Why Boris Johnson's ‘build back greener’ message is music to my ears

future of energy

By Jenny Moten
Network Director, North West
Cadent


When Boris Johnson said ‘building greener’ would be at the heart of the UK economic recovery from Covid-19, it was music to my ears.
 
You might think that strange, coming from a company that currently carries mostly fossil gas through our 21,000 miles of pipes in North West England.
 
It’s because here in the North West we’re ready to play our part, ready to lead, ready to enable carbon neutral gas to replace those fossil fuels.
 
Our region which started the industrial revolution centuries ago is ready to do it again – bringing hydrogen into our homes, offices and businesses.
 
In its early stages, it will be blended (at up to 20 per cent volume) with the methane we distribute today. This needs no changes to pipes or appliances. Longer term, we’d phase out the fossil gases. As you would now, every 15 years or so, when your boiler packs in or needs updating, you’d install a new one ready to operate at 100% hydrogen.
 
This isn’t a pipe dream (excuse the pun); it’s reality. Right now we’re using that same hydrogen blend at Keele’s university campus, proving the safety case to the regulators. All is working fine. No-one’s noticing any difference – same pipes, same boilers, same hobs, just an overnight big reduction in the amount of carbon that’s being produced.
 
From that small acorn we’re also well on the way to growing the tree – right here in North West England. Cadent is part of a major project called HyNet North West that will massively upscale for distribution to over two million NW homes by the mid 2020s. Meanwhile, manufacturers such as Baxi in Lancashire are busy making 100% hydrogen boilers.
 
What amazing and timely opportunity then – for tens of thousands of skilled jobs, for huge reductions in carbon emissions, for a solution to two of the problem areas that dominate discussion when you talk climate change: how to decarbonise heat and transport.
 
Because this isn’t just about how we heat our homes. It’s also about how we decarbonise industrial processes that are heat intensive. Industries that drive the NW economy – glass manufacture, food production, brick making and many, many others. Without gas in huge volumes, they can’t do what they do. Hydrogen is the answer, it’s as simple as that.
 
And while electric cars are rightly being championed as a solution to how we get from A to B, for heavier vehicles – like trains, HGVs and buses – hydrogen is part of the solution too. Widnes-based train manufacturer Alstom is all set to build hydrogen trains, Liverpool City Council will soon take delivery of hydrogen buses, bin lorries in Cheshire are going to run on hydrogen. The North West leading the way again, leading the green recovery.
 
Here’s something else that may surprise you – we don’t think gas has all the answers. This isn’t an ‘either/or’ argument for gas and electricity. Some solutions to reaching net zero will come from renewable, sustainable electricity. Others will come from hydrogen.
 
Turning that into tangible action, we are working very closely with Electricity North West right now to support Greater Manchester Combined Authority in its achievable ambition to be carbon neutral by 2038, a full 12 years earlier than the rest of UK. More on that soon.
 
There is no realistic scenario which allows the UK to hit net zero by 2050 without hydrogen playing a key role. That’s a fact recently supported by the Committee on Climate Change.
 
I manage a team of over 900 people here in North West England, working from depots from Kendal to Crewe. Day and night, 365 days a year, they’re ensuring the safe flow of gas that helps to heat more than 83 per cent of the region’s homes. Four in every five homes.
 
It’s an extraordinary accomplishment from a gas network that’s been around for more than 200 years. Adapting through time, including the last big switch from ‘town gas’ (which was mostly made up of hydrogen, by the way) to North Sea gas (methane) in the 60s and 70s.
 
We’re building on the strengths of a proven system. We’ve got exciting times ahead.
 
‘Build greener’ you say Boris? Got it. Just say the word, we’re ready here in the North West.

Cadent in the North West

Cadent manages the gas distribution network for North West England (and three other UK regions). In the North West, it looks after 21,000 miles of gas pipes that bring gas to 2.7 million homes, hospitals, schools, offices, businesses and other sites. It also provides the region’s 24/7, 365-day gas emergency service. Jenny Moten is Network Director.

Cadent

Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy.  We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change.  Day to day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency.   Our skilled engineers and specialists remain committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure gas reaches 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh Borders to East Anglia, to keep your energy flowing. 

Future of Gas: Here at Cadent we support the Government’s plans to reach Net Zero by 2050. That means we’re backing the introduction of hydrogen as a low carbon alternative to natural gas for the future. We know people love the controllability of gas and, with our network already in place, it makes sense to switch to the lower carbon alternative offered by hydrogen, which we believe can keep homes and businesses warm for generations to come.

Cadent manages the national gas emergency service free phone line on behalf of the gas industry - 0800 111 999*

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*All calls are recorded and may be monitored.

Media contacts

Kevin Hegarty

kevin.hegarty@cadentgas.com

07970 694897