Greenpeace UK, Friends of the Earth UK, Uplift and others sign onto Global Witness call for Lords to protect residents in proposed trial sites

Global Witness and a coalition of environmental and energy groups are calling on the UK House of Lords to support amendment 56 to the Energy Bill. The groups argue that the bill could force up to 2,000 homes in proposed 'Hydrogen Village' trials to switch to hydrogen heating, which they describe as dangerous and expensive. They specifically highlight concerns regarding expanded access powers for gas companies to enter homes and the lack of guaranteed opt-out rights for residents in potential trial areas such as Redcar, Teeside, Whitby, or Ellesmere Port.

• The draft Energy Bill may allow for 'hydrogen village trials' that could compel up to 2,000 households to convert their home heating systems to hydrogen.
• The proposed legislation would expand the legal powers of gas distribution operators to enter private residences for any reason related to the hydrogen trials, potentially allowing the installation of boilers without resident consent.
• Potential trial locations identified in the document include Redcar, Teeside, Whitby, and Ellesmere Port.
• There is a discrepancy in corporate commitments regarding resident choice: Cadent (bidding for the Whitby trial) suggests residents can opt out, while Northern Gas Networks (vying for the Redcar project) has made no such commitment.
• The advocacy groups urge the House of Lords to support amendment 56 on Clause 112, which would require the Secretary of State to ensure Ofgem provides information and an opt-out right, and require the Environment Agency and Health and Safety Executive to monitor hydrogen escapes and safety.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Greenpeace UK, Friends of the Earth UK, Uplift and others sign onto Global Witness call for Lords to protect residents in proposed trial sites. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/climate-and-energy-groups-call-on-uk-lords-to-vote-against-forcing-residents-into-hydrogen-trials/

Chicago

Global Witness. Greenpeace UK, Friends of the Earth UK, Uplift and others sign onto Global Witness call for Lords to protect residents in proposed trial sites. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/climate-and-energy-groups-call-on-uk-lords-to-vote-against-forcing-residents-into-hydrogen-trials/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Witness |title=Greenpeace UK, Friends of the Earth UK, Uplift and others sign onto Global Witness call for Lords to protect residents in proposed trial sites |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/climate-and-energy-groups-call-on-uk-lords-to-vote-against-forcing-residents-into-hydrogen-trials/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalwitnessndgreenpeace, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Greenpeace UK, Friends of the Earth UK, Uplift and others sign onto Global Witness call for Lords to protect residents in proposed trial sites}}, publisher = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/climate-and-energy-groups-call-on-uk-lords-to-vote-against-forcing-residents-into-hydrogen-trials/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }