Hydrogen injection into the gas grid: Current status and future potential

Hydrogen injection into the gas grid (HIGG) is an interesting application of power-to-gas that offers new opportunities for flexibility and decarbonisation in energy systems. The gas grid can provide a useful outlet and transportation mechanism for hydrogen, and the gas grid’s inherent storage capacity (“linepack”) could be exploited, absorbing fluctuations from the electricity grid, via power-to-gas. Many countries have extensive natural gas grids; HIGG is an option that would enable these valuable assets to continue operating whilst reducing carbon impacts.

This work explores the technical and economic status of, and outlook for, HIGG, including the physical effects of hydrogen on the infrastructure, and the challenge of how to value hydrogen in the gas grid. The current status of HIGG is considered through a review of real-life projects and modelling studies.

Although challenges exist, it is found that HIGG is technically feasible. Demonstrator projects in a number of different countries show the considerable interest that exists for HIGG. However, in present-day conditions, real-life projects and modelling studies struggle to find viable business cases. Although it would be a vast and costly undertaking, there is interest in complete conversion of gas grids to hydrogen, to enable decarbonisation.