We’ve been considering the role of the gas networks in the energy transition and the associated potential use cases. Hydrogen has been identified as one of the solutions to help achieve net zero by 2050 and in the transitional period, is likely to be blended with natural gas to provide energy for industry, heat, and transport.

Through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) process, we have been looking at the concept of gas separation or ‘deblending’ of the gases within the high-pressure National Transmission System (NTS) to enable delivery for transport applications.

Without this technology, refuelling of transportation assets will be limited to the use of locally produced hydrogen or tanker deliveries, until the gas networks can transport near pure hydrogen. This will limit the availability of large-scale hydrogen infrastructure and affect the speed of transition for the transport industry, particularly large vectors such as HGVs, trains, buses and marine.

We undertook an initial Discovery phase study that explored the different deblending technology options, specifically those that could enable the connection of transport refuelling facilities onto the gas network, with the aim to provide more resilient hydrogen fuelling infrastructure.

We found that hydrogen blending and deblending is a cost-effective method for hydrogen distribution in the transport sector, and we developed an initial concept for the technology.

This was followed by an Alpha phase project to select the optimum technology for separating gases from the NTS and develop detailed designs for a deblending and refuelling system tailored to our network and the needs of hydrogen transport users. The project also looked at the potential of demonstrating the solution at the FutureGrid hydrogen test facility.

This has given us a greater understanding of the technology and equipment needed to facilitate this demonstration, and better defined the outcomes we hope to achieve.

We’ve been awarded funding for a larger Beta phase project to deliver the demonstration of gas separation technology. This will involve showcasing the full process, starting with taking blended transmission gas through separation, purification, and compression processes, and culminating in refuelling hydrogen vehicles of a variety of sizes. We need to show that the technology can operate with fluctuations in gas temperature, flow, pressure, and composition and variations in these parameters will form our test plan.

Our vision is that in the future, businesses could apply to connect to the NTS with the sole purpose of extracting hydrogen for a refuelling station connected to a large-scale road, rail, bus depot, or for use in the marine and aviation sectors.