Hydrogen blending—the process of injecting hydrogen into natural gas pipelines—is being explored as a potentially transformative solution for reducing emissions while leveraging existing infrastructure. By mixing hydrogen with natural gas, this approach could create a lower-carbon fuel that can be used across industrial, commercial, and residential applications with minimal modifications to current systems.
While technical and regulatory challenges remain, hydrogen blending has the potential to scale Green Molecules™ adoption more quickly and cost-effectively than standalone hydrogen infrastructure. Studies suggest that blending up to 20% hydrogen by volume could be feasible within existing systems, providing a stepping stone to large-scale hydrogen deployment and a way to expand the role of low-carbon energy solutions.
At Energy Capital Ventures®, we see hydrogen blending as one of the promising pathways that, if technical hurdles are addressed, could unlock new possibilities for integrating Green Molecules™ into the energy system at scale. In this newsletter, we explore how hydrogen blending is progressing, the key challenges and innovations shaping its future, and its potential impact on the energy transition.
Assessing the Potential of Hydrogen Blending
Hydrogen blending could offer a scalable pathway to introduce hydrogen into existing natural gas infrastructure, providing a low-carbon alternative without requiring an entirely new delivery system.
Industry research indicates that blending up to 20% hydrogen by volume may be technically achievable (ENREL, 2024), balancing several key factors:
- Emission Reduction: A 20% hydrogen blend could potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6-7%, presenting a pathway to decarbonization.
- Infrastructure Compatibility: Studies suggest that most pipelines and appliances may be capable of handling this blend with limited modifications, though further testing is needed (Fraunhofer, 2023).
- Safety Considerations: Hydrogen’s properties—including higher flame speed and lower visibility in combustion—introduce new safety challenges, requiring extensive testing and risk mitigation strategies.
While further research and validation are required, hydrogen blending could serve as a key stepping stone toward deeper hydrogen integration while leveraging existing assets and infrastructure.
Pilot Projects & Real-World Implementation
Several pilot projects are evaluating the feasibility and potential benefits of hydrogen blending:
- HyDeploy Project (UK): Building upon its initial success at Keele University, the HyDeploy project expanded to a public gas network in Winlaton, Gateshead, supplying a 20% hydrogen blend to 668 homes, a school, and a church over an 11-month period. This trial concluded successfully in June 2022, demonstrating that existing appliances operated safely without modifications. In December 2023, the UK government acknowledged the project's contributions by supporting the blending of up to 20% hydrogen into Great Britain's gas distribution networks as part of its Net Zero strategy. The project is now focused on finalizing the safety evidence submission to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in 2024, which will compile seven years of research to support large-scale hydrogen blending.
- New Jersey Resources (NJR) Green Hydrogen Project (U.S.): NJR launched the first East Coast hydrogen blending project in October 2021 at its Howell, New Jersey, facility, producing green hydrogen via electrolysis powered by renewable energy. Initially blending less than 1% hydrogen into the gas grid, the project has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of integrating green hydrogen into existing natural gas infrastructure. As of 2024, NJR continues to monitor system performance and explore potential scaling opportunities to expand hydrogen blending, aligning with its broader decarbonization strategy.
- Trans Adriatic Pipeline (Europe): As a key part of Europe's Southern Gas Corridor, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is conducting a hydrogen gap analysis to determine the feasibility of introducing hydrogen blends into its natural gas network. In January 2025, TAP awarded a contract to Penspen, an international energy consultancy, to assess infrastructure readiness, including above-ground installations, block valves, and compressor stations. This initiative builds upon a 2021 hydrogen readiness study and aims to support long-term sustainability and decarbonization goals by potentially integrating hydrogen into TAP's 877-kilometer pipeline system
- California Demonstration Plants Initiative: California Demonstration Plants Initiative: In March 2024, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas), along with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and Southwest Gas, filed an application with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to develop a series of projects aimed at demonstrating the safe and effective blending of clean hydrogen into the natural gas system. These projects are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and begin scaling up hydrogen usage as outlined in California's climate plan. The initiative includes a key project in collaboration with the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine), which proposes blending up to 20% hydrogen into a controlled section of the campus's gas infrastructure.
These pilot projects provide valuable data and insights, but further technical, regulatory, and economic assessments are needed to determine hydrogen blending’s long-term viability and scalability.
Challenges & Areas for Innovation
Despite its potential, hydrogen blending faces significant hurdles that must be addressed before widespread adoption can occur:
- Pipeline Integrity: Hydrogen can cause embrittlement in certain pipeline materials, potentially compromising infrastructure integrity. For instance, in Germany, transmission pipelines operating above 16 bar pressure are currently limited to a 10% hydrogen blend without significant modifications. Exceeding this threshold may necessitate substantial infrastructure upgrades to ensure safety and reliability.
- Cost of Hydrogen Production: Green hydrogen production via electrolysis remains expensive due to high electricity demands and infrastructure costs. While prices vary based on factors such as energy source, location, and scale, green hydrogen remains more costly than hydrogen produced from natural gas with carbon capture (blue hydrogen). Lowering production costs through technological advancements, economies of scale, and policy incentives will be key to making hydrogen blending a more commercially viable solution.
- End-Use Compatibility: Many existing appliances are not designed to handle hydrogen blends above certain concentrations. A study commissioned by the California Public Utilities Commission found that blending hydrogen concentrations above 5% may require modifications to cooking and heating equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
- Storage & Transport Challenges: Hydrogen's low energy density and propensity for leakage present logistical challenges. For example, transporting pure hydrogen through existing natural gas pipelines would require operating at significantly lower pressures to prevent embrittlement, which could reduce the energy capacity of the pipelines by up to 80%. This necessitates either substantial infrastructure modifications or the development of alternative transport methods.
- Regulatory & Standardization Issues: The absence of uniform global standards for hydrogen blending ratios and safety protocols creates uncertainty. Currently, permissible hydrogen blending limits vary widely by country, ranging from 0% to 12% by volume, reflecting a lack of consensus and hindering coordinated efforts toward widespread implementation.
By addressing these challenges through targeted research, policy development, and infrastructure investment, the potential for hydrogen blending as a viable pathway to decarbonization can be more fully realized.
Final Thoughts
At Energy Capital Ventures®, we see hydrogen blending as a potential game changer—one that, if technical and regulatory challenges are solved, could accelerate the integration of hydrogen into global energy markets.
While further validation and development are required, hydrogen blending could play a key role in expanding low-carbon hydrogen at scale, reducing emissions, and leveraging existing natural gas infrastructure in a cost-effective and adaptable way.
By fostering Green Molecules™ innovation and investing in scalable hydrogen technologies, we are committed to supporting the next wave of energy solutions. Our focus remains on technologies that align with evolving regulatory frameworks and infrastructure readiness, helping shape a cleaner, more resilient energy future.