Centrica and National Gas yesterday (October 13) completed the UK’s first hydrogen injection into the National Transmission System (NTS). The blended gas is combusted in turbines at the power plant to generate electricity for the national grid.

However, the Hydrogen Science Coalition (HSC) highlighted that a 2% blend cuts emissions by less than 0.7%, due to hydrogen’s lower energy density by volume compared to methane.

Even at the upper limit of around 20% hydrogen in existing pipelines, the group said total carbon savings would amount to around 7%, which HSC stressed is “a negligible contribution to decarbonisation.”

Still, some industry voices see value even at 2%. Lhyfe’s Boris Davis said during a H2 View webinar that the blend offers a low-impact bridge — more of an “offtaker of last resort” than a decarbonisation tool — providing certainty for early projects.

The HSC also argued that hydrogen blending would “raise energy bills,” not lower them, as green hydrogen prices will remain “stubbornly high for decades.”

“Blending hydrogen into the gas grid will increase costs for consumers, as clean hydrogen is expensive to produce and delivers less energy per unit volume,” HSC said.

“Blending 20% hydrogen into the gas grid would increase costs by up to 43%, according to a 2022 study by the Fraunhofer Institute.”

The HSC also warned blending “risks distorting the early clean hydrogen market by encouraging inefficient, high-subsidy projects and crowding out other essential end uses of hydrogen,” such as ammonia for fertiliser, chemical processing, and steel production.

HSC explained, “Though technically possible, blending hydrogen into the gas grid is incompatible with an evidence-based hydrogen strategy.”

The comments reflect earlier findings that the independent group had on hydrogen heating trials across the UK. It recently called SGN’s H100 Fife project in Scotland a “costly misuse of public funds.”

Nevertheless, the comments come amid the UK government’s ongoing consultation on allowing 2% hydrogen into the NTS, designed to evaluate whether and how hydrogen blending should proceed.

Following the injection at Brigg Power Station, Centrica and National Gas have urged the government to provide a strategic policy decision for a hydrogen blend of up to 5%.

Higher hydrogen blends are technically feasible, according to analysts and stakeholders.

Penspen’s CEO, Peter O’Sullivan, recently confirmed to H2 View that the majority of Europe’s distribution networks can safely handle up to 20% hydrogen blends.