The Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance has announced that the proposed hydrogen village trial in Whitby, Ellesmere Port will no longer proceed, citing a lack of local support as the reason.

After carefully considering the feedback from residents, it was determined that there was insufficient backing for the project at the local level.

The Whitby project aimed to explore the feasibility of transitioning from natural gas to hydrogen, utilizing the existing network. Earlier reports had suggested that villagers in Cheshire would have the option to continue using natural gas for heating and cooking, rather than being compelled to switch to hydrogen as part of the scheme.

Energy companies British Gas and Cadent had planned to disconnect gas supplies to nearly 2,000 homes in Whitby as part of the UK's first hydrogen-fueled village. Participants in the trial would have been offered a £2,500 incentive, including payments of £1,500 upon conversion to a hydrogen boiler, £250 after providing feedback, and a final payment of £750 at the conclusion of the program.

Martin Callanan, the Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, stated, "After listening to the views of residents, it's clear that there is no strong local support. Therefore, Whitby will no longer be considered as the location for the UK's first hydrogen village trial. Discussions with NGN regarding Redcar are ongoing, and we will announce the next steps shortly."

While the cancellation is disappointing to many residents who wished to play a pioneering role in decarbonizing heating systems, Cadent expressed gratitude to the Whitby community for their engagement in the proposal's development. They believe that hydrogen has a vital role to play in achieving net-zero emissions alongside other technologies and energy sources.

Alice Harrison, Fossil Fuels Campaign Leader at Global Witness, responded to the news by stating, "Hydrogen heating is the emperor's new clothing for the oil and gas industry—a thinly veiled attempt to remain relevant and profitable while stalling a genuinely green transition. Today's decision to cancel the hydrogen heating trial in Whitby is a triumph of common sense over industry greenwash."

The cancellation in Whitby has shifted the focus to Redcar, where discussions regarding the trial are ongoing. The outcome in Redcar will be closely watched to see if reason prevails over the use of hydrogen for home heating.