Heating homes with gas is expensive; heating with hydrogen could cost double

Global Witness argues that switching European home heating from fossil gas to hydrogen would be unaffordable for consumers and potentially cost €240 billion in infrastructure expenses. Based on analysis by Element Energy, the report claims hydrogen energy could cost more than double the price of gas, potentially exacerbating energy poverty for up to 80 million Europeans. The document further alleges that gas companies and distribution system operators (DSOs) are lobbying the European Commission to 'mutualize' these costs, meaning all gas users—including those not using hydrogen—would pay for the new infrastructure. Global Witness recommends that the EU limit hydrogen use to heavy industry and transport, instead prioritizing heat pumps and district heating for residential use.

• Switching European households from gas to hydrogen could result in energy costs more than double those of fossil gas. Element Energy estimates a central annual household hydrogen bill of €1,580 for a medium-sized house in 2050, compared to an average gas cost of 6 Euro Cents/kWh at the end of 2019 and 6.7 Euro Cents/kWh at the end of 2021.
• The cost of hydrogen infrastructure that could be shifted to all gas consumers, regardless of whether they use the fuel, is estimated at €240 billion over a 40-year period.
• Gas industry entities, including the German Gas and Water Association (DVGW), Italian lobby group ANIGAS, and various transmission system operators (TSOs), have lobbied the European Commission to ensure that current gas users help pay for hydrogen infrastructure costs.
• The European Commission's December 2021 Gas Package proposal currently allows for the sharing of infrastructure costs between hydrogen and gas consumers for up to one third of the infrastructure's depreciation period.
• The transition to hydrogen for home heating could significantly increase the number of people experiencing energy poverty in Europe, which may already affect as many as 80 million people.
• Global Witness advocates for hydrogen to be restricted to sectors where it is the only viable alternative to fossil gas, such as shipping and heavy industry, while recommending heat pumps and district heating for homes.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Heating homes with gas is expensive; heating with hydrogen could cost double. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/heating-homes-with-gas-is-expensive-heating-with-hydrogen-could-cost-double/

Chicago

Global Witness. Heating homes with gas is expensive; heating with hydrogen could cost double. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/heating-homes-with-gas-is-expensive-heating-with-hydrogen-could-cost-double/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Witness |title=Heating homes with gas is expensive; heating with hydrogen could cost double |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/heating-homes-with-gas-is-expensive-heating-with-hydrogen-could-cost-double/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalwitnessndheating, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Heating homes with gas is expensive; heating with hydrogen could cost double}}, publisher = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/fossil-fuels/heating-homes-with-gas-is-expensive-heating-with-hydrogen-could-cost-double/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }