UK HSE Hydrogen for Heating Evidence Review Process

As part of the UK Government’s Net Zero targets to tackle Climate Change, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) aims to reach an authoritative view on the safety of using 100% hydrogen for heating across the UK, to feed into Government policy decisions by the mid-2020s. This paper describes the background and process of a programme of work led by HSE in support of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (formerly BEIS) that will inform strategic policy decisions by 2026. The strategic framework of HSE’s programme of work was defined between BEIS and HSE. HSE’s programme of work follows on from a previous project which engaged with HSE policy, regulatory and scientific colleagues working with industry stakeholders identifying knowledge gaps for the safe distribution, storage and use of hydrogen gas in domestic, industrial, and commercial premises. These knowledge gaps were subsequently used in discussions with stakeholders to prioritise research projects and evidence gathering exercises. To review this scientific evidence, HSE developed a review framework and convened Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) to cover all evidence areas, encompassing topics such as quantified risk assessment, material compatibility and operational procedures. These ERGs include representation from relevant divisions across HSE (policy, regulation and science). The paper explains the structure of HSE’s input into the hydrogen for heating programme, the ERG process and timelines, along with the proposed outputs. Additional activities have been undertaken by HSE within the programme to highlight specific issues in support of the review process, which will also be discussed.