Penspen has been awarded a critical research project designed to look into how hydrogen can support the transition of the UK’s industrial clusters.
Hydrogen Transition Pathways for Industrial Clusters is a research and decision-support project for the Future Energy Networks (FEN), Energy Innovation Centre, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), and Xoserve. FEN’s current members include National Gas and the four Gas Distribution Networks: Cadent, NGN, SGN and WWU.
Experts from Penspen’s asset integrity and engineering teams in the UK will carry out a comprehensive study to help determine where, how and under what conditions hydrogen should support the transition of industrial clusters and surrounding communities, alongside credible alternative pathways. The assessment will align with major UK industrial clusters including Teesside, Humber, Merseyside, South Wales, North Wales, Grangemouth and Southampton.
“As industries seek to decarbonise at pace, hydrogen offers a compelling pathway. This study represents a significant opportunity to unlock hydrogen’s potential as a cornerstone of low-carbon industrial clusters,” said Chris Wood, Director – Asset Integrity (Europe) at Penspen.
“Working closely with the EIC, NGN, Xoserve and FEN, we are excited to contribute to a study that focuses on practical pathways for industrial integration. The outcomes of this project will support more consistent and strategic planning, clearer prioritisation of pathways and clusters, reduced risk of misaligned investment, and improved consideration of affordability, workforce and community impacts.”
Supported by members of Penspen’s Centre of Engineering Excellence, the study focuses on four key areas: potential hydrogen supply and demand across clusters, including conditions for domestic uptake; how hydrogen networks could coexist with biomethane and natural gas by 2050, and the implications for system configuration, cost, operations, and maintenance; the costs and practicalities of converting local networks to hydrogen, and the social and economic impacts of hydrogen deployment, including supporting a just transition.
Penspen awarded hydrogen industrial clusters study
