Green hydrogen for residential heating?

Hydrogen is attracting increasing attention as an energy source across several sectors where decarbonisation options are either limited or relatively expensive. Residential heating is one example. Ireland’s National Energy & Climate Plan 2021-2030 considers green hydrogen to be an enabler of the transition to a low carbon economy. The term “Green Hydrogen” refers to hydrogen whose extraction does not depend on burning fossil fuels and thus it is advocated as a policy option for decarbonisation. One mechanism to produce hydrogen is through the electrolysis of water, powered by electricity from renewable energy. Hydrogen produced in this way can decarbonise residential heating by blending it with natural gas.