Terra Firma Energy Welcome UK Government Consultation on Hydrogen Blending into Great Britains Gas Transmission Network

Business Wire

5 hours ago

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At Terra Firma Energy, we welcome the UK Government's consultation into the blending of Hydrogen into Britain's Gas Transmission Network as a timely and positive step forward for both the UK's decarbonisation goals and the future of flexible power generation. All our projects are engineered to be hydrogen-ready from the outset, ensuring long-term operational flexibility and resilience in a rapidly evolving energy landscape. By anticipating changes in fuel supply and regulatory frameworks, we have future-proofed our generation assets to adapt quickly to low-carbon solutions like hydrogen blending. The ability to support hydrogen integration, even at early-stage blend levels, reinforces our commitment to sustainable innovation and positions our portfolio to contribute meaningfully to a net zero grid.
Terra Firma Energy welcome UK Government Consultation on Hydrogen Blending into Great Britains Gas Transmission Network.
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The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has launched a new consultation exploring the potential for blending low-carbon hydrogen into Great Britain's gas transmission network.
Following previous consultations on hydrogen blending into local distribution networks, the government is now seeking views on whether introducing hydrogen at the transmission level - the high-pressure National Transmission System (NTS) - could offer strategic and economic value.
A Step Toward Net Zero
Hydrogen is seen as a key player in the UK's push to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Blending low-carbon hydrogen with natural gas could offer a transitional path, supporting early-stage hydrogen production while reducing the carbon intensity of the existing gas network.
DESNZ is currently evaluating whether to enable blending of up to 2% hydrogen by volume into the NTS. This small percentage could act as an 'off-taker of last resort' for hydrogen producers, providing a backup market when dedicated customers are not available.
Balancing Innovation with Risk
The consultation outlines both the potential benefits and challenges. While hydrogen blending could support the growth of the hydrogen economy and help manage electricity system constraints, it also raises concerns for industrial users connected to the transmission system. Many of these users rely on stable, high-quality gas supplies, and even a 2% hydrogen blend could affect equipment performance, increase costs, or require infrastructure upgrades. Terra Firma Energy have been proactive in ensuring all our projects have been built utilising hydrogen ready generation sets that can accommodate a 20% blend of hydrogen into the network.
Studies cited in the consultation show that most transmission-connected users could technically handle a 2% blend with minimal changes, though feasibility studies and equipment modifications may still be necessary. At higher blends (5% or 20%), the risks and costs escalate significantly.
Cross-Border Considerations
The UK's ability to blend hydrogen is also influenced by developments in the EU. Under the EU Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Market Package, Member States can blend up to 2% hydrogen by volume, but are not required to do so. This creates potential interoperability issues with the UK's gas inter-connectors to Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands - especially if hydrogen blends exceed that threshold.