A hydrogen village trial in Whitby, Ellesmere Port has been officially cancelled, following the government’s decision.
After carefully considering the views of residents, it was determined that there was insufficient local support for the project.
The Whitby project is a government-backed trial to discover whether the UK can transition from natural gas to hydrogen, using the existing network.
A few months ago, it was reported that residents of a village in Cheshire would have the option to keep using natural gas for heating and cooking, instead of being forced to switch to hydrogen as part of the scheme.
Energy companies British Gas and Cadent had planned to cut off gas supplies to almost 2,000 homes in the village of Whitby, as part of the UK’s first hydrogen-fuelled village.
Participants who would take part in the trial would be provided with a £2,500 incentive.
This would include payments of £1,500 upon conversion to a hydrogen boiler, £250 after completing feedback, and a final payment of £750 at the end of the programme.
Martin Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance said: “After listening to the views of residents, it’s clear that there is no strong local support, therefore Whitby will no longer be considered as the location for the UK’s first hydrogen village trial – discussions with NGN regarding Redcar are ongoing and we will announce next steps shortly.”
In a statement, Cadent said: “We know that this will be disappointing to the many residents who told us they wanted their community to play a pioneering role in decarbonising how we heat our homes in the UK.
“We are incredibly grateful to everyone in Whitby who has given us their time and attention over the last year as we have developed our proposal. We believe strongly in the role that hydrogen can play alongside other technologies and energy sources in reaching net zero.
“While Whitby won’t be the location for the trial, the information we have gained over the last 12 months will still play an invaluable role in shaping how the UK heats its homes and businesses in the future.
“Reaching net zero and keeping the UK’s homes and businesses safely and securely supplied with energy needs the whole of society to work together. Should the trial progress in Redcar, it will be an important step forward: NGN have our best wishes and full support.”
In response to the news, Alice Harrison, Fossil Fuels Campaign Leader at Global Witness, said: “Hydrogen heating is the emperor’s new clothing for the oil and gas industry – a thinly veiled attempt for these companies to stay relevant and profitable, and to stall a genuinely green transition.
“Today’s decision to cancel the hydrogen heating trial in Whitby is a triumph of common sense over industry greenwash.
“Hydrogen does have a role to play in decarbonising our industry, but it would be a disaster as a source of home heating – it’s explosive, expensive and it’s much worse for the climate than alternatives like heat pumps. With the Whitby trial now out of the question, all eyes will be on Redcar – to see whether reason speaks louder than the gas.”
Energy Live News has contacted the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero for comment.
After listening to the views of residents,it’s clear that there is no strong local support, therefore Whitby will no longer be considered as the location for the UK’s first hydrogen village trial – discussions with NGN re Redcar are ongoing and we’ll announce next steps shortly.
— Martin Callanan (@MartinCallanan) July 10, 2023
