In Denmark, DNV is best known for its certification work for several industries and ship classification, but DNV broadly helps companies with quality assurance and risk management of their projects. In recent years, however, DNV has built up a large hydrogen portfolio, with the preparation of the report “Britain’s hydrogen network plan” being the latest addition.

The report highlights how the UK’s five leading gas suppliers can replace fossil natural gas with hydrogen, in order to achieve the national goal of establishing a zero-emission gas network by 2050. The road to a British hydrogen network includes goals of 20 percent blending of hydrogen into the gas network in 2023, the first ‘hydrogen city’ and other upscaling from 2030, and complete rollout of the hydrogen network in 2050.

Graham Bennett, Vice President and Head of Energy Transition at DNV’s UK office explains: “Over 22 million UK households are connected to the gas grid, which is 85 per cent of all UK households. By switching to green hydrogen in the gas network, we will reduce British CO2 emissions by 17 percent.”

Photo: DNV

Houses on hydrogen

Graham Bennett elaborates on DNV’s role in creating the report: “It is no coincidence that we were chosen to prepare the report by the Energy Networks Association (ENA). Already six years ago, our internal, strategic analyzes showed that hydrogen will play a central role in the energy transition and the sector coupling. In recent years, we have therefore consistently chosen to develop the organization with strong competencies in green gases and we can now see that the demand for hydrogen projects is starting to increase significantly.”

Among these projects is, for example, “HyStreet”, a project that demonstrates that it is both safe and profitable to have houses connected to hydrogen instead of natural gas. In the project, DNV has built three houses where the use of hydrogen in ordinary everyday situations, e.g. cooking, being tested. The HyStreet project is connected to the project “FutureGrid”, which involves the design and construction of a hydrogen transmission pipeline and compressor system. The project will demonstrate a secure supply of hydrogen in a transmission system.

Mick Cramer Jakobsen, Director Capital Projects and Senior Principal Engineer in DNV’s Danish organization says: “Projects like these are of great relevance to Denmark. he experience we gain in the HyStreet / FutureGrid project, we can directly use in our work with the hydrogen infrastructure in Denmark. Projects like HyReady and Deep Purple are also extremely relevant. We must remember that a large proportion of energy-intensive consumers are unlikely to be able to participate in electrification, and therefore they must have access to other energy The Danish gas network can be suitable for the transmission of hydrogen, we know from several projects, such as HyReady.”

As part of their work with hydrogen, DNV has also started a “joint industry project”, where the company updates their industrial pipeline standard and also recommends the use of composite for hydrogen.

Action is required

The report “Britain’s hydrogen network plan” not only sets milestones on the road to decarbonising the British gas network. The report also highlights the pitfalls that can put obstacles in the way for the transition to hydrogen in the gas network.

DNV points to various areas that require active and swift action. One of these is the need for political action. There is a lack of framework conditions that will make the upscaling profitable for green hydrogen producers and other suppliers in the value chain.

Other points of attention, according to the report, are that the production capacity for renewable energy, especially offshore wind, must be increased, that hydrogen can be stored and that households need a supply of appliances that can operate on hydrogen. Graham Bennett: “We believe that the transition to hydrogen in the gas network must be based on energy consumers, because if they can not use hydrogen and thus create demand, then the whole exercise is in vain.”

The road to ‘net-zero’ Sources: ‘Britain’s hydrogen network plan’, ENA and DNV

Economic growth

DNV estimates in the report that the hydrogen network will create many benefits, not only for the environment, but also when looking at employment to establish the hydrogen industry. Graham Bennett: “The analysis shows that we will create 195,000 jobs by the year 2030. And if we in the UK also succeed in expanding the use of hydrogen to sectors other than the energy sector, and become an exporter of hydrogen, we estimate in the report that we can create up to 221,000 jobs.”

Before this becomes a reality, DNV will continue to develop and participate in PtX concepts and projects. In Europe, the focus is on the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, and Denmark.