Projects

This project assembles a multi-laboratory team to address high-priority research topics identified by industry related to the blending of hydrogen into the U.S. natural gas pipeline network. PRCI has been contracted by DOE to provide contract and invoicing support which allows additional members to join after project start.

There were four main activities being performed in Phase 1 of the CRADA project that fell under two categories: materials research and analysis. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) led the materials research on metals which is primarily used for natural gas transmission while Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) headed the research on polymeric materials which comprise the natural gas distribution network. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) was responsible for life-cycle analysis while the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) performed techno-economic analysis on hydrogen blending scenarios the work on these subjects will be extended in Phase 2.

UK’s Net Zero Emissions Target and the Role of Hydrogen: The UK has committed to a legally binding net zero emissions target by 2050. Achieving this target necessitates the integration of hydrogen particularly in hard-to-decarbonize industrial applications and peaking power generation. The recent publication of the Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budget highlights hydrogen’s significant role within the electricity supply sector. Hydrogen is identified as a crucial source of long-term storable energy that can be dispatched as needed and as a feedstock for synthetic fuels. For hydrogen to fully contribute to a future hydrogen system its production storage and transportation must be considered collectively.

East Coast Hydrogen (ECH) Project: In recent years Cadent in partnership with National Gas and Northern Gas Networks (NGN) has developed the East Coast Hydrogen (ECH) Project. The ECH project aims to decarbonize primarily industry and power sectors. As part of this initiative Cadent has developed the East Midlands Hydrogen Pipeline (EMHP) which aims to connect hydrogen production at Uniper’s Ratcliffe on Soar site to major industrial and power off-takers in the East Midlands. The project seeks to transport hydrogen to major population centres including Nottingham Leicester Melton Mowbray Derby and Burton upon Trent. During the development of the EMHP it became evident that hydrogen storage plays a critical role in establishing a resilient and efficient hydrogen system. Consequently a consortium was formed to explore the feasibility of storage leading to the East Midlands Storage Project (EMSTOR).

Discovery Phase of EMSTOR: During the Discovery Phase EMSTOR evaluated various technologies for large-scale hydrogen storage in the East Midlands. The technologies considered included lined rock caverns lined rock shafts silos and geological storage options such as aquifers and disused hydrocarbon fields. After comparing these technologies against several technical parameters including Technology Readiness Level (TRL) cost size and location relative to pipelines it was determined that hydrogen storage in geological fields particularly disused hydrocarbon fields is the most viable option. Therefore disused hydrocarbon fields in geological formations were selected for further consideration in the Alpha Phase.

Alpha Phase Consortium: To execute the Alpha Phase a consortium led by Cadent and including Star Energy Ltd Centrica Energy Storage National Grid British Geological Society University of Edinburgh and Uniper was established. This consortium will focus on advancing the feasibility and implementation of hydrogen storage in disused hydrocarbon fields.

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.

Biomethane from Anaerobic Digestion is currently injected into Gas Distribution Networks as a renewable alternative to fossil-fuel based natural gas.

AD plants currently supply largely constant flows whilst gas demand fluctuates daily and seasonally creating supply-demand imbalances which increase system balancing requirements.

Flexible locally produced biomethane could help GDNs manage system balance by increasing injection during demand peaks or cold spells.

This project will use biomethanisation injecting hydrogen to convert additional CO₂ within digesters to boost biomethane output dynamically supporting network balancing and Net-Zero ambitions.

Operational and regulatory frameworks will also be assessed to enable wider adoption of dynamic injection.

The LISTEN (Local Insights Supporting Transparent Energy Networks) project aims to create a scalable data-led approach to understanding and building social consent for the energy transition. LISTEN integrates AI-driven tools place-based engagement and co-designed dashboards to help energy networks plan with communities not just for them.

The platform brings together four core elements:

• Regional Dashboards: Visualising insights by geography topic and demographics to inform planning and engagement strategies.
• Multi-Source Data Capture: Synthesising local news social media planning documents and community events for a holistic view of local feeling.
• Voice-Enabled Surveys: Capturing authentic community sentiment in people’s own words with AI sentiment analysis assessing tone confidence and emotion.
• Tailored Recommendations: Providing SGN and partners with actionable insights and engagement strategies aligned with Ofgem’s fairness and consumer-centric priorities.

We’re developing a low-cost easy-to-install solution to measure gas flow at regulator stations. The goal is to keep the equipment as simple and non-intrusive as possible.

To measure the flow we’ll use two methods:

• One method checks how open the regulator is and the pressure difference across it to estimate the flow.
• The other uses a small sensor that creates a slight temperature change at the outlet which also helps estimate the flow.

By combining these two methods with the regulator’s technical details we aim to measure the flow with an accuracy of about ±10%.

This project will explore ventilation and explosion relief requirements for housing currently used on the gas network for pressure regulating installations (PRIs). Housings currently provide security from a range of factors from weather to vandalism while also providing the necessary relief requirements in the event of an emergency. The understanding of these requirements for Natural Gas has been developed however work conducted in the IGEM TD/13 hydrogen supplement did not fully address whether these design specifications are suitable for use with Hydrogen. This multi-stage project will first explore the design specifications listed in industry standards (IGEM/TD/13 GIS/PRS/35 SGN/SP/CE/10 etc) and understand which of these may be appropriate and which may require redesign. The latter stage of this project will take the design specifications deemed to be unsuitable for use with hydrogen and conduct testing to develop revised design specifications which would provide the necessary relief requirements.

The Sustainable Vehicle Transport (SVT) feasibility study project will undertake a green gas refuelling study specific to SGN’s network areas in Scotland and Southern incorporating biomethane in the form of bio-CNG and the potential for a future hydrogen option. Along with heat transport is a key sector to decarbonise on the journey to net zero. Battery electric vehicles are well suited to small vehicles but for heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and larger commercial vehicles (LCV) like the type that make up the majority of SGN’s operational fleet this may not be the most appropriate technology given the range and on-board power requirements.

Power outages are a regular occurrence in Great Britian with average annual customer minutes lost in Great Britain range between 31.57 minutes 51.4 minutes depending on the Distribution Network Operator License Area (Statista 2021). This is of course not evenly distributed with outages varying from a few minutes up to more than a week in more extreme circumstances. Similarly single outages can affect a single property or several thousand properties depending on the cause.

This project will aim to develop a low-cost user-friendly solution whereby customers in vulnerable situations will still be able to use their gas heated boiler as well as LPG and oil heated boilers in the event of a power outage.

The Fairer Warmth Hub (FWH) connects stakeholders of the Net Zero Transition through place-based strategies providing tools and guidance to facilitate local energy plans and enhance collaboration. The FWH integrates digital tools and community engagement to facilitate effective communication and planning among diverse stakeholders including households small businesses schools social healthcare and local authorities. FWH is designed to bridge the gap in the energy transition by providing tailored support to these stakeholders ensuring that the transition is inclusive and just. The FWH integrates three core elements:

• Trained ‘Champions’ – Volunteers or staff known as Champions are recruited and trained to support community engagement helping to build trust and reduce miscommunication in local energy initiatives.
• Digital Tools (Virtual Assets) – Innovative digital tools (App + Website) and resources are used to facilitate energy transition planning and community engagement particularly assisting Customer In Vulnerable Situation (CIVS) and those who are digitally excluded.
• Community Centres (Non-Virtual Assets) – Physical community hubs serve as accessible locations for hands-on support providing a space for CIVS and other stakeholders to engage directly in the energy transition.

The project will develop an integrated hierarchical network modelling framework for simulating the operation of future GB energy system scenarios with highly interconnected gas and power networks. The realistic modelling of power-to-gas and storage operators’ behaviour will be emphasised. The integrated models will be demonstrated on a simulation platform as real-time digital twins for future system scenarios.

Considerable novelty will lie in the combination of modelling scale and granularity; representation of many autonomous decentralised agents making sub-optimal decisions; and the optimal resolution of dilemmas arising from the finite energy budgets constraining primarily weather-driven low to zero carbon scenarios.

Analysis of the distribution networks undertaken in the H2 Caledonia and H2 Connect projects has identified sectorisation isolation as the optimal approach for conversion. Sectorisation isolation allows for a sector-by-sector approach ensuring the gradual conversion of existing Natural Gas connections over to hydrogen or managing the disconnection process should customers opt for alternative heating solutions. This project will aim to develop an understanding of the technical and financial feasibility of a Flexible Gas Transition Plant (FGTP) through primary project outputs such as: outline of design options development of a list of transition use cases a cost benefit analysis (CBA) for each transition scenario and a roadmap for future phases including prototype design and trials.

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.

We The Curious is an educational charity and science centre with a vision for a future where everyone is included curious and inspired by science to build a better world. For 25 years We The Curious have welcomed over 300000 visitors annually and have engaged more than 65000 school children through hands-on science experiences every year.

We The Curious is celebrating its 25^th birthday by developing a new sustainability themed area of its science centre. This project with WWU aims to inspire thousands of people of all ages to explore how different energy sources work in different contexts – sparking curiosity building confidence and empowering communities to take part in a fair low-carbon transition.

The exhibit will help visitors of all ages discover the different renewable sources of energy understand how they work and explore why a balanced mix of energy solutions is essential to transition away from fossil fuels. Designed as a social and collaborative experience with multiple interaction points the exhibit will highlight that shaping a sustainable energy future requires teamwork – across technologies communities and generations.

Previous testing carried out under NIA has outstanding gaps that require further testing to close. Completing the additional testing will confirm actual fracture toughness values to be used and the corresponding J value from the crack growth resistance curve. The project outputs are required and will be used to progress design specification and procurement processes for hydrogen major projects. The results can also be applied for repurposing assessments.

This project will help to inform UK Gas Distribution Network Operators (GDNOs) and wider industry on the impact of the potential for air ingress into gas-conveying pipework in MOBs. The mechanisms for air ingress into gas-conveying pipework have been shown to be gas agnostic though this project will focus on impacts specific to future hydrogen distribution to MOBs.

Following on from Stage 1 of the project which assessed if a predictive model could be used to find hidden vulnerability the next stage of the project is focused on identifying customers in vulnerable situations whose heat comes from Cadent delivered gas that are missing out on the protections that the Priority Service Register (PSR) brings because they are “hidden” behind a non-domestic supply contract and may not be immediately visible through existing data sets and ways of working. The project aims to proactively identify and support hidden customers in vulnerable situations within Cadent’s network by developing a data-driven model that integrates existing datasets from different sources ensuring that they receive the support that they need in the event of an interruption to supply.

This project has been initiated to assess the technical and commercial feasibility of direct hydrogen injection into the gas distribution network at 5% and 20% by volume. It supports the broader Market Frameworks appraisal by providing the evidence needed to evaluate whether both System Entry Models direct injection and pre-blending are feasible under varying network conditions.

The need for this study was identified through the Hydrogen Blending Implementation Plan which outlined two technical approaches for hydrogen connections: injecting hydrogen directly into the network or pre-blending it before entry each with distinct technical and commercial implications. While National Gas has assessed both models for the transmission network a gap analysis revealed that these findings are not directly transferable to the distribution network.

Evidence for pre-blending was previously completed as part of HyDeploy and the Hydrogen Blending Functional Specification project. It was shown that this approach provides more controlled mixing but may require more complex infrastructure leading to higher costs for the producer. Although it is assumed Direct Injection may be achievable at lower cost there are multiple key technical challenges associated with the technique such as the potential for inadequate hydrogen mixing which could result in non-compliant gas safety concerns including material integrity and operational constraints e.g. GSMR exclusion zones.

Through literature review CFD modelling engineering assessments and commercial analysis the study will evaluate the technical and safety performance risks and cost implications of direct injection across a range of scenarios and configurations.

This project constitutes a research study which will explore how nuclear energy can support a whole system energy transition by providing for the energy requirements of low-carbon hydrogen and heat networks within regions where renewable energy potential is relatively low. These are areas where hydrogen demand will need to be met by imports unless hydrogen production methods can be increased and diversified.

This project constitutes a GB-wide analysis of biomethane feedstock arisings including location determination of quality and composition of each feedstock type and biomethane production potential. Arisings will be quantified to county-level. Mapping software will be used to determine feedstock hotspots and alignment with the grid will be considered. The results of these analyses will be combined to consider how and where sustainable biomethane growth can best be achieved.

This project will help to inform UK Gas Distribution Network Operators (GDNOs) and wider industry on the long-term suitability of existing Excess Flow Valve (EFV) designs in a future where hydrogen is being distributed in network pipelines. A risk to normal EFV functionality exists in the event that an ignition occurs within the downstream gas installation pipework and this project will help to understand the effectiveness of existing EFV designs to manage this risk identifying any necessary modifications to existing EFV designs where appropriate.

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)

This project evaluates the rapidly developing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) sector and assesses the technical commercial regulatory and safety feasibility of repurposing existing gas pipelines to transport liquid aviation fuels. The uptake of SAF is critical to decarbonising the UK aviation industry and achieving net zero targets. To support the scale-up of SAF production and use the development of reliable affordable and low-carbon infrastructure is essential. Pipelines offer a cost-effective environmentally sustainable and high-capacity transport solution. The study aims to enable scalable SAF infrastructure while providing a productive long-term use for gas assets that are unlikely to be required for refurbishment or alternative repurposing.

To investigate the potential to use high pressure storage assets to directly inject biomethane.

To ensure that the users and general public recognise and report hydrogen leaks without further education current guidance states that the smell of hydrogen should be indistinguishable from that of natural gas. It is also expected that the same odorant will be used in hydrogen networks as is currently injected to natural gas and so it is essential to ensure that existing methodologies for olfactory assessment (Rhinology) originally developed for natural gas are safe effective and applicable to 100% hydrogen environments.

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.

Wales & West Utilities (WWU) is undertaking a project to develop a thorough understanding of the technical and economic requirements for integrating hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS) into the existing gas network. The main aim is to enable the supply of ‘on-spec’ hydrogen for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and hydrogen internal combustion engines (HICEs) from the heat-grade hydrogen currently delivered by the network. This involves analysing the types of contaminants present in grid hydrogen pinpointing the purification technologies needed and assessing the infrastructure requirements for compression chilling and storage to deliver hydrogen at the target pressures of 350 and 700 bar.

The Technical Blueprint Project forms a critical enabling phase of Cadent’s Hydrogen Blending Implementation Programme. Its purpose is to translate existing high level hydrogen blending evidence into a detailed network specific asset level and operationally deliverable blueprint that defines what is required for the gas network to safely and compliantly accommodate hydrogen blends of up to 20% by volume once regulatory approval is granted.

While previous industry projects have established that hydrogen blending is feasible in principle many technical operational and cost decisions remain at an asset process system and people level. These gaps currently prevent informed investment decisions and cannot be addressed through business‑as‑usual activity. This project addresses that gap by undertaking structured technical validation impact refinement and mitigation definition across Cadent’s network with a particular focus on the North West and East Midlands as pilot regions.

The project will coordinate specialist technical suppliers to validate prior hydrogen impact assessments against the most up‑to‑date safety evidence identify and close remaining evidence gaps and determine clear final mitigation positions for all affected assets and operational activities. Outputs will be consolidated into a single integrated technical blueprint providing a sequenced and costed set of actions required to achieve “blend readiness”. Areas confirmed as having no impact will also be explicitly documented to avoid unnecessary future intervention and cost.

The Technical Blueprint will provide Cadent and wider GB networks with a robust evidence‑based foundation to support future regulatory submissions funding reopeners and implementation planning. Learning generated will be transferable across gas distribution networks supporting a coordinated cost‑effective and safe transition toward hydrogen blending while reducing long‑term consumer risk and avoiding premature or inefficient investment.

This project constitutes a focused feasibility assessment of local biomethane market models with the objective of determining how decentralised commercial arrangements can enable increased participation from small-scale and community anaerobic digestion (AD) producers. The study will examine commercial structures regulatory considerations and stakeholder readiness associated with enabling localised trading of green gas through existing distribution networks. It will assess the interaction between market design connection approaches and consumer engagement to identify viable pathways for implementation and scale-up.

To reach our national net zero targets by 2050 we need to decarbonise approximately 25 million homes in England. Domestic heating accounts for approximately 14% of the UKs entire emissions and significant investment is required to improve the energy efficiency of our housing stock. In addition there are major challenges associated with domestic decarbonisation:

• England has the most diverse housing stock in the UK. with 35% built before the end of WWII.
• Sixty-four percent are owner-occupied and these homeowners need to have a good cost effective and efficient experience of home and heating upgrade as we move towards zero carbon homes.
• Implementing heating upgrades to this ageing housing stock requires a ‘whole house’ approach therefore consideration must be given to the building fabric and heating system.

Retrofitting existing homes with electric heating systems or deployment of green hydrogen boilers offer potential solutions however the intricacies of deployment and installation are complex further research and development is required to learn more about installation performance of various heating options. Doing so will inform future domestic decarbonisation strategies.

Augmented Reality (AR) technology will be used at Futures Close to convey and inform various audiences including vulnerable consumers about various property archetypes their construction heat loss and the type of retrofit solutions (heating systems controls fabric improvements) available to improve the level of domestic energy efficiency. AR will be used to inform educate and engage audiences on-site at Futures Close as well as off-site at conferences and meetings avoiding the need to facilitate multiple visits on site. Live data feeds will also be visualised illustrating room-by-room temperature humidity as well as other metrics providing an engaging interactive and informative asset for Futures Close.

Problem Digital exclusion remains a significant challenge across the UK preventing many individuals—particularly those in vulnerable circumstances—from accessing critical information and services. As energy networks increasingly rely on digital channels for communication those without internet access digital skills or confidence in using online tools face barriers in receiving important updates such as emergency notifications and service disruptions. Current communication strategies while effective for digitally engaged users fail to reach those who are excluded due to economic geographic or personal barriers. This project seeks to bridge this gap by rethinking communication strategies to ensure all consumers regardless of digital access receive the information they need in a timely and accessible manner. Project Aims & Key Objectives Building upon the learnings from the previous Digital Exclusion project (NIA_CAD0088) this project aims to develop new inclusive communication strategies that enhance engagement with digitally excluded individuals. The research project will determine what new approaches may be able to be adopted by energy networks to aid consumers who could otherwise be left vulnerable due to being digitally excluded. By adopting a human-centred approach the project will:

• Understand how digitally excluded individuals currently access information and navigate daily life.
• Identify barriers in existing energy network communication strategies.
• Co-design and test new approaches that improve information delivery and engagement for those excluded from digital channels.
• Provide recommendations for scalable long-term improvements in energy communication infrastructure. Project Outputs The project will deliver the following tangible outputs across the following stages:

Stage 0 – Outreach

• Identification of priority demographics which are most affected by digital exclusion.
• Engagement with several digital inclusion hubs to identify and introduce stakeholders to the project.

Project Plan – Rethinking Communication for Digital Exclusion

Stage 1 - Insight

• A comprehensive research report detailing the lived experiences of digitally excluded individuals.
• Analysis of existing communication strategies used by energy networks highlighting gaps and opportunities.

Stage 2 - Collaboration

• A series of co-design workshops engaging key stakeholders to generate and refine potential solutions.
• Prototype solutions tested in real-world settings with iterative refinement based on feedback.

Stage 3 - Impact

• A strategic roadmap for scaling successful solutions across the energy sector.
• A final report consolidating research insights prototype evaluations and recommended implementation strategies. Expected Benefits
• For digitally excluded consumers: More effective trusted and accessible communication methods ensuring they receive vital energy-related information.
• For energy networks: Improved customer engagement compliance with accessibility standards and enhanced reputation for supporting vulnerable groups.
• For wider stakeholders: Development of scalable best practices that can be applied beyond the energy sector to improve communication with digitally excluded populations. TRL
• Start TRL: 2 (Technology concept formulated)
• End TRL: 5 (Technology validated in a relevant environment)

Leveraging AI to drive the evolution of standards to optimise and enhance the safe operation of energy networks by automating the extraction of key technical evidence from an expanse of R&D documents for the purpose of engineering policymaking.

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.

National Gas Transmission are working to decarbonise the gas grid by transporting hydrogen rather than natural gas. Blending hydrogen with natural gas provides a stepping stone towards this goal fostering the hydrogen economy whilst also benefiting from up to 7% carbon savings from a respective 20% hydrogen blend.

The UK government supports blending up to 20% hydrogen by volume into the gas distribution networks and there are ongoing trials and assessments into proving the safety and technical feasibility of hydrogen blending across all networks and pressure tiers in the UK. It is anticipated that initially a low percentage hydrogen blend will be accepted onto the National Transmission System with this potentially increasing up to 20% hydrogen blends being accepted. This is largely due to few modifications being required to accommodate low hydrogen blend percentages on the NTS.

Additionally NTS level hydrogen blending is likely to develop in phases of hydrogen blend percentage entering the network due to the hydrogen supply in the UK developing gradually over time. 2% hydrogen on the NTS equates to approximately 5TWh of hydrogen production therefore increasing this percentage will require time.

Variability in the gas blends of the network is likely due to the production of hydrogen gradually increasing over time and injection of that hydrogen being geographically spread across the network. There is also potential that hydrogen supply can vary based on factors such as production methods direct demand off takers and availability. Therefore it is important to understand the implications of blended hydrogen and natural gas at variable levels between 0-5% hydrogen and 0-20% hydrogen blend.

Hydrogen blend variability encompasses a range of factors that need to be carefully managed to ensure a successful transition to a hydrogen-integrated energy system. Understanding the impact to stakeholders such as current customers and interconnecting countries will be crucial to successfully transitioning to a blended network and identifying ways to mitigate any risks and make sure National Gas are aligned to support our stakeholders needs where possible. There is also a need to evidence the impacts and any associated changes to risks from a whole system management perspective and to research the impact of blend variability on compressor train machinery assets.

This project proposes a structured approach to assess the integrity of AGI pipework for hydrogen service. It includes development of a screening tool based on representative AGI archetypes execution of ECAs to define flaw tolerances and inspection intervals and evaluation of NDT capabilities with respect to desired AGI performances. The project also reviews integrity management software to support increased digitalisation and monitors emerging technologies for hydrogen-related NDT developments.

National Gas Transmission (NGT) owns and operates the UK’s extensive National Transmission System (NTS) which spans over 7600 kilometres and plays a vital role in delivering energy security and supporting decarbonisation initiatives. NGT has made a commitment to develop plans to transition some of the NTS to blended hydrogen operation as part of the Government’s Net Zero targets. A programme called Project Union is being developed to spearhead the NTS conversion strategy as part of the decarbonisation effort. This will further aid the net-zero target by eliminating emissions generated from managing and operating the transmission system. The Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs) and NGT have been making strides in the last decade through research physical testing etc to qualify hydrogen as a fuel within the NTS.

Hydrogen is a promising alternative fuel due to its potential to significantly reduce greenhouse emissions; however its properties present unique safety challenges. It has a much lower ignition energy (0.016mJ) when compared to Natural Gas making it more susceptible to ignition from a variety of sources along with much more devastating effects if ignition occurs.

An area of consideration for safe hydrogen operation is the ignition risk of hydrogen. This risk will span daily operations maintenance tasks compression and transport etc. Ignition risk needs to be meticulously investigated to ensure National Gas are aware of all the possible ignition mechanisms sources likelihood safeguards and mitigations etc. to ensure safe utilisation of hydrogen on the network.

This work will provide a comprehensive understanding of hydrogen ignition risks on the network with safeguards and mitigations to bring the risk of ignition into the ‘Tolerable if ALARP’ or ‘Broadly Acceptable’ levels.

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).

In metering applications Equations of State (EoS) are mathematical models that are used to convert measured volumes to standard units. This enables transfer from volume to mass allowing customers to be billed and for the networked to be balanced in energy. Metering and network balancing cannot be performed in volume as it doesn’t account for relative varying gas component concentrations – and therefore CV.

The EoS currently used (AGA8) is acceptable for up to 5% hydrogen but after this point it’s uncertainty is unknown – meaning the network may be unable to maintain accurate billing or system balancing. This project will obtain experimental data for a range of net zero gases and compare the output of several EoS for accuracy against real measured NTS-representative conditions.

This project will entail a feasibility study to assess the viability of developing a secure scalable and interoperable data sharing infrastructure for National Gas Transmission (NGT) supporting regulatory compliance stakeholder access and alignment with NESO’s DSI initiative. The main objective is to gain a better understanding of how we share data currently and how this will change moving forward both within established participants and enabling new participants and stakeholders to benefit from National Gas’s data. This will support the wider NESO led DSI initiative. Using two NGT data systems as a use case for this study

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.

This project investigates how hydrogen affects the integrity of welded joints (seam welds and girth welds) in the UK National Transmission System (NTS) pipelines as part of plans to repurpose existing natural gas infrastructure for hydrogen transport.

Specifically Work Package 4 integrates results from metallurgical characterisation historical weld procedures and fracture toughness testing conducted in high-pressure hydrogen. The study examines pipeline steels of different grades and vintages (including X46 X52 X60 X65 and X80) focusing on weld metal and heat-affected zones (HAZ) which are known to be the most vulnerable regions.

The report combines:

• Detailed metallography and hardness mapping of real NTS welds
• Post-test fractographic analysis of specimens tested in hydrogen
• Interpretation of fracture toughness data
• An overall assessment of risks and uncertainties associated with hydrogen service
• Recommendations to support safe decision-making for hydrogen repurposing.

High pressure steel pipelines are essential in enabling a safe natural gas transportation network an overly engineered solution tried and tested over several decades proving the NTS to be a robust nationwide asset. The National Transmission System is used to flow gas every day to keep the lights on and our homes heated by connecting large scale industry cities and towns where the network is dynamic allowing for flexibility and adaptability to various flow demand scenarios. This is done so by utilising over 5000 miles of varying grades and differing sizes of pipelines where the gas can flow build line pack for high energy demand areas and provide a mass energy storage solution.

The NTS is used to limit gas loss manage flow direction facilitate maintenance repair modification testing and commissioning to enable safe and effective start-up and shutdown of our pipelines. We now must further evidence pipeline steel material integrity when subjected to high pressure hydrogen gas this can be done by expanding upon the existing fatigue rig standalone testing at DNV Spadeadam.

Although some pipelines materials that we use today have seen blends and 100% hydrogen within the HYNTS Phase 1 test facility what we have not done is post hydrogen fatigue cycling non destructive testing of materials that have been subject to prolonged high pressure hydrogen. One of the welds that make up the fatigue rig has a known weld defect within it NGT aims to have the welds and the weld defect analysed through various methods of testing such as magnetic particle inspection followed by if necessary standard ultrasonic testing.

In 2022 small scale mechanical characteristic tests were conducted to characterise the mechanical properties of the materials used within the construction of the fatigue rig this testing commenced outputting a standard mechanical property data set the new end of test data post hydrogen exposure will be compared to the original data set from 2022 at the end of fatigue cycling. Testing will establish the effect of trapped hydrogen on ‘standard’ mechanical properties measured To facilitate this DNV will remove all girth welds selected seam welds and fitting welds and store them at low temperature to mitigate loss of hydrogen from within the trap sites..

A technical note will be prepared comparing the results of the weld inspections (internal and external inspections). The note will be used to confirm defect removal for metallographic examination.

A technical report will be prepared summarising the macro and microscopic examinations undertaken confirming defect size (to that reported by UT) and whether the defect was an original feature else created due to the pressure cycle duty of the test vessel and the hydrogen environment.

The project described in this FEN report covers the development of a new repurposing process for NTS assets to transport gaseous phase carbon dioxide. The approach for repurposing the National Gas Transmission System (NTS) to transport carbon dioxide will need an innovative approach to meet the timelines for the net zero transition. There have been several projects undertaken to date to determine the interactions of carbon dioxide with the network assets. We are looking to determine if these activities are providing all the relevant data and evidence required for our network to transition.

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.

Through consultation with the biomethane industry National Gas are looking to offer a cost effective repeatable and simplified Minimum Connection arrangement at greenfield locations with low visual impact by locating the network isolation valves in a pit. Thus avoiding a traditional larger Above Ground Installation with perimeter security fence and internal vehicle access and potential local authority planning permission.

The use of pits to house valves on National Gas AGI’s has historically created operational and maintenance issues such as pipe pit wall transition corrosion pit flooding and access restrictions.

However through consultation with NG Chief Engineer a decision support paper was submitted and approved allowing the development of a valve pit arrangement to align with requests from the biomethane industry and address historic issues.

Following this decision conceptual designs were completed for minimum connections at Oulton Airfield and Manby projects in 2024. These designs included a concept design of a MOC valve arrangement in a pit.

National Gas Transmission (NGT) are committed to reducing emissions from the operation of the National Transmission System (NTS) and eliminating emissions by 2050. The transition to hydrogen provides an opportunity to reduce carbon and utilise the network for hydrogen refuelling for transport. The HyNTS Deblending for Hydrogen Transport project has involved the development of a UK-wide rollout strategy from ERM that lays out demand clustering and potential locations for deblending supplied refuelling for transportation mapped against the NTS.

The project will aims to obtain further information on NRMM maritime cars LGVs and mobile power to fully understand the hydrogen demand. It will also review the existing rollout strategy to ensure it is accurate and full captures the current hydrogen market given the changes in this landscape

Develop credible and independently modelled pathways to test the economic case of developing a H₂ Backbone and prepare NGT for dialogue with NESO DESNZ HMT and a wider group of stakeholders.

The Unaccounted-for Gas (UAG) project aims to develop a predictive tool that identifies and quantifies UAG across the National Transmission System (NTS). Leveraging 12-18 months of SCADA data the tool will simulate gas flow and metering behaviour to pinpoint anomalies and reduce losses. UAG currently represents significant financial cost to the consumer; even a 1% reduction could yield practical savings. The project aligns with RIIO-2 NIA criteria and supports regulatory compliance under the Gas Transporter Licence Part J of Special Condition 5.6 (System operator external incentives revenues and costs) requiring National Gas to undertake work to investigate the causes of UAG. It builds on prior research and integrates learnings from international benchmarks. The initiative will enhance operational efficiency improve data transparency and support long-term decarbonisation goals through better system visibility and control.

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.