Recommendation 29

We observed that, at the time of our evidence session, an announcement on a successful bidder for a hydrogen town, planned for the end of this decade, was delayed by 13 months. We asked DESNZ when an announcement could now be expected. DESNZ told us that it was considering its next steps on the hydrogen town trial and would set 48 Qq 67–68, 70, 80–82; C&AG’s Report, para 2.22; Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, UK heat networks: market overview, September 2023 49 DHH0003, Written evidence submitted by The Chartered Institute of Housing, 29 April 2024 50 Qq 67, 71–72, 80; C&AG’s Report, para 2.22 51 HM Government, Heat and buildings strategy, October 2021, white paper, CP 388, pages 23–24. 52 Qq 85, 86, 88; C&AG’s Report, para 2.3 18 Decarbonising home heating out its plans shortly, but could not give a more precise date than before the summer.53 Following our evidence session, on 9 May 2024 DESNZ announced that it had decided not to progress work on a hydrogen town pilot until after the 2026 strategic decisions on the role of hydrogen in decarbonising heat.54