In Discovery Phase there are 3 key workstreams (WS):
WS1 Establish a technical regime for Hydrogen injection into the NTS.
This includes flow control, gas quality and energy flow-rate measurement and blending arrangements to comply with any National Grid Gas (NGG)/HSE requirements for maximum proportion of Hydrogen in any NTS pipeline.
There are several inputs into the project that take advantage of knowledge from the development of the biomethane market including the EMIB Deliverables from 2012 (Energy Market Issues for Biomethane Projects) and the Somerset Farm Biomethane Injection (SFBI) into NTS project completed in 2019-20 as part of the Customer Low Cost Connection Innovation project.
Technical lead CNG Services Ltd (CSL) represented the Renewable Energy Association on EMIB and was the design and build contractor for the SFBI project
WS2 Whole system integration.
Review an NTS Feeder from St Fergus to North of England to establish locations which are close to the Electricity Transmission Grids. NGG will provide NTS flow data, project participant SSEN will provide Electricity Transmission Grid information including forward forecasts and possible constraints. Element Energy (EE), supported by CSL, will model the potential to produce green Hydrogen and inject into the NTS.
WS3 Review the economics of green Hydrogen production and injection into the NTS to inform the development of appropriate financial incentives based on the new Green Gas Support Scheme.
EE will lead this workstream utilising their extensive experience of modelling the costs of hydrogen production, particularly production via electrolysis using electricity from directly connected renewables, as well as systems using grid electricity, including the availability of curtailed wind. EE also bring extensive knowledge of the incentive regimes for Hydrogen including Renewable Transport Fuel Certification. CSL will support this activity with detailed knowledge of the biomethane incentive regimes. Centrica will support this activity by surveying their Industrial & Commercial customers to establish willingness to pay and interest in Hydrogen delivered via a swap with natural gas.
If a safe and low capex technical regime for injection of green Hydrogen into the NTS can be established and BEIS persuaded to provide an appropriate CO2 saving related financial incentive then this activity will be of interest to:
- Industrial & Commercial customer suppliers such as Centrica
- Biomethane project developers and other small scale NTS connectees (Bio-CNG Mother Stations and <50 MW gas engines)
- Onshore wind/solar developers who may not have sufficient electricity grid capacity
VIDEO - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYbM3XwpwiQ&list=PLrMOhOrmeR6ktSag0RbT7zPNVn0p1P2f6&index=27
Problem Bring Solved
The UK gas network is about to undergo the most significant change since the discovery of North Sea natural gas in the 1960s. UK Net Zero objectives will require the gas National Transmission System (NTS) and local distribution networks to transition from methane-based to hydrogen-based systems. A potential key focus area in this transition will be the injection of green Hydrogen into the NTS.
At present, the new NTS connections regime is established for large entry and exit loads. In addition, the Customer Low Cost Connection Innovation project and the Somerset Farm project have established an improved regime (lower cost and shorter timeframes) for smaller projects including biomethane. There is, however, no regime for injecting green (made from electrolysis using renewable electricity) Hydrogen into the NTS because, to date, there has not been any requirement for this. Hydrogen is only allowed at very low concentration under the Gas Safety Management Regulation (0.1%) and electrolysis to make green Hydrogen is a relatively new technology development.
The problem, therefore, is the creating of a technical regime for green Hydrogen injection into the NTS (including local blending) and the opportunity is to stimulate this activity as an important first step on a "whole system" approach whereby excess electricity in the electricity transmission grid can be used to create Hydrogen which is then injected into the NTS.
It is unknown, how the injection of green hydrogen will disperse once injected at higher concentrations into the NTS and once in the network what the impacts will be on the surrounding assets, such as embrittlement.
This project can also be used to influence BEIS into introducing a financial incentive scheme for Hydrogen injection into the NTS which would allow the UK to establish a Hydrogen injection supply-chain in anticipation of a boom in hydrogen applications to meet the UK's 'Net Zero' targets.
Impacts and benefits
Potential net benefits:
There is a material potential from hydrogen injection into the National Transmission System (NTS) to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, and therefore reduce greenhouse gases. Work is being done by National Grid Gas (NGG) to increase the H2 limit into the NTS, and for example, a potential increase to a 5% blend in the future equates to around 16 TWh/annum of H2. H2 injection into the NTS at a 0.1% blend can catalyze the hydrogen market and provide a material contribution for transition from natural gas and reduced imports of gas
This discovery project also explored how electrolysers can be varied to generate hydrogen at times of excess and low-cost power from renewables, by adopting a temporal correlation to the import of electricity. This has helped to accurately determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) performance of the hydrogen whilst also providing a more cost-effective production of hydrogen compared to running the electrolyser at a constant rate.
Potential net benefits:
There is a material potential from hydrogen injection into the National Transmission System (NTS) to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, and therefore reduce greenhouse gases. Work is being done by National Grid Gas (NGG) to increase the H2 limit into the NTS, and for example, a potential increase to a 5% blend in the future equates to around 16 TWh/annum of H2. H2 injection into the NTS at a 0.1% blend can catalyze the hydrogen market and provide a material contribution for transition from natural gas and reduced imports of gas
Potential net benefits:
There is a material potential from hydrogen injection into the National Transmission System (NTS) to significantly reduce CO2 emissions, and therefore reduce greenhouse gases. Work is being done by National Grid Gas (NGG) to increase the H2 limit into the NTS, and for example, a potential increase to a 5% blend in the future equates to around 16 TWh/annum of H2. H2 injection into the NTS at a 0.1% blend can catalyze the hydrogen market and provide a material contribution for transition from natural gas and reduced imports of gas
This discovery project also explored how electrolysers can be varied to generate hydrogen at times of excess and low-cost power from renewables, by adopting a temporal correlation to the import of electricity. This has helped to accurately determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) performance of the hydrogen whilst also providing a more cost-effective production of hydrogen compared to running the electrolyser at a constant rate.
of H2. H2 injection into the NTS at a 0.1% blend can catalyze the hydrogen market and provide a material contribution for transition from natural gas and reduced imports of gas
This discovery project also explored how electrolysers can be varied to generate hydrogen at times of excess and low-cost power from renewables, by adopting a temporal correlation to the import of electricity. This has helped to accurately determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) performance of the hydrogen whilst also providing a more cost-effective production of hydrogen compared to running the electrolyser at a constant rate.
of H2. H2 injection into the NTS at a 0.1% blend can catalyze the hydrogen market and provide a material contribution for transition from natural gas and reduced imports of gas
This discovery project also explored how electrolysers can be varied to generate hydrogen at times of excess and low-cost power from renewables, by adopting a temporal correlation to the import of electricity. This has helped to accurately determine the greenhouse gas (GHG) performance of the hydrogen whilst also providing a more cost-effective production of hydrogen compared to running the electrolyser at a constant rate.
Ultimately, with proof of technical design and financial viability, this project has the potential to kickstart an innovative industry in the UK with a positive material impact to the energy economy and security of supply.
There have been no changes to the proposed impacts since the application and no project changes during the Discovery work.
