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Speaking at the South West Business Council’s Decarbonisation Conference today (25 September), gas distribution network, Wales & West Utilities (WWU), announced two projects which aim to expand the hydrogen economy in the south west of England.

The South West Conceptual Plan (SWCP) and Decentralised Alliance for South West Hydrogen (DASH) will together consider what infrastructure the region needs and the potential of using hydrogen as a cleaner, greener fuel for industry, to help meet decarbonisation targets.

Both projects will explore the potential for hydrogen development and usage and consider how the network’s existing extensive infrastructure can be harnessed to deliver a low-carbon network for industry, complementing the Wales & West Utilities existing 19 biomethane sites which already provide decarbonised gas in the south west.

SWCP will develop options for a local hydrogen transmission system, based on a map of production and demand. It will consider existing gas users and the potential for new users, for example in maritime and aviation industries. The Plan will also explore how WWU’s existing natural gas network can be repurposed, including the costs and benefits of such proposals, as well as the regulatory implications.

DASH will consider the south west’s relatively dispersed industrial demands, which do not form a natural ‘cluster’ as seen in other areas of higher industrial concentration. It will also take a closer look at the potential for onshore and offshore renewables and explore the viability of more radically decentralised hydrogen infrastructure, based on intermittent renewable generation. WWU expects the learning from both projects to contribute to local, regional and national energy planning.

Matt Hindle, Head of Net Zero & Sustainability, spoke at the event:

“Across the south west, people rely on the gas network today for safe, reliable and cost-effective energy –and that includes thousands of industrial customers and tens of thousands of other commercial businesses. We need for find low carbon solutions for all energy users, along with homes and power generation, and hydrogen has a big role to play“We’re delighted to announce the SWCP and DASH, which together look at how we can develop the hydrogen economy in the south west of England, to meet decarbonisation challenges in areas such as industry and transport.“Helping industry to cut emissions is a critical part of the energy transition, ensuring we protect our communities and the economy.”


Both projects will be used to develop opportunities to inform future hydrogen projects, use learning from previous and ongoing projects, and complement WWU’s work with biomethane producers.

Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service, brings energy to 7.5m people across the south west of England and Wales. It has 19 green gas production sites injecting biomethane to its south west network, one of the UK’s leading regions for the technology.

The gas distribution network recently launched the next phase of its NextGen Electrolysis project, which will see one of two hydrogen demonstration plants built in Somerset. Partnering with dairy giant, Yeo Valley, their 60-acre site in Cannington will introduce a 20% hydrogen blend into their existing natural gas boiler. This aligns with the UK Government’s considerations of blending up to 20% hydrogen into the existing gas network as a near-term solution for decarbonising energy.