A new energy project is set to launch in the Tees Valley following the approval of for Northern Gas Networks (NGN). The scheme aims to use a site in South Bank, Redcar, to test hydrogen as a potential alternative to the natural gas currently used for household heating and cooking.
The site, located between Ann Street and Harcourt Road, was selected because it retains intact gas service pipes from a residential development that was demolished a decade ago. While the pipes are disconnected from the main grid, they offer an ideal environment to test how hydrogen performs within existing .
Preparation of the site is scheduled to begin at the end of June and will last for three months. Demonstrations of the hydrogen technology are planned for late summer, with the project expected to conclude by the end of the year, at which point NGN will restore the land to its original state.
The project forms part of the wider H21 programme, a collaborative effort across the UK gas industry to assess the feasibility of transitioning the gas network to hydrogen. As hydrogen produces no carbon when burned, the trial is viewed as a practical step toward meeting national carbon emission targets by 2050.
Local leaders have welcomed the announcement, noting its alignment with regional ambitions to become a centre for low-carbon industry. The project sits alongside other regional hydrogen initiatives, including into transport technologies and planned production facilities for blue hydrogen.
Archive : This story is based on reporting originally published by Tees Valley Combined Authority on 2021-06-28. The original source image has been and credited.