Hydrogen heating: overview
Updated 17 December 2024
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Heating our homes and workplaces with low carbon heat is one of the best things we can do to help combat climate change. Currently, heating all the buildings in the UK produces almost a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions. There are nearly 30 million homes in the UK and currently around 85% of them use natural gas for heating.
In 2019 the UK became the first major economy to pass laws to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. Meeting our net zero target will require virtually all heat in buildings to be decarbonised. The government already supports existing low carbon heat options like heat pumps and heat networks, which will be the primary means of decarbonisation for the foreseeable future.
Unlike other technologies, 100% hydrogen for heating is not yet an established technology. A programme of research, development and testing has been underway for several years on the feasibility, costs, and convenience of hydrogen heating and a significant body of evidence now exists.
Taking decisions on the role of hydrogen in heating
The previous government committed to taking a decision in 2026 on the role of hydrogen in home heating. This has been an area of extensive debate within the sector and much has changed since the 2026 date was set.
Over the coming months the government will assess the latest evidence before consulting in 2025 on the role of hydrogen in home heating. The government wants to provide strategic clarity on decarbonising home heating as soon as possible in order to best support our mission to make the UK a Clean Energy Superpower.
The H100 Fife neighbourhood trial
Construction on H100 Fife is underway. It is being funded by SGN with contributions from its gas network partners Cadent, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), Wales and West Utilities, alongside the Scottish Government, and funds approved by Ofgem.
H100 Fife will supply hydrogen to around 300 opted-in homes through a new network laid parallel with the existing natural gas network. The hydrogen used will be green, produced by an electrolyser powered by an offshore wind turbine.
Find out more about H100 Fife.
Safety
Safety is fundamental. As with natural gas, if hydrogen were to play a role in heating home, measures would be needed to ensure that hydrogen is distributed and used in a safe way. The Health and Safety Executive will continue its work to assess the safety evidence for hydrogen heating; we are expecting its conclusions later next year.
Before H100 Fife can go ahead the HSE will need to be satisfied that it will be run safely. If HSE is satisfied that the evidence demonstrates that SGN can run the trial safely, it will write to SGN, Ofgem and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero setting out the conclusions of its assessment. All parties will need to consider the conclusions of HSE’s assessment before the trial goes ahead. HSE does not have the powers to approve or authorise a trial but HSE will maintain an ongoing role as independent regulator throughout the trial.
Find more about the HSE’s role on 100% hydrogen heating.
International activity
Other countries are also looking at the option of hydrogen heating. The Netherlands is currently running three small-scale trials of domestic hydrogen heating including two exploring hybrid hydrogen heat pumps, and another is underway in Germany. We are engaging with other countries to understand how they are approaching heat decarbonisation, the role hydrogen could play, and any findings from current trials that we could learn from.