HyDeploy completes. 20% hydrogen blending technically demonstrated.

The HyDeploy programme, run by Cadent, Northern Gas Networks, Wales & West Utilities and partners, has completed its trial phases at Keele University (~100 homes, 2019-2021) and Winlaton, Gateshead (668 homes, a primary school, several small businesses and a church). 20% hydrogen by volume blended into the existing gas network supplied normal heating and cooking via unmodified customer appliances and existing pipework, with technical and safety viability demonstrated under operational conditions. Reviews of national rollout decisions are ongoing through 2025-2026.

For National Gas Transmission and the four GDNs, HyDeploy is the technical foundation for one of three hydrogen pathways: blending up to 20%, 100% hydrogen conversion in selected regions, or hybrid regional approach.

Blending offers the lowest-friction route — existing pipework + customer appliances tolerate the blend, no boiler replacement is required, calorific value sits within tolerance bands. At full 20% blend the CO2 emissions reduction is approximately 7%. Strategic value: an initial UK hydrogen demand pull while the HAR + CCUS cluster supply scales (Gap 13, Gap 33).

For 100% conversion, the H100 Fife pilot, SGN at Levenmouth, has completed construction with a 5 MW Nel electrolyser, 7 MW offshore wind turbine adjacency and an 8.4 km low-pressure hydrogen network supplying demonstration homes, with the trial go-live in 2025. Hydrogen Village proposals at Whitby (Cadent) and Redcar (NGN) remain subject to community engagement and government decision-making, with the wider hydrogen town pilot delayed to after 2026.

The hydrogen for heat strategic decision, sitting with DESNZ, the Cabinet Office and the Climate Change Committee, is the single largest variable for UK gas network repurposing direction. Decision drives RIIO-GT3 + GD3 (Gap 43) investment direction, stranded asset risk allocation, HAR + CCUS cluster delivery prioritisation, heat networks (Gap 14), and gas grid exit pace (Gap 46 · the Gas flagship).

GridteamAI's Gap 44 report decodes UK gas network repurposing for hydrogen — the three pathways, the pilot programme outcomes, the cluster integration, the policy decision framework, the safety + regulatory standards under HSE + IGEM, and the manufacturer supply chain (Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi, Ideal hydrogen-ready programmes).