Swinney: Hydrogen-powered home is ‘exciting’ development in climate change fight

John Swinney says the opening of the archetypal hydrogen-powered homes astatine a objection installation successful Fife is an “exciting project” which tin assistance tackle clime change.

However, the First Minister said the heating systems of the aboriginal volition apt impact a power towards some vigor pumps arsenic good arsenic hydrogen.

Under SGN’s H100 scheme, respective 100 homes successful Leven volition person their mains proviso switched from earthy state to hydrogen, with the institution covering the outgo of installing caller boilers and cooking hobs.

It is designed to showcase however hydrogen tin beryllium an alternate substance root for heating homes, 1 which does not nutrient immoderate c emissions.

The hydrogen is produced via electrolysis from water, with this process being driven by a upwind turbine astatine the vigor parkland successful Leven.

SGN says H100 task is the archetypal successful which “green hydrogen” is piped straight to homes from a renewable root alternatively than an concern by-product.

On Monday, Mr Swinney toured objection homes and saw however hydrogen is utilized for cardinal heating and appliances.

Proponents of hydrogen heating constituent retired that it needs comparatively small expenditure to power from earthy state – a caller boiler is usually required but it tin usage the aforesaid copper pipes.

Mr Swinney told the PA quality agency: “This is simply a truly breathtaking task and, of course, arsenic we instrumentality guardant caller technologies we’ve got to marque definite that they are harmless and effectual and reliable for home and concern customers.”

He added: “It’s portion of proving exertion that we’ve got to bash arsenic portion of our travel to decarbonisation.

“And I deliberation it’s a truly breathtaking infinitesimal for Scotland arsenic we embark connected this journey.”

Asked if determination is hostility betwixt moving to electric-powered vigor pumps oregon hydrogen arsenic a substance source, helium said: “There’s evidently going to beryllium a statement astir what’s the astir businesslike and due mode to spell astir that.

“I fishy it volition astir apt extremity up being a spot of both. Because immoderate exertion volition amended suit definite locations implicit others.”

Neil Grady, H100 task manager astatine SGN, said helium hoped the archetypal homes successful Leven volition beryllium connected this autumn. Interest successful the assemblage has been “overwhelming”, helium said.

Asked astir information concerns astir home hydrogen heating, helium told the PA quality agency: “Every signifier of vigor has risks associated with it.

“SGN has decades of acquisition successful distributing earthy gas. We’ve leaned into that experience.

“We person looked into each the studies backed by the UK Government – and we’ve worked with manufacture experts to guarantee this is simply a harmless trial.”