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Why Hydrogen Boilers?

For the heating and hot water industry, removing carbon entirely is a complex matter, largely because of the existing infrastructure, where most UK homes use natural gas for heating.

Yet, with a third of UK greenhouse gases coming from our homes, it is quite clear that the UK will not meet its climate change targets without a change in home heating technology and fuel.

Replacing natural gas boilers with hydrogen gas may be the simplest solution to the nation’s heating problems. The only by-product of burning hydrogen gas is water, meaning that it is a carbon free fuel source and could be a key method to help decarbonise heating and hot water in UK homes.

What does ‘Hydrogen blend ready’ mean?

Nearly all gas appliances that are in use today, including our boilers, can run on a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas.

This is called a ‘blend’ and sees 20% of the fuel source powering the appliance being hydrogen gas, with the remaining 80% being natural gas.

This means, that when the government begins to increase the amount of ‘green gases’ into the UK gas grid, your customers can be confident their new gas boiler will run for its lifetime without any wholesale changes to switch to an electric boiler for example.

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The experts view

"The development of hydrogen-fired boilers will mean millions of existing heating systems in our homes can be saved, rather than the entire system needing to be replaced.

“The beauty of hydrogen as an alternative to natural gas is that as well as water as a by-product, we have already solved issues such as visible flame burn using a UV cell. The gas network is also in place, so homeowners won’t experience any major infrastructure disruption.”

“With fully developed prototypes, various trials planned and many heating engineers and manufacturers in agreement that this could be a viable solution to decarbonise heating and hot water, we are hopeful that the future will be hydrogen.”

Martyn Bridges - Director of Technical Communication and Product Management

Hydrogen FAQs

Is hydrogen a safe fuel?

There are numerous trials taking place across the UK into hydrogen gas and its uses in the home, many of which we at Worcester Bosch are involved in.

These include ‘HyStreet’, a test site in Northumberland where over 200 tests have been completed to research the safety of converting homes and gas networks to hydrogen.

There is also a two-home Hy4Heat trial in Gateshead where two homes have been built specifically to showcase the gas in operation. Such as boilers, cookers, and fires all running on hydrogen.

These trials will prove that hydrogen is a safe alternative to natural gas, from then hydrogen-ready boilers will become more of a reality.

What research is being undertaken into hydrogen gas?

Additional research is being undertaken at Keele University, where around 150 boilers were running on up to a 20% hydrogen blend for around 18 months. There have been no issues with either heating systems or cooking appliances.

There is also a 300-home trial in Fife, which will see a switch from natural gas to hydrogen by 2022.

Finally, there is HyNet in the Northwest of England, which although not specific to boilers, does include heating homes as one of its key focuses. This is alongside hydrogen production, transportation, and manufacturing.

All trials are working towards one goal: gathering and building evidence, as well as confirming what we know already, to help increase confidence in hydrogen as a technology

What are the benefits of fitting a hydrogen boiler?

Many existing homes, despite energy efﬁciency improvements, still have relatively poor insulation and high rates of air exchange with the outdoors.

A hydrogen-ready boiler can accommodate an existing high temperature heating system in a hard-to-heat building. Where costs are highly constrained, the boiler (and conversion of the local gas network) provides an accessible way to deeply decarbonise heat.

From a customer point of view, a hydrogen-ready boiler does not require any behaviour change and will provide the same delivery of comfort as an existing appliance.

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What Our Customer's Think

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