Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department’s policy is on hydrogen and biomethane blending with natural gas.

Biomethane is currently injected into the gas grid, supported in part by the Renewable Heat Incentive. The Government is currently consulting on the creation of a Green Gas Support Scheme to increase the amount of biomethane in the grid.

Blending low carbon hydrogen with natural gas has the potential to lower carbon emissions. The HyDeploy project has been commissioned by Gas Network Operators to investigate the option of blending up to 20% hydrogen with natural gas in the gas grid. The Health and Safety Executive have granted an exemption to the current Gas Safety and Management Regulation to the hydrogen content limit of 0.1% for the duration of the HyDeploy project. This is subject to strict safety arrangements being in place. BEIS will continue to pay close attention to the results from this project, and will take these into account in any future policy development.