While some existing home appliances can work safely, reliably and effectively with hydrogen blends, some appliance manufacturers are working on hydrogen-ready appliances that can more seamlessly transition to 100% hydrogen gas.
Hydrogen Home (HyHome) was an Australian-first initiative showcasing 100% hydrogen gas appliances in a residential setting – demonstrating a potential way of the future for gas in the home.
The aim of the HyHome was to demonstrate what’s achievable, and why we’re excited about the possibilities of hydrogen.
We’re decarbonising for our customers. As owners and operators of the gas network, it’s our role to safely transport energy to customers – we’re now looking to make that energy renewable in response to what our customers are asking for.
A decarbonised gas supply could complement the role of renewable electricity and other renewable energy forms in meeting our decarbonisation targets.
Hydrogen gas is a form of energy that is used around the world today, predominantly within industry. It can also be used for heating, cooking, and powering appliances, much like natural gas. It can be produced using a number of methods, including the electrolysis of water, where electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Over time we have been upgrading the majority of our networks to hydrogen-compatible materials – so the networks that pass millions of existing homes can be ready to take hydrogen in a future scenario.
Because green hydrogen is not yet widely available, for demonstration purposes we used ‘grey’ hydrogen in HyHome, which is made by natural gas.
However, the appliances run the same regardless of the method used to make the hydrogen, and would operate just the same as if they were powered by hydrogen made from renewable sources which is the type of hydrogen we are planning to use to decarbonise the gas in our networks.
At AGN, safety underpins everything we do, therefore we must be satisfied that our projects are safe before we open them to the public. To ensure that our safety standards are met, we have odourised our hydrogen and all aspects of HyHome have been inspected and approved by the technical regulator.
The appliances installed in HyHome looked and operated just the same as you would find in your home today. HyHome proved that you can cook your food and heat your home in the same way that you do with natural gas.
