House of Commons · Westminster Hall
24 May 2022 · 3 other contributors · 4,882 words
Opened by Justin Madders Lab Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Responding minister: George Freeman
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Justin Madders raised concerns about potential for a hydrogen village in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The MP asks the government to consider boiler manufacturers' commitment to selling hydrogen-ready boilers at current natural gas boiler prices without additional cost. He also inquires if more support is needed for hydrogen villages and suggests advancing two schemes rather than one to double learning opportunities.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The Member is concerned about the transition to a hydrogen-based economy in his constituency, highlighting the need for industrial clusters like HyNet. He points out that Whitby in Ellesmere Port has been identified as an ideal location for a hydrogen village programme, with potential carbon capture of up to 800,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The Member expresses worries about ensuring public consent and addressing residents' questions regarding costs, safety, and disruption.
Mr Jacob Young agrees with the importance of hydrogen as an alternative to other decarbonisation methods and highlights the potential for a hydrogen village project in Redcar. He argues that hydrogen represents an opportunity to decarbonise home heating while minimising disruption and cost to consumers compared to heat pumps.
Asked if the proposed hydrogen trial village in Whitby reflects the needs of an average community and highlighted that such trials are essential for clean energy initiatives to be shared across all regions of the UK.
The Member agrees with the need for a successful HyNet project, emphasising its importance in carbon capture and storage. She highlights the role of local geology in supporting such initiatives.
Government Response
George FreemanIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Bardell. I thank the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Justin Madders) and congratulate him on securing this debate. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Redcar (Jacob Young) for making some powerful points. We are on the cusp of an exciting opportunity for the hydrogen economy, and the pilot is about making sure that we get the infrastructure right to roll it out across the country. The Government's key commitment is to double our ambition of low-carbon hydrogen production to 10 GW by 2030 as part of the green industrial revolution plan. This includes supporting industry to deliver a neighbourhood trial in Fife, supplying hydrogen to around 300 homes, and a village-scale trial converting 1,000 to 2,000 properties in Whitby or Redcar. Ofgem has published its decision to take forward two proposals for the next stage of development. We are working closely with Cadent and Northern Gas Networks on detailed plans for these trials while ensuring strong community engagement. Nobody would be forced to use hydrogen or pay extra. The Health and Safety Executive will need to confirm safety before any trial can proceed, and we are committed to additional consumer protections including transparency of information, fair treatment, and quality of service. We see blue and green hydrogen as complementary approaches rather than an either/or choice. Our decision on blending up to 20% hydrogen by volume into GB gas networks is scheduled for 2023, with blending expected to commence commercially from 2025 onwards. The consultation on hydrogen-ready boilers will be published soon, aiming to maintain current levels of gas boiler prices in the case of widespread roll-out and ensure a transition from boilers to heat pumps as part of upskilling our workforce.