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NETWORK / 9 / MARCH 2020 UK towards all-electric heat- ing for new homes, but this is only one piece of the puzzle. Reducing carbon emissions is a multi-layered challenge that requires changes in how energy is generated, how efficiently it is transported and stored, and the types of commodities we consume. The new standard address - es the latter. It is primarily intended to move us away from consuming fossil fuels by incentivising and stimulating the development of a number of alternatives – of which electri- fication is one. This includes hydrogen-based technologies, which will be essential to creating the energy resource diversity we will need. Producing hydrogen during periods of excess power supply can serve as a strategy to make better use of intermittent energy resources such as wind power that cannot be turned off or on. In other words, producing hydrogen through electrolysis can be part of a whole-system approach to utilising electricity and non-fossil-based gas for space heating, transport and a host of other use cases that will help ensure increased decar - bonisation. Assessing the barriers National Grid Future Ener- gy Scenarios (FES) says that hydrogen could heat one third of homes by 2050. But there are significant barriers that still need to be addressed. Although organisations such as National Grid and Cadent are proposing to build it, there is current - ly no adequate large-scale transmission and distribution infrastructure that could safely deliver hydrogen to homes and businesses. Furthermore, a massive re-engineering of all systems will be required in or - der to accommodate hydrogen's physical properties. Full-scale conversion to a hydrogen econ- omy by 2025 would also be cost prohibitive. But let's take a breath. We know that it is simply not the case that the new standard will create a scenario where all fossil-based energy sources suddenly disappear in 2025. The Future Homes Standard establishes a system of options and measures that will progres - sively move the UK away from fossil fuels over a reasonable period of time. Hydrogen is only one pathway forward among several. Indeed, the roll-out of any new technology must start at a local scale. Regional innova - tion projects such as the E-Port Smart Energy Master Plan in Ellesmere Port, for which my company, Burns & McDonnell, is technical lead, are great op - portunities to pioneer hydrogen at a local scale, before scaling up nationally. One of the critical things we learned from the project was how important hy - drogen is in building a credible business case for this kind of innovation. Localised energy conversions such as E-Port will give us the opportunity to convert our energy markets to flexibly ac- commodate varied fuels across multiple vectors. Preventing fuel poverty While the new standard will enable significant progress towards all-electric heating for new homes, some critics fear it could set up consumers for price shocks beyond anything experienced to date, due to the comparatively high cost of con - ventional electric home heating systems. Whilst the level of fuel poverty that exists in the UK is being addressed by Ofgem, the steps put forward to date are unlikely to address problems that would be exacerbated if we experienced a sudden upsurge in electricity demand. The cost of electricity is coming down, but as we convert away from fossil fuels and begin plug - ging in to charge our electric vehicles, for example, we will need to better utilise the system, or will pay a premium to use power when we want it. As the number of these vehicles increase, we will need to invest in the types of upgrades to our transmission and distribution systems and technology that firms like mine specialise in. However, with pressure to come up with all-new, afford - able solutions like heat pumps and hydrogen-based tech- nologies, we are likely to see progress in a number of areas that mitigate the price increases some people fear. This includes hybrid heat pumps, and energy efficiency through smart tech- nologies, improved insulation and passive heating systems. Zero carbon is feasible Fundamentally, we need low carbon solutions that include a mix of innovations in genera- tion, storage and transporta- tion and consumption, as well as improved efficiency in the system and in the buildings in which energy is consumed. The Future Homes Standard is therefore not the silver bullet to achieving the UK's zero car - bon goals, but is a critical part of the strategy nonetheless. It establishes a system of options and measures that will progres - sively move us away from fossil fuels over a reasonable period of time. Hydrogen is one of the most promising technologies that will help achieve our goal as part of a whole system approach to en- ergy. Our own analysis at Elles- mere Port has shown that. But it will take a measured approach and a lot of smart engineering to move it forward. DECARBONISATION OF HEAT