline steels and welds representative of those used on the National Transmission System (NTS). A thorough review of the welds tested and how these compare to the wider population of welds in service on the NTS is required to provide further confidence to use this data in pipeline repurposing assessments and for new build design.

This project is looking to address uncertainties surrounding LTS pipeline materials by investigating the effect of the oxide layer on hydrogen permeation rate for steel pipelines. This project will also investigate the formation of an oxide layer inside the pipe at different temperatures, as well as how the microstructure of the pipeline steel and condition of the oxide layer affect permeation for different grades of steel. It is critical this relation is better understood as these uncertainties are currently hindering our ability to fully and accurately assess the repurposing of the LTS. The outcomes of this project have the potential to increase cost-savings and improve confidence in the existing network to carry hydrogen, including blends.

This project will help WWU to understand considerations for 100% Hydrogen Rollout at a town scale, to inform future activity on preparation for repurposing. Areas will be chosen which are representative of different networks, housing stock and demographics, which will require different approaches and engagement.

Hydrogen Transition Pathways for Industrial Clusters (HTPIC) is a six-month, evidence led research and decision support project developed in response to the EIC’s call for innovation on the energy transition of industrial clusters. The project addresses the challenge of determining where, how and under what conditions hydrogen should play a role in decarbonising industrial clusters and surrounding communities, alongside credible alternative pathways.

Across the GB energy system, existing hydrogen programmes and studies are typically undertaken on a cluster-by-cluster or project-specific basis, using differing assumptions, scenarios and decision criteria. This makes it difficult for networks and policymakers to compare options consistently, understand system level trade-offs, or prioritise investment in a transparent and auditable way. The absence of a common decision framework increases the risk of misaligned investment, stranded assets and inconsistent outcomes across regions.

HTPIC aims to close this gap by providing NGN, Future Energy Networks (FEN) and Xoserve with a structured, repeatable decision framework that enables consistent, evidence-based comparison of hydrogen pathways across industrial clusters. The project integrates technical, economic, social and deliverability considerations within a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework, allowing complex evidence to be translated into clear and practical insights rather than standalone studies or narrative recommendations.

The project will be delivered in three stages:

• Stage 1 establishes a robust evidence baseline, including a comprehensive literature and evidence review, documented assumptions register and confirmation of scope and clusters.
• Stage 2 generates robust, comparable evidence across clusters through four analytical workstreams covering hydrogen supply and demand, gas coexistence and system configuration, conversion practicality and costs, and just-transition considerations, while developing and calibrating the MCDM framework with stakeholders.
• Stage 3 applies the agreed framework to undertake structured optioneering and scenario analysis, resulting in prioritised pathways, cluster-specific conversion playbooks and decision-ready outputs.

Key outputs include:

• a literature and evidence review with a transparent assumption register;
• a defensible options-rationalisation matrix and MCDM framework;
• a comprehensive report addressing the four research questions set out in the EIC brief, supported by an executive summary and cluster-specific annexes;
• cluster-level conversion playbooks translating analysis into practical, location-specific insights;
• pathway roadmaps to 2050; and
• a final dissemination pack to support knowledge sharing across NGN, FEN, Xoserve and Ofgem audiences .

HTPIC will support improved strategic planning for hydrogen and alternative decarbonisation pathways, reduce the risk of misaligned investment and stranded assets through structured prioritisation, and strengthen alignment between industrial cluster ambitions and network development plans. By providing a transparent and consistent decision framework, the project enables clearer sequencing of pathways, more robust comparison of hydrogen and alternative options, and improved confidence in future investment appraisal.

The project will also enhance understanding of affordability, workforce implications and wider community impacts, ensuring that pathway selection considers both technical feasibility and socio-economic factors. Through its systematic assessment of coexistence, conversion practicality and deliverability, HTPIC supports safer and more coordinated progression into downstream engineering and delivery programmes.

HTPIC will generate new system-level learning on hydrogen coexistence, conversion practicality and community impacts, presented through a structured, scenario-based and weighted decision framework that enables transparent comparison across industrial clusters. This learning will strengthen evidence-based decision making across networks and provide a clearer foundation for future programme development, regulatory engagement and investment planning.

Learning will be disseminated through the dissemination event, final report, executive summary and EIC knowledge-sharing channels, supporting wider GB network benefit.

The project commences at TRL 2, where the structured assessment methodology and decision framework are defined conceptually. Over the course of delivery, the framework will be applied across multiple industrial clusters, tested against real-world scenarios and stakeholder calibration, and analytically validated through structured optioneering.

By project close, the solution will have progressed to TRL 3, with the methodology demonstrated and validated in a decision-support context, delivering robust prioritisation and clearly articulated pathways.

The project does not include detailed engineering design, trials or implementation. Early-stage engineering, validation or delivery programmes across industrial clusters are already underway or in development through separate governance, funding and procurement routes. HTPIC is designed to strengthen and rationalise those activities by providing a structured evidence base and decision framework to support confident downstream investment and engineering decisions.

In order to support UK ambitions for hydrogen blending and the development of a hydrogen economy, National Gas will need to install new gas chromatographs with the capability to measure hydrogen up to 20% in a natural gas blend. At present hydrogen is not measured anywhere on the National Transmission System (NTS), and therefore there are no proven in-use devices, and limited experience within the company to allow effective decision making in deploying these assets in the move towards net zero.

In order to make informed decisions ahead of chromatograph fleet upgrade, and to allow for a wide selection of reliable device choices when it comes to that upgrade, National Gas require the testing of available devices to analyse their performance, and thus suitability for NTS installation. This project will employ a trusted testing house to obtain (through loaning) blend-ready chromatographs from suppliers, and then to rigorously examine the performance of those devices. These devices could be tested at the testing house’s site, or at the instrument vendor’s site.

IGEM have received requests from operators to update the hydrogen TD1 / TD13 supplements to take account of outputs from research projects. The project will review and assess the updates required based on findings from completed hydrogen research projects. This will support the repurposing of existing pipelines and installations from Natural Gas to hydrogen and Natural Gas/hydrogen blends, with input and support from users/stakeholders and formal approval by IGEM.

The project will also develop a methodology for fracture and fatigue assessments for existing Natural Gas pipelines to be repurposed to hydrogen service. This methodology will assess the impact of blends of hydrogen up to and including 100% hydrogen to determine whether pipeline derating and/or deblending is required. The requirements for the application of this specification should be included in the updates to the IGEM/TD/1 and IGEM/TD/13 hydrogen supplements.

Phase 1 of the project compiled a list of oils and greases considered to be gas-facing on the NTS, along with identifying functional and material property requirements of these products. Proposed standards and testing methodologies were also outlined to inform the next phase of the project. In Phase 2, the project will proceed with additional required activities to ensure the safe utilisation of NTS oils/greases in a hydrogen pressurised environment. These activities include laboratory testing for lubricants and functional testing for sealants to assess degradation and performance of these products in hydrogen. Subsequently, requirements for in-service monitoring will be identified.

As part of National Gas’s Three Molecule strategy, the technical evidence for the transportation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide through the National Transmission system is being gathered through the HyNTS and CO₂ programmes. This technical evidence will feed into the updates of NGT’s suite of policies and procedures which are used to demonstrate compliance with the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations (GSMR), Pipeline Safety Regulations (PSR) and Pressure System Safety Regulations (PSSR).

This project will develop the approaches to compliance with regulations for hydrogen, hydrogen blends and CO₂, considering both new build and repurposed assets. The project will also define how the NTS Safety Case of the future will look, including modular design and digitalisation to streamline access to information.

Existing defect assessments and repair methodologies are aligned with the T/PM/P/11 and T/PM/P/20 management procedures and are adopted to inspect, assess and repair the pipelines for defects and take suitable measures to reduce them. However, the scope and applicability of the repair techniques in the presence of high-pressure hydrogen remain uncertain. The key questions which form an outline of the project are:

1. What are the different types of defects, we may encounter or consider injurious in the presence of hydrogen?
2. What is the impact of hydrogen on each defect type? Have the mechanisms of failure changed for each defect type after hydrogen-natural gas blending?
3. Will the existing repair techniques be applicable under transmission of high-pressure hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas blends?
4. Can we implement the defect assessment, inspection and repair methodologies safely? Are the techniques safe and suitable for the pipeline operations and maintenance teams?

The project seeks to answer the above in addition to understanding the types and extent of repairs across the NTS and assess the impact of hydrogen on the effectiveness of these inspection, assessment and mitigation technologies.

This project advances lined rock caverns (LRCs) as a flexible hydrogen storage solution in WWU’s area by moving from regional screening to site‑specific pre‑feasibility. It refines geology and site availability, shortlists candidate sites in South Wales and South West England, conducts a detailed pre‑feasibility study with borehole core analysis at a priority site, and assesses commercial models and funding routes, culminating in a final report to inform decisions on progressing to full feasibility.

This project investigates the technical and economic feasibility of converting non-domestic buildings from natural gas to low carbon energy sources, specifically hydrogen and electricity. It aims to address the significant evidence gap around the conversion of commercial and institutional buildings that are currently supplied by the GB gas distribution networks. The study will assess a wide range of building archetypes, including care homes, schools, hospitality venues, and light industrial sites, using a combination of literature review, site surveys, detailed system designs, and technoeconomic modelling. The outputs will inform future energy policy, support infrastructure planning, and help ensure safe and cost-effective deployment of low carbon technologies in non-domestic settings.

The initial Hydrogen in MOBs project established the foundational evidence for hydrogen conversion, and this follow-on project will address remaining evidence gaps identified by the CFA, finalising the safety and regulatory case for MOB hydrogen conversion and enabling a clear handover of outputs to industry. This work also doubles up as an assessment of options we have today to deliver practical and safe designs, introducing a new range of risk mitigation options which could be more cost effective and efficient way of managing MOBs and pipe assets. As a practical assessment of technical requirements for conversion, this closes out CFA recommendations through applied testing to solve engineering and safety challenges but also informs current processes.

Key deliverables include validated technical data, an updated Quantified Risk Assessment (QRA) for MOBs, an updated management procedure, and a revised IGEM/G/5 Hydrogen Supplement, to be formally handed over to IGEM for review. Together these outputs will close out the regulatory and procedural workstream associated with hydrogen in MOBs research.

The project’s findings will also directly support the development of a decision-making framework to support refurbishment and riser replacement programmes. This will enable the industry to make consistent, evidence-based decisions on the most appropriate options for MOBs, including where alternatives to hydrogen may be more suitable.

This project will develop network and/or entry site solutions that will enable biomethane supply to meet the swings in demand through the year.

This project will build upon previous work to inform decisions relating to the repurposing of National Transmission System pipelines for 100% hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas blends. New input data will be generated and collated, the assessment methodology will be refined and an alternative assessment method, probabilistic, will be utilised and the resulting network impact will be considered.

This project will generate the following benefits:

• More accurate assessment of the capability of the NTS to transport 100% hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas blends.
• Data on the impact of low percentage blend hydrogen on pipeline materials.
• Standardised document for Engineering Critical Assessments (ECA) of hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas blend pipelines and pipework.

Greater understanding on the effect of hydrogen on the design and operation of pipeline systems.

This project aims to explore the impact of hydrogen blends (in natural gas), 100% hydrogen and carbon dioxide on contaminants (arisings) likely to be found in gas transmission pipelines (e.g. Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORMs), dusts, mill scale, welding slag, glycols, water, BTEX, methanol, heavy metals, sulphur compounds, pyrophorics as well as rotating machinery lube/seal oils and valve sealants etc).

The project will aim to understand the current composition and characteristics of any contaminants, the impact of hydrogen and carbon dioxide on the behaviour/composition/presence of contaminants, establish how long methane related contaminants will persist on the network (for repurposed pipelines), the potential for contaminants to cause pipeline gas to go ‘off-spec’ and the implications of contaminant interactions on National Transmission System (NTS) operation/integrity.

National Gas are investigating the use of the National Transmission System to transport hydrogen and hydrogen blends. To support this, research and testing is required to understand the risks of high pressure hydrogen transmission, including ignition. This project will identify, for 100% hydrogen and blends of hydrogen up to 20%, the sources of ignition including how the distance of ignition sources affects the likelihood of ignition. It will also investigate the frequency and the different types of ignition events e.g. jet fires. Lastly, it will look at the probability of ignition on sites and in pipework.

This project will develop a hydrogen‑specific, risk‑based gas escape classification system for WWU by reviewing existing standards and methodologies, modelling hydrogen leak behaviour, conducting field trials, and developing a final operational tool and updated procedures. The project adapts natural gas escape management processes for use on 100% hydrogen networks by analysing gaps in current practice, validating real‑world behaviour through targeted trials, and producing training, documentation and decision‑support tools.

UK gas networks are managed and maintained using an extensive suite of policies, policies standards and procedures. These documents have been developed gradually over decades of gas network operation, however the transition to hydrogen necessitates a wholesale review and update of all existing documents. There is much commonality between the networks’ documents and therefore it would be most efficient to update these documents in a coordinated way to avoid the unnecessary duplication of effort.

New high energy demand sites in the UK can face grid connection delays of over 10 years due to overloaded electricity networks which are struggling to keep up with growing demand. Gas networks could help bridge this gap by supplying gas-to-power solutions to support critical areas sooner. Knowing where and when demand will arise will help gas networks target investment, support electricity networks in offering alternatives, and allow energy users faster access to power. In this way, gas networks can play a key role in getting large energy users the power they need, when they need it.

As part of the National Gas Network Performance Twin program, this project is designed to demonstrate a scalable digital twin platform focused on improving infrastructure resilience, supporting hydrogen integration, and addressing climate adaptation across the National Transmission System (NTS). This initiative integrates three strategic components: Collaborative Visual Data Twin (CVDT) – a 3D BIM-based digital twin platform that visualises and monitors asset performance in real time. HyNTS Dataset Automation – a structured, automated geodatabase that supports hydrogen readiness assessments and asset integrity modelling. Flood Twin – a predictive flood simulation model that enables scenario-based risk analysis and resilience planning for Above Ground Installations (AGIs).

The OptiSTORE project seeks to address the challenge of supply and demand imbalance within Wales & West Utilities’ (WWU) network as means to mitigate the need for storage, particularly in support of Net Zero ambitions, including the planning for development of new hydrogen pipelines and WWU’s existing HyLine programme.. Current geological hydrogen storage methods such as salt caverns, saline aquifers, and depleted oil and gas reservoirs are capital intensive, often technically complex and reliant on specific geological conditions which are less present across WWU’s geography.

Whilst hydrogen can be stored as a liquid, this process requires extremely low temperatures which is technically complex and costly due to the energy required to maintain such low temperatures. One promising alternative to this is Ammonia, which is attractive due to its lower storage temperature (-33°C versus -253°C for hydrogen), higher volumetric energy density, and existing infrastructure and regulatory familiarity.

This project will explore the feasibility of using ammonia as a means to provide supply-side flexibility of hydrogen to support industrial clusters and future hydrogen pipeline developments.

NGT is committed to supporting the government and the broader industry in achieving the Net Zero target by 2050. CCUS, alongside hydrogen, will play a critical role in reaching this goal. Since the existing infrastructure was originally designed for methane, adapting it to transport these new gases presents significant engineering challenges. To address this, an extensive research program has been launched to assess the technical feasibility of repurposing sections of the NTS for hydrogen and carbon dioxide transportation. While repurposing existing pipelines will be an essential part of the transition, it will not be sufficient, new infrastructure will be required to support a scalable hydrogen and carbon network. Given the ambitious deployment timelines, meeting these targets will require not only innovative technical solutions but also a holistic strategy that integrates the supply chain and fosters collaboration across the industry.

This project will develop and evaluate a predictive flood monitoring system for Above Ground Installations (AGIs) and pipeline assets using real-time sensor data and 48-hour surface water forecasting. The system will be deployed at four locations identified through a nationwide flood risk survey. The trial will assess the system’s accuracy, responsiveness, and operational value across diverse environments. The project supports climate adaptation, regulatory compliance, and asset resilience by enabling early warning and proactive intervention. It aligns with RIIO-2 NIA objectives by reducing flood-related disruption, enhancing safety, and informing future investment decisions. The project will conclude with a technical report and recommendations for wider rollout under RIIO-3.

The characteristics of transmission pressure hydrogen and natural gas blends are not fully understood, including relative leakage behaviour. This project will test whether or not methane and hydrogen within a blend leak at the same rates, or whether due to its small size, hydrogen will leak at a ratio greater than its relative concentration, and whether it leaks where methane does not.

Understanding the leak behaviour of hydrogen in a natural gas blend will ensure we can operate a blended system safely, particularly in enclosed spaces, and will ensure that the carbon benefit of hydrogen enrichment is not lost through fugitive emissions. Also, as green hydrogen is currently significantly more expensive than natural gas, the shrinkage costs associated with hydrogen fugitive emissions could be considerable.

This project will produce reports that will compare the Asset Interventions Database vs their asset base, to provide an estimated readiness rating and confidence level against the gas networks assets for the conversion to hydrogen, both 100% and blended.

This project will develop understanding of how the GB gas network would operate in a system aligned to Future Energy Scenarios (FES) 2025 scenarios for 2050.

The use of greener gases such as biomethane are an important part of the UK’s transition to net zero. Underground storage sites for biomethane are critical for balancing seasonal supply and demands for energy. However, increased levels of oxygen in biomethane can lead to corrosion of assets in wet gas conditions, compromising the integrity of storage facilities. This project will assess in a comparative analysis the technical and economic viability of advanced catalytic and adsorption technologies to reduce oxygen levels in biomethane with corrosion inhibitors to ensure the integrity and longevity of critical storage infrastructure.

This project will undertake testing on technology for distributed production of low carbon hydrogen from natural gas, biogas or other short chain hydrocarbons from waste. Which uses 90% less electricity than electrolysis of water and with 68% lower total energy costs.

The project will support early movers and convert gas from our network into a low carbon hydrogen solution. The compact and modular deployment of the technology enables hydrogen production systems to be installed directly at the energy user's site. These systems convert grid-supplied natural gas to hydrogen on demand, eliminating the need for additional infrastructure or on-site hydrogen storage, and leaves the rest of the network unaffected

The UK gas networks are undergoing a major transition to support the integration of green gases, including biomethane and hydrogen. A significant challenge is the inability of the current design modelling. Cadent’s current modelling relies on outdated assumptions and lacks the granular, real-time demand insight needed for modern, decarbonising gas networks. Existing tools cannot capture intra-day demand variability, below-7-bar network complexity, or the growing impact of biomethane injections—creating risks in planning, operational decisions, and reinforcement strategy.

RTN addresses these challenges by delivering accurate, weather-adjusted, consumer-level demand modelling and integrated analysis across pressure tiers. This enhances forecasting, improves biomethane integration, and strengthens model validation and operational control. In the future state, RTN provides Cadent with a modern, data-rich, and automated modelling capability that reduces unnecessary reinforcement, improves customer outcomes, supports the energy transition, and lays the foundation for potential future use in peak-demand modelling and regulatory engagement.

This programme is leveraging the data and learning from historic projects to develop a range of novel network modelling tools that will enable bio gas designs to be informed, consumer focused and optimised for localised conditions and demands.

Based on previous work, ROSEN Engineers believe the quantity of natural gas vented during commissioning operations can safely be reduced, by up to 80%, through targeted changes to direct purging procedures.

For Gas Distribution Networks’ (GDNs), gas venting remains a necessary part of normal operations for maintenance or safety purposes. Previous research work undertaken by ROSEN(UK) Limited for the EIC, with project partners Northern Gas Networks (NGN) and Wales and West Utilities (WWU), identified activities where venting of natural gas to atmosphere occurs (Gas Venting Research Project, NIA reference number NIA_NGN_282)

Renewable Energy Harvest unlocks the untapped power of Britain’s countryside by turning farm, food, and forestry residues into clean, flexible green gas. By combining biomethane and syngas production with advanced mapping and forecasting tools, the project will identify where rural resources can best connect into the gas network. This innovation supports a fair, low-carbon transition - cutting emissions, reducing costs, and keeping energy value in local communities. Backed by Northern Gas Networks and partners, Renewable Energy Harvest paves the way for smarter, more resilient infrastructure that helps Britain make better use of low-carbon gases for a decarbonised future energy system.

This project delivers an evidence-based assessment of resilient energy futures for NHS as the health service transitions toward its Net Zero target. The work combines national-level analysis with site-specific audits to develop replicable methodology for assessing healthcare estates provide NHS Boards and SGN with clear, prioritised roadmaps for maintaining clinical resilience while reducing carbon emissions.

Scottish NHS sites are used as a case studies as it operates 14 territorial Health Boards with complex estates that currently depend on gas for heating, hot water, and essential clinical services. The project addresses a critical planning challenge faced by all gas networks: healthcare estates currently depend on gas for heating, hot water, and essential clinical services, as electrification and alternative heating solutions are deployed unevenly, there is significant uncertainty around how quickly gas demand will decline, where it will remain critical, and how network resilience can be maintained during the transition. Working with Energy Systems Catapult, Jacobs, and Aiming for Zero, the project will deliver GIS mapping of priority sites, site-level audits, techno-economic modelling, and Board-specific implementation roadmaps, providing SGN, NHS Scotland and other networks with the evidence base required for coordinated, cost-effective decarbonisation planning.

This project will develop a data-led understanding of all MOBs,their characteristics and associated risks (e.g., riser failure likelihood, building age/type) to accurately forecast the complexity, duration, and cost of replacement works. This will support SGN with effective planning and delivery of the Tier 1 Replacement Programme and optimise REPEX spend. The MOB data platform that this project aims to produce will allow SGN to assess the long-term viability of gasin older MOBs and proactively explore buy-outs or alternative energy solutions where it makes more sense than costly infrastructure replacement.

National gas pipeline systems rely heavily on protective coatings and cathodic protection to prevent corrosion and ensure long-term integrity. Coatings act as the primary barrier against environmental exposure, while cathodic protection—typically using sacrificial anodes or impressed current systems—supplements this by mitigating electrochemical reactions that cause metal degradation. The introduction of hydrogen into these pipelines, as part of decarbonization efforts, presents new challenges. Hydrogen can permeate coatings and accelerate corrosion processes, especially in the presence of certain microbes. Microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC), driven by bacteria such as sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), can be exacerbated by hydrogen, which some microbes use as an energy source. This interaction may compromise both the coating and cathodic protection systems, necessitating advanced materials and monitoring strategies to maintain pipeline safety and performance in a hydrogen-integrated future.

Significant efforts are required to support the transition of our energy systems moving away from carbon-intensive fuels such as coal, diesel, petrol and gas, towards cleaner sources of power generation such as wind, solar, nuclear and hydrogen. There is a potential for hydrogen to play a hugely significant role in our energy system, the extent of which will be driven by a range of factors, including the ability to transport it to where it is needed. There have been recent positive decisions for hydrogen’s potential uses in blending, transportation, domestic heating and industry. To produce sufficient hydrogen to meet this potential need, it will be important to increase and diversify hydrogen production methods.

As nuclear is a reliable and consistent source of clean energy that is unaffected by external factors such as the weather, Northern Gas Networks and Wales and West Utilities would like to investigate the possible use of nuclear power as a method of delivering the future increased demand in hydrogen production. This project will explore the opportunity for hydrogen production from nuclear to support a net zero transition across the gas network.

Benefits of nuclear-enabled hydrogen (NEH) in the context of gas distribution networks (GDNs) will be explored, building on the established benefits of nuclear energy production.

The overall project outcome is that NGN, WWU, and other stakeholders are sufficiently informed to determine whether further investment and integration of nuclear-enabled hydrogen to transition plans are justified, and how a potential first project could take its next step to deployment through securing technology licences, sites, off takers and financing.

This study examined options for making progress on domestic heat decarbonisation, against an ongoing backdrop that most consumers in GB have not chosen to install heat pumps. The study finds that forcing consumers to do so is likely to increase costs for everyone and spark backlash against climate policy. The paper sets out the parameters for a more flexible pathway, which supports technologies, including hybrid heat pumps, based on emissions and cost savings. The core finding is that by allowing consumers to transition more gradually to newer technologies, this approach offers a lower-cost and more voter-friendly (and therefore deliverable) pathway to net zero.

The UK’s biomethane sector faces challenges due to the diverse and non-standardized grid entry requirements across different Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs). This variability leads to increased costs, complexity, and lead times for biomethane projects, hindering the industry’s growth and efficiency.

The transition from natural gas to hydrogen introduces new material challenges within the context of the GB gas network. One critical concern is hydrogen embrittlement, particularly in 17-4 Precipitation Hardened (PH) Stainless Steel, commonly used in axial flow regulators and other key gas network components like valve stems. Hydrogen embrittlement can significantly reduce ductility, fatigue life, and fracture toughness, potentially leading to component failure. While research exists, much of it focuses on extreme conditions (e.g., high pressures and rapid temperature cycling) that do not reflect typical operational environments in the GB gas network.

This project will look to combine industry knowledge, literature review, and empirical testing to address these outstanding challenges.

This project will deliver the first comprehensive and evidence‑based update to IGEM/TD/2 to enable its safe and consistent application to 100% hydrogen and hydrogen‑blend transmission pipelines. Current TD/2 methodologies reflect only natural gas behaviour, leaving critical gaps in failure frequencies, consequence modelling, harm criteria and risk‑reduction approaches for hydrogen. Through a structured programme of technical analysis, modelling, validation against large‑scale hydrogen test data, and extensive stakeholder engagement, the project will develop hydrogen‑specific failure frequency tables, consequence and overpressure models, harm thresholds, and guidance on appropriate risk‑reduction measures. These will be consolidated into a publication‑ready TD/2 Hydrogen Update Technical Suite and IGEM drafting instructions, ensuring regulatory alignment and industry consensus. The outcome will provide a unified, defensible framework that accelerates hydrogen network projects, supports the UK’s energy transition, and strengthens safety assurance across the gas sector.

The following is a proposed outline for a report on the decarbonisation benefits and potential of biomethane in the UK Road Haulage sector.

The report will position biomethane as:

1. A complimentary technology to zero tailpipe emission vehicles that offers faster decarbonisation potential due to the near-term infrastructure scalability of the technology and the suitability for long distance and non-fixed route logistics.
2. A cost-effective way to reduce Carbon emissions by over 84% over the next 15-20 years whilst zero tailpipe emission technologies are developed, and the supporting infrastructure is deployed.
3. An enabler to the transition to zero tailpipe emission vehicles by offering reduced carbon abatement costs that, in turn, can generate funds to invest in zero emissions infrastructure and vehicles.

It will serve as a reference document for discussions with industry stakeholders, governments, and regulators.

This project will conduct market research on available, or soon to be available hybrid products for discussion and presentation back to WWU and WW Housing to choose a preferred solution for the properties identified that are suitable to trial the equipment in. The project will provide networks with demand data and look to aggregate this over WW Housing stock to understand wider impact on gas networks, if this was considered a viable option to decarbonise housing stock.

The statistical ‘value’ (i.e. risk reduction and cost) of remote hydrogen detectors has been determined through statistical based projects as part of the hydrogen heating programme (HHP). The cost has been shown to outweigh the risk, however, given hydrogen is not a mature heating solution, the cost can be justified in response to risk appetite from key stakeholders, such as consumers. This risk appetite is assumed. There is currently no analysis (qualitative or quantitative) into consumers attitudes towards the ‘value’ of remote detectors. This project will begin to explore the perception of risk reduction from remote detectors to be used to compliment the statistical based analysis to paint a fuller picture towards the utilisation and crucially, the value, of remote detectors.

To support the UK achieving net zero by 2050, there is a need to decarbonise the current gas networks of transmission and distribution levels. The conversion of the NTS into a hydrogen transmission network has been widely discussed and extensive work is underway to prove the technical capability and commercial viability of a 100% hydrogen network. There is also additional work to support the governments clean power targets and a three-molecule approach has been adopted within National Gas to consider (bio)methane, hydrogen (including hydrogen blends) and carbon dioxide.

The gas networks need to be prepared to operate and safely manage the transportation of all three molecules, especially with the ambition to develop a 100% hydrogen network in the future, upskilling and training the current workforce and the workforce of the future is a fundamental step to ensuring the facilitation of the energy transition.

Identifying the skills and competencies required both during the transition and after the transition to maintain the future systems was discovered in the Skills and Competencies NIA that closed in Q4 2023. A competency framework was developed that will provide a baseline for the training and resourcing strategy proposed for operational and technical skills and competency requirements for current and future workforces.

The project produced a comprehensive plan to identify the known gaps and to provide a roadmap for key developments of standards and policies which will drive the training and competency needs. Furthermore, it identified potential training facilities to support the development of the plan and ultimately facilitate rollout. The project also enabled a large-scale training and competency programme to be developed alongside the relevant technical standards and policies in readiness for deployment to the relevant engineers.

National Gas would therefore like to understand how AI tools can be used to accurately and efficiently produce training materials and create a more effective, personalised training experience.

As the hydrogen economy grows, the need for flexible, decentralised intermediate-scale hydrogen storage is becoming increasingly evident. While large-scale underground hydrogen storage in salt caverns and depleted gas fields will play a crucial role in long-term energy security, distributed intermediate scale storage solutions are essential to bridge the gap between production and end-use, ensuring reliability, efficiency, and resilience in hydrogen supply chains during the scale-up of the hydrogen economy. Decentralised storage facilities allow for hydrogen hubs to emerge in urban and industrial areas, reducing reliance on long-distance transport infrastructure and supporting regional hydrogen economies.

A key unknown is whether the land use and geology of Wales and South West England can support intermediate-scale underground hydrogen storage (UHS) technologies. This project aims to map and assess potential storage sites within the WWU region, aligning with broader energy infrastructure plans—including hydrogen and gas pipelines, electricity networks, industrial demand, and renewable energy integration. The project will use WWU’s geology and geography as a case study, and demonstrate how UHS options can support wider energy infrastructure in the region and beyond, as well as future project plans. For this reason, the outputs are expected to be of value to all networks.

To evaluate the feasibility of these storage solutions, the University of Edinburgh will analyse rock property and strength data from publicly accessible British Geological Survey (BGS) datasets, developing new insights into the engineering suitability of the region’s subsurface for hydrogen storage.

This project concerns the research into welding residual stress values and the effect that they have on the overall pipework repurposing assessment route described in relevant hydrogen standards. Currently, overly conservative values need to be applied for welding residual stresses in any repurposing assessment. This project aims to build evidence on actual and modelled residual stresses seen within the pipelines industries, with a focus on natural gas pipelines. As the welding residual stress is a critical aspect of the fracture mechanics assessment, any improvements which can be gained would have an overall positive impact on the assessment results.