Jack Loughran Wed 25 Feb 2026
Collected at: https://eandt.theiet.org/2026/02/25/first-coordinated-hydrogen-network-britain-could-pave-way-larger-scale-rollout
Four energy firms are joining forces to build the UK’s first hydrogen network in the Humber, linking hydrogen production with industrial customers and power stations.
The prototype system for producing, transporting, storing and distributing hydrogen as an energy carrier could underpin larger-scale hydrogen deployment in the UK in the future, the firms said.
The Humber Hydrogen network will be built by National Gas, Centrica, Equinor and SSE Thermal. National Gas already has extensive experience in gas pipeline infrastructure, Centrica will contribute knowledge in energy storage, Equinor has large-scale hydrogen production experience, and SSE Thermal adds expertise in power generation and integrating hydrogen into industrial and energy systems.
No country has yet implemented a nationwide hydrogen network, although many are hoping to use the fuel as part of efforts to decarbonise their economies. Hydrogen is especially useful in applications where electrification or batteries are impractical, because it can store and release large amounts of energy in a lightweight, transportable form.
Last year, Centrica and National Gas began injecting hydrogen into the gas grid in order to help power the Brigg Power Station in North Lincolnshire. It marked the first time that a 2% blend of green hydrogen and gas has been supplied to the National Transmission System.
Martin Scargill, managing director of Centrica Energy Storage, said: “By backing the Humber, the government can drive industrial decarbonisation, boost competitiveness and create thousands of skilled jobs across a region that sits at the heart of the UK’s energy system.”
Several large-scale hydrogen projects are proposed in the Humber, including H2H Easington and H2H Saltend hydrogen production plants, and Aldbrough Hydrogen Storage. Up to 3GW of hydrogen could be produced by Easington and Saltend combined. The proposed network would also be well located to connect to a national hydrogen transmission network being developed by National Gas, transporting hydrogen across Britain to industrial clusters.
As the UK’s most carbon-intensive industrial cluster, this infrastructure would also support industrial decarbonisation in the Humber by enabling fuel switching in energy-intensive but hard-to-electrify sectors such as heavy manufacturing, chemicals, steel and power generation.
The government is proposing to blend hydrogen into the domestic gas network too by the end of next year. A gradual ramp-up could eventually see hydrogen accounting for 20% of the fuel that flows through the network.
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