Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 29
29
Accepted
Hydrogen town pilot progress halted until after 2026 strategic heating decisions.
Recommendation
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
Government Response Summary
Government confirms the recommendation is implemented, stating the decision not to progress a hydrogen town pilot until after 2026 strategic decisions, and outlining its ongoing research and development programme for hydrogen heating.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 6.2 The government has a research and development programme to consider the costs, benefits, feasibility and safety of hydrogen heating. This includes: • Safety evidence, advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), drawing on evidence from research and testing projects being undertaken by the gas networks. • Specific departmental and gas network-led evidence projects to assess the technical conversion requirements for domestic and non-domestic gas installations and network infrastructure, • Evidence from trials, such as evidence provided through the planning for potential village trials in Redcar and Whitby, and live trials in Germany and the Netherlands. • Detailed energy systems modelling to assess the costs of different heat decarbonisation pathways.