Hydrogen Milestone: UK’s First Hydrogen-to-Power Trial at Centrica’s Brigg Energy Park

Centrica and HiiROC, supported by the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC), have successfully demonstrated the injection of hydrogen into a gas-fired peak power plant at Centrica’s Brigg Energy Park, North Lincolnshire. The trial marks a UK-first in using hydrogen to decarbonise peak power generation, supplying power directly to the electricity grid.

HiiROC’s modular hydrogen production technology, using Thermal Plasma Electrolysis (TPE), produced hydrogen on site, which was then blended at a 3% ratio for the purposes of a one-hour trial.

The trial marks a further step forward in Centrica’s ongoing efforts to advance innovative solutions for the decarbonisation of its portfolio of gas plants, demonstrating that existing gas infrastructure can operate on a hydrogen blend to provide reliable, low-carbon electricity to UK homes and businesses. More broadly, the trial shows a viable route for delivering on decarbonisation readiness obligations for peaker generation as part of the UK’s journey to net zero.

It is also a key milestone in HiiROC’s journey, demonstrating the effectiveness and affordability of HiiROC’s TPE process, which produces hydrogen without CO2 emissions, making it compliant with the UK’s Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard (LCHS). By leveraging the existing gas network and co-locating hydrogen production where it is needed, operators can decarbonise without costly new infrastructure.