A Buckhaven mother is getting ready to swap natural gas for hydrogen to heat her home.
Kelli Dow, 45, is one of around 100 people who have volunteered for the world’s first hydrogen energy trial.
But critics have savaged the project before it has even begun, claiming the technology behind it is “not viable.”
Kelly describes SGN’s hydrogen power demonstration project as an “important trial”, as Scotland aims for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
“I think it’s quite a positive thing for Buckhaven so we just thought it might be good to be part of it.
“Me and my husband spoke about it. It’s something new and it’s going to help the environment.
“I think for our children’s future, it’s an important trial.”
H100 faces delays, and scepticism
But Green MSP Mark Ruskell says he is “really sceptical” about the project.
And Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Alex Lee accused the Scottish Government of “wasting millions supporting these industry pet projects like H100”.
Meanwhile “global supply chain constraints” have delayed the project.
Gas supply company SGN is delivering the project. The company hopes it will now be up and running by April 2024.
And not enough people have signed up. At least 270 households need to take part for it to work but we understand fewer than 100 have put their names down to date.
What is H100?
H100 is a four year scheme trialling the use of hydrogen across around 300 households in Buckhaven.
It will be based at Methil docks, with construction starting in January.
Buckhaven is the first community in the world to host such a scheme.
If all goes to plan, Kelli will use hydrogen instead of domestic natural gas in the first phase of the project.
An offshore wind turbine will power an electrolysis plant, which will split water into oxygen and hydrogen.
SGN would store the hydrogen in tanks before distributing it to homes.
Kelli and other participants will have a hydrogen compatible cooker and boiler fitted at no cost.
And her monthly fuel bills should not change during the trial.
Should this trial happen in a deprived area?
Prof Alastair Lewis from York University has argued that hydrogen burning could leave those in more deprived communities vulnerable to air pollution.
He says those in more affluent areas are more likely to fit heat pumps or solar panels.
Meanwhile, Prof Lewis says hydrogen burning has the potential to create polluting nitrogen dioxide gas.
Buckhaven is home to Scotland’s seventh most deprived neighbourhood, which lies south of Station Road.
“That doesn’t mean that we should be discounted,” says Kelli.
“I do believe it might create some jobs as well. That can only be a good thing.
“They might do this and realise that hydrogen isn’t the way to go, but we have to do something.”
Scottish Government ‘fully committed’ to hydrogen
Climate campaigners are not the only ones who have criticised hydrogen as a carbon-cutting energy solution.
The Existing Homes Alliance is a coalition of organisations campaigning for existing homes to be “low carbon and affordable to heat “.
Its director Elizabeth Leighton slammed “trials like H100Fife”.
She says they give the public “the misleading impression that hydrogen is a viable way to decarbonise home heating”.
She adds: “Public money would be better spent on boosting insulation and heat pumps so people are protected from volatile fossil fuel prices.”
But a Scottish Government Spokesperson says hydrogen has “an important role to play in our journey to a net zero economy”.
He describes H100 as a “critical step towards understanding the role hydrogen can play in decarbonising heat using the gas network”.
The spokesperson adds: “The Scottish Government is fully committed to helping the hydrogen sector develop and grow. We are investing £100 million in renewable hydrogen projects over this parliament.”
A spokesperson for SGN says despite the delays H100 is “progressing well”.
She adds: “Every indication from our team on the ground, community partners and feedback from the local community suggests we’re well on track to get all the participants we need.”
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