SGN has successfully run hydrogen through a high-pressure gas pipeline in Scotland, marking a major step in proving the UK’s existing gas infrastructure can be repurposed for a net zero future.
The project is the first in Britain to demonstrate that hydrogen can safely flow through part of the Local Transmission System (LTS) — an 11,600km pipeline network that delivers gas from the national grid to homes, businesses and industry.
The live trial took place on a 30km stretch of pipeline between Granton near Edinburgh and Grangemouth, using hydrogen supplied by INEOS.
Crucially, the test showed that core operational tasks — like welding, drilling and isolating the flow of gas — can be safely carried out on hydrogen pipelines using similar techniques to those already in place for natural gas.
Tony Green, Chief Strategy and Regulation Officer at SGN, said: “This landmark project is a major milestone for SGN and the wider energy sector. It demonstrates both infrastructure and workforce readiness for hydrogen.”
He added: “The gas network remains vital, meeting 40% of primary energy demand. Hydrogen offers another route to deliver low-carbon energy and this trial proves the LTS network can support it.”
The team completed:
- Hot works – welding and drilling into the live pipeline to create a new connection
- Flow stopping – safely isolating the hydrogen flow
Both are standard gas engineering tasks but had never before been done on a hydrogen pipeline in Britain.
INEOS Grangemouth’s Sustainability Director Colin Pritchard said: “We recognise hydrogen has the potential to revolutionise the way we generate and use energy. This project is a key step in reducing emissions from homes and industry.”
SGN says the trial creates a blueprint for repurposing the entire LTS to hydrogen. That could enable regional hydrogen hubs, support industrial decarbonisation and provide a backbone for a future low-carbon energy system with minimal disruption.
The company is already increasing green gas use in the network through biomethane and believes hydrogen will be critical to cutting emissions across heat, power and manufacturing.
Hydrogen passes transmission test appeared first on Energy Live News.