Plans for a village-sized gas grid to be converted to hydrogen by 2025 in Ellesmere Port, Whitby, have been abandoned, according to Martin Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance. In a tweet, the minister said, “After listening to the views of residents, it’s clear that there is no strong local support, therefore Whitby will no longer be considered as the location for the UK’s first hydrogen village trial.”
The proposed trial, planned by gas network Cadent and supplier British Gas, was one of two potential sites that would see houses converted from natural gas to hydrogen, but local residents opposed the plan. On 12 July DESNZ said, “The government is continuing to develop the proposal for a hydrogen village trial in Redcar, Teesside with Northern Gas Networks (NGN). Whitby, Ellesmere Port will no longer be considered as the location for the hydrogen village trial. A decision on whether to proceed with the trial in Redcar will be made by the government later this year. We will publish information on the outcome of the government’s decision here.”
In the second potential trial, Northern Gas Networks is proposing to supply around 2,000 homes and businesses in parts of Redcar including the town centre, Warrenby, Coatham and an area of Kirkleatham with hydrogen from 2025. Callanan said, “Discussions with NGN re Redcar are ongoing and we’ll announce next steps shortly.”
NGN says in its introduction to the proposed trial, “If you live or operate a business in the Redcar Hydrogen Community, you will have received a letter from us. If the project ultimately goes ahead and you have a gas supply, the supply would be switched from the natural gas supplied today to hydrogen in 2025.
“Your current gas appliances would need to be swapped if the project goes ahead. They will work in a very similar way to the natural gas appliances in your home today and will work with your current radiators. The project will fund the switch so no-one will be left financially disadvantaged as a result of the project.”

NGN is currently converting the old caretaker’s lodge at Redcar and Cleveland College to be supplied with a hydrogen boiler and a hydrogen hob, oven and fire, all of which will be fully operational. The house is also fitted with a heat pump and solar technologies so visitors can observe different potential routes to de-carbonise their homes.