Worcester Bosch has played a huge part in the 'ground-breaking' opening of the UK's first ever hydrogen homes earlier this summer.

The two semi-detached homes in Gateshead have been built in a partnership between gas distributors Cadent and Northern Gas Networks (NGN) and the Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and have both been fitted with Worcester Bosch's zero-emission boilers.

Engineers at the Worcester based heating company have been working on a hydrogen boiler since 2015 as part of a project to help the country achieve its target of NetZero emissions by 2050.

Speaking to the Worcester News, Martyn Bridges, Director of Marketing and Technical Support at Worcester Bosch, said: "Worcester Bosch was approached by BEIS in 2015 to see whether it was possible to burn hydrogen in a domestic boiler.

"By December 2017, Worcester Bosch fired their first protype hydrogen boiler and proved this was possible. Due to this, BEIS and the government decided to fund a number of trial homes, one of which being the Gateshead hydrogen home.

"Having been one of the first groups consulted on the matter of domestic hydrogen heating, Worcester Bosch was invited to showcase their prototype hydrogen boiler in the home, which you can now visit and experience hydrogen domestic heating for yourself."

Hydrogen gas produces no carbon at the point of use, making it significantly more environmentally friendly than the usage of natural gas, which is responsible for 30% of all carbon emissions.

"It’s a really exciting project to be involved with," Mr Bridges added. 

"For 50 years domestic boilers have burned natural gas, which came about when the North Sea gas was discovered in the 60s, so to change to a gas free from carbon while maintaining heating and hot water in much the same way as from a natural gas boiler is truly amazing.

"It is a ground-breaking project to be involved with."

Energy and Climate Change Minister, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said: "Heating in buildings forms a significant part of the UK’s carbon footprint.

"In order to tackle climate change, changing the way people power their homes, from cooking, heating and running a bath, while making sure consumers pay a fair price, is critical so that the UK moves away from using fossil fuels and cuts its emissions.
 
"While they look like any other house, this innovative project offers an opportunity for the public to experience hydrogen technology in a real-world setting, opening a window to what the future could hold as we build back greener."

The homes form part of a larger government plan, with the Prime Minister Boris Johnson targeting the introduction of a hydrogen town by the end of the decade.