Hydrogen heating is the next energy crisis in the making

Global Witness contends that hydrogen heating is an inefficient and dangerous alternative to heat pumps, pushed by gas companies to avoid stranded assets. The briefing criticizes the UK Energy Bill for introducing a hydrogen levy on consumers and proposing forced participation in heating trials in locations like Redcar or Whitby, Ellesmere Port.

• Hydrogen heating presents severe safety and health risks, being significantly more explosive than fossil gas and producing harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.
• Hydrogen for heating is economically unviable compared to alternatives; it could increase heating bills by an average of 70% from 2025, and running a boiler on renewable hydrogen could cost two to six times more than using a heat pump.
• The environmental impact of hydrogen heating is negative, as blue hydrogen's greenhouse gas footprint is over 20% higher than direct gas use, and green hydrogen requires vast amounts of renewable electricity that could be diverted from other uses.
• The UK's energy security would be compromised by a shift to hydrogen heating, as producing blue hydrogen would require 45% more natural gas than direct heating, increasing reliance on imports.
• The UK Energy Bill introduces a hydrogen levy on energy bills to fund developments that primarily benefit fossil fuel companies and are unlikely to benefit the consumers paying the levy.
• The Energy Bill contains provisions that would force residents in selected trial areas—either Redcar or Whitby, Ellesmere Port—to participate in hydrogen heating trials and would extend gas companies' powers to enter homes to install equipment.
• The push for hydrogen heating is attributed to lobbying by the gas industry to protect infrastructure and avoid 'stranded assets', evidenced by the funding of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hydrogen by companies like Northern Gas Networks and Cadent Gas.

APA

Global Witness (2023). Hydrogen heating is the next energy crisis in the making. https://globalwitness.org/documents/167/Briefing_Hydrogen_heating_is_the_next_energy_crisis_in_the_making_March_2023_EN.pdf

Chicago

Global Witness. Hydrogen heating is the next energy crisis in the making. 2023. https://globalwitness.org/documents/167/Briefing_Hydrogen_heating_is_the_next_energy_crisis_in_the_making_March_2023_EN.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=Hydrogen heating is the next energy crisis in the making |date=March 2023 |url=https://globalwitness.org/documents/167/Briefing_Hydrogen_heating_is_the_next_energy_crisis_in_the_making_March_2023_EN.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitness2023hydrogen, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Hydrogen heating is the next energy crisis in the making}}, institution = {Global Witness}, year = {2023}, month = mar, url = {https://globalwitness.org/documents/167/Briefing_Hydrogen_heating_is_the_next_energy_crisis_in_the_making_March_2023_EN.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }