Frazer-Nash explores logistics of hydrogen appliance transition

Frazer-Nash explores logistics of hydrogen appliance transition

Frazer-Nash recently undertook an investigation for the UK's Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) into the logistical requirements associated with transitioning domestic properties from natural gas to hydrogen.

The company has produced a report, Logistics of Domestic Hydrogen Conversion, on the challenges relating to this transition, which has been published on the BEIS website.

Consultant Ailidh McGilp, who authored the report, said:

“Hydrogen is considered to be a potential long-term solution for decarbonising heat. Our investigation, which follows on from our previous report for BEIS on the challenges of domestic hydrogen, sought to improve the evidence base on hydrogen, and provide answers to some of the questions about its potential for use in domestic properties.

“BEIS’ questions were on:

• the practical tasks required to transition homes from natural gas to hydrogen
• how these tasks could be delivered and
• the associated risks, barriers and opportunities.”

Consultant Stephen Livermore, who led on the production of the report, continued:

“Working with partners at Almaas Technologies and Nationwide Training Services (Scotland), and with a wide range of industry stakeholders, we developed an approach for a nationwide property-to-property conversion. This would involve initial surveys on the domestic pipework and appliances to allow for pre-conversion preparations before the actual conversion itself.

“The study also considered the skills and training required to deliver the conversion regionally to align with transition of the transmission and distribution network. Appliance performance and safety, customer perception and the impact and extent of access and potential modifications to domestic properties were identified as being the key risks and barriers to transitioning to hydrogen, as well as a range of diverse alternatives becoming available for home heating”.

You can find the BEIS 'Appraisal of domestic hydrogen appliances' report here.