Mixing it up: Hydrogen enters the National Transmission System

Centrica and National Gas have achieved a UK first by successfully blending hydrogen into the National Transmission System (NTS) to generate electricity at Centrica’s Brigg Power Station.

During the trial on 9 October, a 2% blend of green hydrogen was injected into the gas grid and then used to produce electricity for the national power network. The successful test demonstrates the technical and operational feasibility of hydrogen blending in existing infrastructure, marking an important step towards decarbonising the UK’s energy system.

The Brigg trial shows how hydrogen can play a key role in supporting the UK’s Clean Power by 2030 mission, particularly in providing low-carbon backup power when renewable generation is low. Centrica and National Gas believe blending could also stimulate investment in hydrogen production, create skilled jobs, and strengthen the UK’s energy security.

Both organisations are urging government to make a strategic policy decision that enables up to 5% hydrogen blending in the NTS, a move they say would maximise the benefits of hydrogen while requiring minimal system modification.

Jon Butterworth, Chief Executive Officer of National Gas, said:

This trial is another crucial milestone on Britain’s hydrogen journey, showing how blending can fuel our power stations and unlock new investment opportunities for producers. By using our existing National Gas infrastructure, we can power the next era of clean British energy and industry.

The trial builds on previous work under National Gas’s FutureGrid project in Cumbria, which successfully tested hydrogen blends of up to 100% in a controlled environment. Together, these efforts demonstrate how the UK’s existing gas network can evolve to support hydrogen as part of a secure, low-carbon energy future.

Read more: Brigg Breakthrough: Hydrogen Blending Powers Up UK’s Net Zero Ambitions