Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of blending hydrogen with natural gas at (a) 20%, (b) 40%, (c) 50% and (d) 90%.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government aims to reach a policy decision in 2023 on whether to allow blending of up to 20% hydrogen by volume into the gas distribution networks. The Government is assessing whether there is value in having blending available to support the development of the hydrogen economy and achieve wider net zero objectives. The Government is reviewing evidence to determine if blending represents strategic and economic value and meets the required safety standards. Blending of 20% hydrogen by volume is regarded by industry as the limit which, if exceeded, may start to impact domestic and non-domestic appliances negatively.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to approve hydrogen blending in gas pipes.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government aims to reach a policy decision in 2023 on whether to allow blending of up to 20% hydrogen by volume into the gas distribution networks. The Government is assessing whether there is value in having blending available to support the development of the hydrogen economy and achieve wider net zero objectives. The Government is reviewing evidence to determine if blending represents strategic and economic value and meets the required safety standards. Blending of 20% hydrogen by volume is regarded by industry as the limit which, if exceeded, may start to impact domestic and non-domestic appliances negatively.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the proportion of the UK’s carbon emissions that was generated from domestic heating for (a) 2023 and (b) each of the last five years.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published an estimate of the proportion of UK net territorial greenhouse gas emissions from heat in residential buildings in the 2021 Heat and Buildings Strategy.
The figures include direct emissions from residential combustion as well as indirect emissions associated with the production of fuels and electricity consumed.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-and-buildings-strategy (figure 2).
Updated statistics on UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption by end user are now available up to 2021.
Estimated UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions from heat in residential buildings, million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e)
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
Residential buildings emissions from heat | 76.4 | 77.7 | 74.3 | 73.9 | 78.4 |
Total net UK territorial emissions | 473.2 | 464.8 | 450.4 | 406.3 | 426.5 |
Percentage residential buildings emissions from heat | 16% | 17% | 16% | 18% | 18% |
Sources:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/final-uk-greenhouse-gas-emissions-national-statistics-1990-to-2021 (dataset of emissions by end user)
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/energy-consumption-in-the-uk-2022 (table U2)
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the hydrogen village trial in Whitby not going ahead on the Government's ambition of producing 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030; and what recent assessment he has made of the potential contribution of other village trials to meeting that ambition.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK’s ambition for 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 is not reliant on any one project or trial. Demand in 2030 is mostly expected to come from harder to electrify parts of the economy such as industry and heavy transport, as well as playing an important role in decarbonising the power sector.
The Government is developing the proposal for a hydrogen village trial in Redcar, Teesside with Northern Gas Networks (NGN). A decision on whether to proceed with the village trial in Redcar will be made by the Government later this year.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with (a) Redcar Council and (b) Redcar Residents on the Redcar Hydrogen Community trial.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My noble Friend, Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, met with Councillor Alec Brown, Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, and Councillor Carrie Richardson, Deputy Leader, on 7th August in Redcar. The Minister also met with several residents from the project’s Citizen’s Panel to discuss local sentiment on the trial. He also has regular discussions with the local MP, Jacob Young and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with boiler manufacturers on developing hydrogen ready boilers.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government recently consulted on requiring new domestic-scale gas boilers to be hydrogen-ready from 2026. The Government is analysing responses to the consultation and will issue a response in due course.
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero holds regular discussions with boiler manufacturers, directly and through trade bodies, including on the development of hydrogen-ready boilers.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, If he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the UK’s ability to utilise white hydrogen.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK aims to support multiple production routes to meet its ambition to have up to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030. The Government is not aware of evidence to suggest natural – ‘white’ – hydrogen will make a significant contribution to the UK’s hydrogen production ambitions. However, it welcomes efforts from other countries that support the production and use of low carbon hydrogen. The Government is working with international partners on issues including natural hydrogen.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on a hydrogen levy.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of subjects.
Low carbon hydrogen will be a source of clean energy which the Government can produce domestically using British skills, experience and natural resources. The British Energy Security Strategy sets out the Government's ambition for 10GW of hydrogen by 2030, which could support over 12,000 jobs, and unlock up to £11 billion in private investment.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what policy measures he plans to include in the scope of the heat pump review.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has commissioned an independent review of heat pump noise emissions. This will determine whether existing permitted development rights are appropriate and in line with advances in heat pump technology. The review will likely conclude in the Autumn and the Government will then consider this evidence to determine whether changes to planning guidance and permitted development rights are warranted. The review does not consider hydrogen boilers, as any noise emissions from them, should they be rolled out, would be largely confined to inside the home, and therefore would not impact permitted development rights.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish the report on the outcomes heat pump review.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has commissioned an independent review of heat pump noise emissions. This will determine whether existing permitted development rights are appropriate and in line with advances in heat pump technology. The review will likely conclude in the Autumn and the Government will then consider this evidence to determine whether changes to planning guidance and permitted development rights are warranted. The review does not consider hydrogen boilers, as any noise emissions from them, should they be rolled out, would be largely confined to inside the home, and therefore would not impact permitted development rights.