Thousands of homes in Leeds could be powered by hydrogen under trial scheme

Properties around Colton may be used as the guinea pigs for a nationwide experiment looking at alternative sources of domestic energy, local councillors were told on Thursday (Dec 8). The area is one of three locations that could be used for the project, which is likely to run between 2025 and 2027, the council’s infrastructure and investment scrutiny board heard. Parts of Teesside and Humberside are also under consideration.

Northern Gas Networks (NGN), who would be responsible for the scheme, says it’s submitting a bid for funding in January, with the feasibility of each of three places set to be studied in more detail over the next year.

The energy industry is trying to move towards cleaner sources of energy, with the government having promised the UK will be carbon neutral by 2050. The scrutiny board was told that although hydrogen is unlikely to be used in every UK home, it is likely to be “part of the mix”.

Asked where exactly in Leeds the pilot could be rolled out, Mark Danter from NGN said: “We’re just looking at that at the moment. It’s probably going to be around the Colton area. Just on the outskirts near the A1 is one of the big infrastructure sites. That’s only the potential mind, we’re still working on it.”

Between 10,000 and 20,000 homes and businesses are likely to be converted so they can be fuelled by hydrogen, although that number could stretch across more than one location, depending on the outcome of the bid. Domestic appliances in their current form cannot be used by hydrogen and so homes and businesses are likely to get subsidies to help fork out for new appliances that are compatible.

Mr Danter said that a decision on whether or not to roll hydrogen out further across the country was likely to be made in the mid 2020s. He said that an “exit plan” would be built into the pilot scheme, so that the hydrogen-fuelled homes could be converted back to another energy source if necessary.