Fraunhofer IEE has assessed the technical feasibility, emission savings and cost impacts from plans to add hydrogen to the existing gas transport network.
The process, known as 'hydrogen blending', is currently being discussed by the EU as a way to lower carbon emissions from gas networks across its member states.
But the study found that the carbon benefits of such a practice are highly variable depending on the type of hydrogen used and believes that other industries may be more suited to using the fuel.
Furthermore, the measures for hydrogen blending are currently estimated to increase costs for end users by up to 43 per cent for industry and up to 16 per cent for households at a blending level of 20 per cent of the total gas volume.
Hydrogen production is typically delineated into 'green' methods, which can be carbon neutral through the use of electrolysis to separate it from water, and blue hydrogen, which is not carbon neutral as it is produced...