Energy & Power | Tata Steel UK’s Post

Well done, we’re proud to be involved

Well done team - knew you could do it!

DNV’s Vibration and Asset Health Team based in Loughborough UK is proud to be part of this significant milestone; Toby Miles, Marc Kroon.

National Gas Transmission please can you correct your post - the test shows that H2 can be piped in “a small section of pipeline recreated at Spadeadam” and I quote from today’s times article: “FutureGrid is being run at a test facility at RAF Spadeadam, an air force base in Cumbria, where a small section of the 7,500-kilometre pipeline system has been *_recreated_* to test increasingly concentrated hydrogen blends. The project started with blends of up to 2 per cent, before reaching 100 per cent last month, in preparation for any potential conversion of a larger proportion of the network to hydrogen in the medium term.” So I think it’s pretty clear that the comment “By achieving a 100% flow of hydrogen in existing natural gas assets, we are advancing our technical capabilities and demonstrating that hydrogen can be transported safely in our existing infrastructure.” is misleading. It even looks like the pipeline isn’t even buried. I am afraid that your credibility as an organisation is seriously undermined by your repeated misleading claims about hydrogen and your efforts to “strong arm” policy making - in the latest example by claiming to need an £600 deblending facility in Bacton which DESNZ calls ”highly speculative”.

This is certainly helpful but I'm not sure why you're doing it. The UK Govt seems determined to prevent H2 going into the grid especially for domestic use and is siding - not unexpectedly - with the privatised electricity industry in their determination to create a monopoly on domestic heat/cooking and private transport. Corporations and shareholders are seen by the govt to be far more important than the people.

As I said when this was first mentioned a bit of pipe and a small sample of components doesn’t scale . If a valve say works for a year , does that mean that 5000 on the real grid will be ok for 20yrs . Should that one valve fail , does it mean that Hydrogen can’t be carried ? How do you propose to use your results in a robust scientific manner ? I can see benefits in phase 3 where hot tapping (!!) , grouted tees etc are attempted . But in the interests of openness and getting people on board you need to disseminate what you learn . To not do so gets people to form their own views and wonder why the information is not shared . You are failing in this area…. Hence the comments you are getting ( excepting the well done chaps from those taking part )

Great to see a world first that is UK innovation 👏 So does this mean hydrogen can be available at 20mb domestically, but can existing natural gas appliances be easily converted 🤔

Looking at the dedicated FutureGrid website, the test facility is not actually connected to the National transmission system, so I’m finding it hard to see how you can claim this 100% H2 achievement in your “high pressure gas transmission pipes” or “100% flow in existing natural gas assets”? At the Test Facility, there is a 60m length of 48” diameter X65 grade pipe with WT 22.5mm that was sourced directly from the manufacturer in 2020. This has a MOP of 70 barg and sits above ground - not exactly the same as one of the buried 85barg Scottish feeders between Aberdeen and Moffat installed in the 70’s or 80’s is it? Looking forward to your next update on the 1km hydrogen compression loop using the NTS assets no doubt…

A great testament to years of careful preparation and hard work across the innovation team. Reaching this stage is a massive achievement and an important milestone towards future hydrogen transmission networks.

National Gas Transmission - please can you advise the following: – 1) What was the pressure in the pipe for the test at 100% hydrogen? 2) what was the pipe made of? 3) did the pipe have any lining inside to prevent hydrogen leakage? 4) what hydrogen leak detection equipment was there on this pipe to check for leakage?