Utility Week

UTILITY WEEK | AUGUST 2022 | 29 Gas "If we were going to set up an independ- ent energy forum now it is more likely to be full of electricity people rather than gas. We've got to work out how we are going to grow the understanding of this transition." This lack of skills of the hydrogen side is also an issue within local authorities, which could potentially lead them to make deci- sions today that could close off the opportu- nity for low-cost heating in their areas in the future, says Needle. "How do you set up local authorities with enough individual expertise around a range of technologies so they are not biased and so they have the ability to create and shape their plans?" While councils are keen to take an active roll in energy planning, with many setting ambitious net-zero targets, Needle says they will need funding and a blueprint from gov- ernment setting out their responsibilities if they are is to understand the energy system to the level necessary. The exodus of council-backed energy sup- pliers, such as Robin Hood Energy, from the retail market as conditions became more dif- ficult highlights the need for local authorities to be given more guidance on energy if they take on a greater role. "What we want local authorities to do is bear in mind that hydrogen might be a thing in the future and to just be careful about what they are doing now so they don't end up with consumers who have missed out on the opportunity for low-cost heating," says Needle. As well as focusing on building the neces- sary safety case and running blending trials, as the largest gas network in the UK, Cadent has also decided to work with local authori- ties to help them understand the necessary pathways they will need to take to meet their net zero targets. The Northwest hub So far Cadent has worked with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Liverpool City Council due to their proximity to the Hynet project, which will see hydrogen produced to supply the net-zero Northwest cluster. "The North West is going to have hydro- gen first, so we wanted to make sure Man- chester had the opportunity to use that fuel if it wanted to," says Needle. Working with an independent consul- tancy and Electricity North West, the Decar- bonisation Pathway for Greater Manchester project looked at all of the energy use in the local area, taking into account the differ- ent local buildings, industry, transport, the potential to make power locally, and heat. Different building types were analysed for their potential to be electrified, or to run on a hybrid system, or to be powered by hydrogen. While some assumptions have to be made, says Needle, the aim was to be able to look at the whole picture objectively and judge whether there will be enough hydro- gen to step in when its cold, and enough electricity. "What are the things that we are certain of now? Hydrogen isn't certain, but while it is still uncertain, we don't want it cut off as a future option," she says. "What can you do now quickly that starts you on the right journey?" The project came up with a pathway split into five-year chunks containing priority actions for each of GMCA, Cadent and the government. This includes actions such as developing energy-from-waste and biomass plants to help secure a low-carbon energy supply locally. As well as assisting local authorities in understanding the options for the future, the exercise is also helping gauge just how much hydrogen the country is likely to need, as current estimates range between 200- 400TWh – a huge span, says Needle. Such projects are also helping Cadent judge which parts of its network it is likely to need in the future and allow it to start con- sidering what to do with parts that will be surplus to requirements. The decision to decommission or reuse parts of the network will have a massive impact on the value of the network, says Needle, but ultimately the configuration of the network in the future has got to serve customers and if it isn't needed it won't exist. One of the big issues complicating that consumers can choose their own heating source, which could leave just one or two houses on a street requiring hydrogen if they are unable or unwilling to electrify. Such a situation is unlikely to result in affordable bills for consumers because of dis- tribution costs. "We can't put all our eggs in one basket because we just don't know about consumer take-up, but at least we are work- ing on having a plan if and when we need one," she says. Lucinda Dann, features editor

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