The 2017 H21 NIC project, when completed in full, will undertake an experimental testing programme which will provide the necessary data to quantify the comparative risk between a 100% hydrogen network and the natural gas network. This is required for the UK to make a policy decision on decarbonisation of heat in the early 2020s and to allow live trials to progress in 2020/21 when combined with the results of the BEIS programme.
The project was awarded two thirds of the requested funding (£10.3m) by ofgem to complete phase 1a and 1b (controlled testing) but not funding for the field trials (circa £5m in total). Although the H21 NIC project was written in 2 phases i.e. controlled testing (Phase 1A and 1B) and field trials (Phase 2) it is the field trials will provide the critical pieces of evidence. The phases were developed to help the non-gas industry audience understand the project as per the requirements of the NIC governance document. The field trials will provide the evidence required to justify the live trials or gain consensus that a 100% hydrogen gas grid conversion would be possible and ensure that significant delays to the live trial and subsequent policy decision requirement were avoidable.
This NIA project will develop the design and master testing plan for a subsequent field trial should the funding be made available. This will ensure no delays in the field trial execution and subsequent live trial and therefore no delay in a government policy on decarbonisation of heat.
Undertaking the design of the field trials alongside the H21 NIC project and other H21 NIA projects also allow economies of scale for delivery of the design phase saving on total cost.
Objectives
1 – Identification of a suitable site in which to undertake field trials as defined in the H21 NIC bid document.
2 – Development of a detailed design in which to undertake the works. If a site cannot be identified and/or legal confirmation of site access can not be agreed a generic design based on a suitable example site (as per the H21 NIC bid) should be developed from which the master testing plan can be confirmed.
3 – Development of a master testing plan for the work
4 – Confirmation of mains soundness testing for identified site
5 – Development of the commercial agreement for access to site to facilitate testing
6 – Development of detailed costs for future build and test work.
Learnings
Outcomes
The project outcomes from this NIA have been broken down into three key areas;
1. Locating and progressing plans for a site for field trials in the public domain
2. Producing a design representative of a gas distribution network <7barg
3. Producing a test plan to undertake representative industry operations on site
Locating a public site
Working with TVCA several locations were appraised for suitability and scored in line with previous site-specific assessment criteria. The highest scoring site is in the South Bank area of Middlesbrough, which falls under Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council. Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council were supportive of the project having already declared a climate emergency with their ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030. The site identified contains low pressure metallic distribution mains with sufficient space to install an MP governor on site. The site contains live distribution mains contained within existing highway and is a good representation of an average UK residential street. Former housing stock now demolished leaves green space available for site occupation and testing.
Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council confirmed at cabinet level in June 2020 that NGN’s proposals were agreeable, and a lease could be drawn up for the site between NGN and RCBC to be executed on award of planning consents. Terms have now been agreed and a lease contract is now held by both parties’ solicitors. The agreement to lease contract includes all terms agreed including rental fee. NGN are now in contract with DNV for the design and build of the test facility under Phase 2b NIC with a services contract to follow to facilitate the undertaking and delivery of the test plan.
Leakage Surveys have been undertaken on the mains proposed for inclusion in the trial. Two joint repairs were undertaken prior to decay testing which indicated the mains were sound, contained no unexpected back feeds and free of leakage due to no loss of pressure during testing. Works to isolate the mains from the surrounding network have been undertaken and now being progressed under the Phase 2b NIC.
Design
The design produced by Rush for Spadeadam includes General Arrangement (GA) line drawings, instrumentation locations, civils arrangements, Material Take Off (MTO) and High-Pressure Reduction Skid Unit. The Pipework & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID) and finer detail to complete the detailed design work is being revisited and undertaken by DNV under the NIC as amendments were required to the design to overcome NIC budget limitations. The design provided by Rush was quoted £2.6m to construct. With an NIC build budget of £1.3m revisions to the design were required.
Works on the design began prior to the suitable site in Middlesbrough being discovered. As such, effort was put into securing the site at Middlesbrough whilst progressing the generic design for Spadeadam. The design issued by Rush construction under the NIA has now been amended by DNV to allow construction in line with budget availability.
Test plan
The output from this NIA comes in the form of 5 documents produced by HSE into the approach utilised to progress to a full procedures and components review which will ultimately inform the test plan. This has enabled the basis of a deeper dive to be produced and underpin the research now ongoing under the NIC.
Efficiencies in other areas of the NIA have enabled some additional test plan research to be funded from within the NIA budget looking at specific elements of gas industry procedures and contribute to the vital work being undertaken to produce the Master Test Plan for the unoccupied trial.
Lessons Learnt
Further learning from this project is being explored under Phase 2 NIC as hydrogen takes a leading role when considering options for decarbonization.
Lessons learnt include:
It became evident the creation of a test plan undertaking physical activities on hydrogen assets could only be produced following analysis of the procedures to be followed. Any future works required to produce an operational test plan must analyse in detail the associated procedures first to understand the basis of safety and subsequent suitability. Depending on reference points within the procedure this can lead to a sizeable and costly task, much greater than first envisaged.
When looking to tender design work involving transportation of hydrogen consider a hydrogen specialist organisation. The NGN framework contains several design companies that specialise in Natural Gas designs however knowledge gaps in hydrogen compatibility proved to be an issue at times.
As the research done within this NIA supports the development of the physical test plan being compiled now under Phase 2 NIC, understanding is progressing on the requirements for maintaining a hydrogen network and where potential limitations lay.
When looking for locations in the public domain to trial green energy projects, the local authorities’ commitment to net zero should be a key consideration to the approach. Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council were very receptive to the project, having declared their own climate emergency and aim to be the first Net Zero region. Other local authorities were less receptive in prioritising enquiries to identify locations for the trial.
