Enabling the safe introduction of hydrogen as a low-carbon energy vector
Stage in GSE Lifecyle
Primary stage : Implement cross-government (x-HMG)
Related stage(s) : Evaluate | Maintain | Horizon Scan | Define/Design | Create
Moving to low-carbon energy sources is essential to achieve the 2050 and will also increase the UK’s energy security and resilience. As the independent regulator and leader in the health and safety system, HSE is helping to enable this to happen safely, building public assurance and acceptance of new and novel energy technologies. Hydrogen is a ‘vector’ that can be used to store energy produced in low-carbon ways. Information needs to be gathered across power, heat and transport applications to understand how hydrogen could be safely utilised in a carbon neutral future. The scientific evidence generated by HSE’s unique, interdisciplinary capability at our Science and Research Centre in Buxton supports this ambition.
HSE’s scientists and colleagues in HSE’s Energy Division, with external expertise from industry and academia, work to enable innovation and technical developments for hydrogen applications across the system in national and international projects.
HSE papers at the 2019 International Conference for Hydrogen Safety covered topics such as: technical and regulatory challenges of introducing hydrogen into the gas network; materials aspects associated with the addition of up to 20% hydrogen into an existing natural gas distribution network; operation of UK gas appliances with hydrogen blended natural gas; gas detection of hydrogen/natural gas blends in the gas industry; and flow of hydrogen from buried leaks.
An image of wind turbines, a source of renewable energy that hydrogen could act as a storage ‘vector’ for.
Team
Energy Division
Department(s)
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)