Ofgem will Fund £7m to ITM Power for 0.5MW Electrolyser Sale
The energy storage and clean fuel company ITM Power announced today that, as part of the HyDeploy consortium, it will be supplying a 0.5MW electrolyser to a programme to demonstrate the use of blended hydrogen in the UK gas grid.
It is a key enabling project of £6.8 million which is funded by Ofgem and led by National Grid. This project will establish a framework for hydrogen gas-grid injection in the UK and open up a new UK Power-to-Gas market.
National Grid stated that, “The three year project will begin in 2017 and the results will be used to inform a further public trial of the use of hydrogen-blended natural gas in the UK grid, with the intention of then rolling out the use of hydrogen blends nationwide.”
The CEO of ITM PowerDr Graham Cooley, commented: “This award by Ofgem to fund a demonstration of the use of hydrogen in the gas grid is the first step towards the creation of a UK Power-to-Gas market, which will play an important part in the decarbonisation of the U.K. gas grid. We are delighted to be a contributor to setting out the structure and benefits to the public of this new market.”
The National Grid made the following announcement today :
£7 million for ground-breaking green heating scheme at Keele University
- Pioneering’green gas’ scheme secures £7 million of Ofgem innovation funding
- Hydrogen heating pilot project at Keele University aims to cut carbon emissions
- Scheme could pave the way for a future low carbon gas grid
£6.8 millionhas been awarded by Ofgem’s Network Innovation Competition to National Grid Gas Distribution, along with Northern Gas Networks and the HyDeploy Consortium. The funding will be used for a pioneering green heating initiative, using Keele University’s gas network in Staffordshire.
The HyDeploy project aims to inject maximum of 20% of thehydrogen into the existing natural gas network. If the project is successful then it could prevent 120 million tonnes of carbon reaching the atmosphere it will cut Britain’s carbon dioxide emissions by 80% of 1990 levels by 2050.
Keelethe Britain’s biggest university campuswas viewed as the perfect test site for the project. It owns and operates its own gas network, which is independent of the national gas network.
The project has been developed by National Grid Gas Distribution, Northern Gas Networks and the HyDeploy consortium. The consortium includes Keele University, The Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL), hydrogen production company ITM Power and clean energy firm Progressive Energy. It is supported by gas experts KIWA Gastec and engineering company Otto Simon.