Penspen Wins Study on Hydrogen Pipeline Transition for UK Industrial Clusters

Penspen will study how hydrogen could be integrated into gas pipeline networks serving UK industrial clusters, including conversion costs, infrastructure impacts and long-term system design.

(P&GJ) — Penspen has been awarded a project to assess how hydrogen could be integrated into gas pipeline networks serving major industrial clusters across the UK.

The study, commissioned by Future Energy Networks and supported by organizations including Northern Gas Networks and the Energy Innovation Centre, will evaluate how hydrogen can be deployed alongside existing natural gas and biomethane systems.

The work will focus on infrastructure requirements, including network configuration, system conversion costs and operational impacts associated with introducing hydrogen into existing gas distribution systems.

Key industrial regions under review include Teesside, the Humber, Merseyside and South Wales.

Penspen said the study will examine supply and demand scenarios, as well as the feasibility of converting local gas networks to hydrogen and the implications for long-term system design through 2050.

Chris Wood, director of asset integrity for Europe at Penspen, said the project will focus on identifying practical pathways for integrating hydrogen into existing infrastructure.

He said the work will assess both technical and commercial considerations tied to hydrogen deployment across industrial clusters.

The study is expected to produce a framework to guide investment decisions, along with cluster-level transition plans and long-term development scenarios.

Industry stakeholders said the results will help inform how hydrogen infrastructure is prioritized and deployed as part of broader decarbonization efforts.