Net zero and the energy system transition

This project will explore the feasibility of integrating hydrogen train refuelling infrastructure to support the development of a hydrogen rail network. This has particular relevance to our network as some of the UK’s hardest to electrify rail routes are situated in Wales and South West England. The project will focus on these hard to electrify routes exploring H2’s potential role in enabling their decarbonisation. If successful this project can help the WWU network to become a proving ground for real-world delivery of impactful H2 rail technology. It is expected to provide information which can be used in planning strategic hydrogen pipeline routes and network repurposing plans and support regional energy planning.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Repurposing of natural gas pipelines made of carbon steel for use with hydrogen blends requires a fitness-for-service analysis as part of the hydrogen use safety case. Girth welds of an unknown quality exist in the Local Transmission System (LTS). In hydrogen service these welds would have a greater susceptibility to fracture failure due to material embrittlement caused by interaction of steel material with hydrogen.

Current inspection methods do not routinely inspect girth welds for defects. Deterministic defect assessment models require the use of conservative assumptions for defect sizes material properties and loading. This can lead to overly pessimistic conclusions about the suitability of pipelines with girth welds for use with hydrogen.

More detailed probability-based assessments are required to reduce the inherent pessimism in deterministic calculation methods. This would provide confidence of the safety and allow for greater use of the LTS with hydrogen and contribute to a quicker and cheaper energy transition for the UK gas network.

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.

As the UK attempts to decarbonise residential heat to meet net zero by 2050 electric heat pumps along with heat networks are expected to play a key role. However it is generally accepted that no one technology will be able to meet the needs of all households. If we are to deliver affordable low- carbon heating in the residential sector we shall need as wide a range of technology options as possible to overcome the economic and technical challenges facing every customer.

Project GaIN (Gathering Insights) will explore alternatives to heat pumps and heat networks which can utilise the robust gas network and benefit from its current upgrade programme supporting the aims of DESNZ’s decarbonisation of heat roadmap. The project will discover and assess additional technology options where alternative solutions might be more costly or difficult to deliver; this will include LAEP system benefits as well as localised CAPEX and OPEX costs.

The project will evaluate and deliver a plan that ensures our asset records are suitably complete to support the net zero transition.

The project will reduce uncertainty and risk and provide a more realistic proximation of asset data.

The HSE has indicated that it will be unable to support a network’s hydrogen safety case until they receive “a clear plan for checking unknown assets and how networks will ensure that only suitable materials are present in the network”. This includes our transmission pipelines.

Additionally for the marginal extra effort it would be prudent to ensure the completeness of our asset records is sufficient for us to either plan for the conversion to hydrogen or decommission sections as users switch to other heating technologies.

Wales and West Utilities are partnering with HydroStar Welsh Water and NGED to look at two demonstrator projects required from new electrolyser systems and the associated electrolyte that ensures resilience of hydrogen supply across the network giving best value for money and energy security within WWU’s network along with other UK wide Gas Distribution Network (GDN) customers.

Current electrolysers focus on stack-efficiency and hydrogen purity without considering real-world manufacturing and operational constraints and the high costs associated. This project focusses on utilising impurified-water e.g. rainwater storm-overflow and industrial process wastewater as feedstock which reduces operational constraints and costs for customers whilst enabling wide-scale uptake of low-carbon hydrogen.