Report urges government to rule out hydrogen heating in rural areas
A new report from Citizens Advice is urging government to rule out the use of hydrogen as a home heating method in rural areas and instead focus on the electrification of heat.
The research, undertaken by LCP Delta, found that upgrading both the electricity and gas networks in the same area to support hydrogen boilers would more than double costs on average compared to transitioning to electric heat pumps.
Heat pumps were found to have the lowest network costs in all rural locations, by 53% to 84% lower than hydrogen. They were also the cheapest option in industrial areas, costing 27% to 57% less than hydrogen heating. When the costs of storing hydrogen are factored in, heat pumps become even more cost effective.
The report recommends ‘heat zoning’, where the best heating solutions are identified for different areas of the country, to minimise the costs of transitioning to net zero emissions. As a first step, it advises ruling out hydrogen in rural areas where heat pumps are clearly the cheapest option.
Early decisions on heat decarbonisation pathways are needed to provide clarity for consumers, enable tailored government policies, and send clear signals to the energy industry. Delaying decisions and keeping all options open across Great Britain could saddle consumers with significant added costs.
The report argues the government must act now to identify the lowest cost and lowest risk heat decarbonisation options for as many areas as possible to help minimise costs to consumers and ensure the UK meets its targets for reducing building emissions.
