Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network, supplying 11 million homes and businesses across the North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, South Yorkshire, East of England, and North London.
Cadent has embraced the opportunity of Net Zero, exploring the potential to increase the role of greener low-carbon gases including biomethane and hydrogen in the UK’s energy mix through innovative trials across its more than 131,000 km gas pipe network. This work is seeking to deliver a more sustainable energy supply for the millions ofcustomers that rely on Cadent’s network each day.
Cadent is fostering collaboration across the energy value chain to shape the future of gas, having led the UK’s first ever live demonstrations of a hydrogen blend in homes. Cadent’s HyDeploy project, in conjunction with Keele University, successfully demonstrated how hydrogen can be safely blended up to 20 per cent volume with natural gas, utilising existing infrastructure as well as home cooking and heating appliances. In addition, Cadent has partnered with its peers to build the UK’s first hydrogen homes which feature boilers, hobs, and cookers fed by 100 per cent hydrogen.
On an industrial level, Cadent is supporting the creation of the world’s first hydrogen industrial cluster in the North West of England through HyNet. This ground-breaking project aims to reduce carbon emissions from industry, homes, and transport, whilst supporting economic growth in the region. HyNet is made up of several different elements, including upgrades to existing facilities, as well as the development of new hydrogen pipelines and carbon capture technologies.
In addition to Cadent’s exploration of a hydrogen economy, the UK’s largest gas network has also initiated a long-term investment programme to upgrade its network infrastructure. The initiative will see cast iron mains across its network, many of which were installed in the Victorian era, replaced with plastic pipes which will be more durable and able to carry a wider range of gases, including 100 per cent hydrogen in the future.
Cadent has invested around £3 billion towards upgrading its network since the Macquarieled consortium acquired the company in 2017.
With more than a third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions originating from the provision of heat to homes and businesses, it is essential that energy networks play a leading role in decarbonising the economy. However, this major transition must be delivered in a way that minimises disruption and cost to consumers, whilst maximising flexibility in the energy system over the long-term.