proving hydrogen's potential

Initial tests carried out by a consortium of companies that includes Aalberts, suggest that hydrogen can be used to safely heat residential homes and their water supply, paving the way for additional research into optimising and scaling up the use of this clean and renewable fuel in the built environment. This crucial development shows that a hydrogen network can safely deliver hydrogen before burning it in a hydrogen boiler, and is a key step towards scaling up the use of hydrogen in the built environment.

safety first
Over the course of eight months the H2@Home consortium investigated the use of hydrogen in a typical residential home from the 1970s. Aalberts supplied the fuel via an underground pipeline, into the meter cupboard and throughout the house. The test results are fantastic and show that a hydrogen network, which is not dissimilar to one that provides natural gas, can safely deliver hydrogen before burning it in a hydrogen boiler. Throughout the rigorous testing process, we learned that the safety of the residents was never compromised and that you can use existing materials, coupled with a hydrogen boiler, to connect the internal system to an outdoor network with no issues.

readily available
As the most abundant element in the universe, hydrogen is seen as an ideal renewable source of energy and a real candidate for society's zero-carbon needs as we work to power and heat our homes safely and with zero emissions. Hydrogen currently plays only a very limited role in the built environment, but the H2@Home consortium believes that will change. The pilot provides various recommendations for optimising and scaling up the use of hydrogen in the built environment: involve the entire chain; research which procedures, training and certification installers must follow; determine which safety measures are sufficient; and adjust the laws and regulations for natural gas installation. I am very proud that a range of Aalberts technology brands like Flamco, Comap, HSF, Henco and VSH have been involved in this process and supported the consortium to make the tests such a success.