Cadent and British Gas wrote on 29 March 2023 to all 2,000 residents living in the proposed location of the Hydrogen Village in Whitby, Ellesmere Port, offering them the choice to participate in the programme1. The companies said all residents would be offered the choice to decide on their participation1.
To deliver the choice, Cadent proposes to lay a parallel gas main in Whitby. The existing gas main will transport hydrogen to the properties that opt into the programme, and the newly laid main will supply natural gas to any properties that decide to opt out1. The opt-in/opt-out offer follows 10 months of in-person and virtual consultation, which included 1,100 in-home assessments, 600 visitors to the Hydrogen Experience Centre and hundreds of interactions with locals1. Cadent and British Gas said their final submission is due to be delivered to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in the coming days1.
Residents who take part are offered a package of benefits, as set out by the two companies1:
| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appliances | Brand new hydrogen appliances, installed and maintained for free |
| Running costs | Price matching of hydrogen to natural gas for the entire programme duration |
| Payment or improvements | £2,500, or the equivalent in-home energy efficiency improvements |
| Certification | A new home Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) |
| Replaced appliances | Reimbursement of 50% of the cost of appliances replaced, if under 3 years old |
| Cover | British Gas Homecare Complete and Gas Appliance Cover during the trial |
| Insurance | An assurance that any increase in home insurance is covered and paid for |
| Heating extras | Free central heating filter, Hive smart heating thermostat, power-flushing, and installation of TRVs (Thermostatic Radiator Valves) |
Cadent also confirmed it will convert all residents back to natural gas at the end of the timeframe, removing hydrogen appliances and installing brand new natural gas appliances free of charge as it reconnects residents to the natural gas supply1.
Marc Clarke, Head of Hydrogen Customer at Cadent, said:
"We have been in listening mode throughout this entire consultation period. We have heard a lot of things that residents like about the programme and equally things that they would like us to change."
Tim Green, Head of Hydrogen Customer Experience for Whitby at British Gas, said the revised proposal "gives customers a clear choice"1.
Why it matters for households
The proposal concerns heating rather than electricity, and it turns on whether a home stays connected to natural gas or is switched to hydrogen. Under the plan, a household that opts out keeps a natural gas supply through a newly laid main, so its boiler, cooker and other gas appliances would not need to change1. A household that opts in would have its existing gas appliances replaced with hydrogen appliances, installed and maintained at no cost, with hydrogen priced to match natural gas for the duration of the programme1. The offer also covers a new EPC, insurance increases and a set of heating upgrades1. The wider question of how hydrogen is used across the gas network, and how trials such as this one are run, is covered in our guides to hydrogen in the gas grid and hydrogen home heating trials. Households weighing what participation involves can read taking part in a home energy technology trial, and those comparing the two fuels can read hydrogen boiler vs natural gas boiler.
What happens next
Cadent and British Gas said their final submission is due to be delivered to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero in the coming days1. The companies will host a series of dedicated information events where residents can learn more, discuss the proposals and understand their options in detail1. No date has been reported for a decision on the trial, and no date has been reported for the start of any conversion work.