The UK government/Ofgem have commissioned several projects to assess the safe use of hydrogen gas in domestic buildings. It has been noted that a policy decision on conversion to a hydrogen gas network will only be made once the case for safety is established. The current benchmark position is that any future hydrogen system must be as safe as the current natural gas system. The project objective is to develop an automated solution to monitor domestic/home pressures, monitor flow rates, isolate supplies in case of an emergency and communicate directly with the customer/gas network. The scope of the project will include Natural Gas, Hydrogen and Hydrogen Blends. By the end of the project, comprehensive inhouse and field testing will be completed, with a detailed report and third-party certification for ATEX hazardous area approval. Further to this,10 fully certified units will be available for further field trials in different facilities within the UK.
Benefits
Expected benefits from this project include:
• Financial: Development of the complete solution making it financially feasible and appealing to install such a safety device, with potential for future iterations to include even more functionality and benefit to the customers.
• Health and safety: Development of the complete solution, with ATEX approval. ATEX will ensure that it is a safe design for installation in the hazardous area and the very nature of the project is to provide significant H&S benefits to gas consumers.
• Environmental: Development of the complete solution will ensure that the case for hydrogen deployment to domestic properties can be proved to be safe, reliable and cost effective, therefore delivering on GDNs’ targets towards net zero. It can also be used for natural gas to ensure gas supplies are shut-off in case of a leak, eliminating/minimising associated emissions.
• Customers: Development of the complete solution to offer a quick and simple install to customers, with minimal disruption but significantly enhanced safety. Further integration of CV measurement would also allow consumers to be billed for exactly what they use.
• Community: Successful completion of the project and potential for mass production could create significant job opportunities and potential business for local suppliers.
• Carbon reduction: Development of the complete solution will ensure that gas supplies are shut-off in case of a leak or excess flow, eliminating/minimizing associated emissions.
Learnings
Outcomes
The project has successfully delivered all planned functionality aligned with the defined product milestones. Each function has been developed, tested, and demonstrated individually, culminating in the completion of all product development activities.
Key outcomes include:
- Delivery and validation of all six functional milestones
- Development of a finalised prototype design and system architecture
- Establishment of a complete wireless communication and asset management ecosystem
- Definition of a clear demonstration and validation strategy
A comprehensive plan is now in place for TRL 7 site demonstrations at:
- NGN NeRV
- GNI Brownsbarn
- NGM Tyseley Energy Park
This includes detailed test plans and installation procedures tailored to each site and operating environment.
Lessons Learnt
The project successfully adopted an agile project management approach within a milestone-driven framework, using structured two-week sprint cycles for planning, development, demonstration, and review. This methodology has proven highly effective and has continued to deliver value throughout the project lifecycle.
The iterative development process has provided significant insight into the application of novel technologies within this specific use case. In particular, the design challenges encountered, and the subsequent redesign activities, have generated valuable technical knowledge that will benefit both future development and wider deployment. This opened a regular window for stakeholders to contribute to the engineering solutions and to discuss the impact of any potential changes.
The cybersecurity workshop was especially beneficial in clearly defining the distinctions between TRL 7 and TRL 9 requirements. This has provided a strong foundation for future innovation projects by establishing a clearer pathway from prototype demonstration through to full commercial readiness.
