EWS Government scraps Whitby hydrogen trial Reduce energy use with behaviour change campaign, says EST The government should introduce a comprehensive behaviour change campaign to reduce energy demand, a review of international policy responses to the issue has recommended. The study, carried out jointly by Energy Saving Trust (EST) and the Green Alliance, says the UK has no plans to introduce such a wideranging behaviour change campaign, unlike many other countries that did so in response to gas shortages following Russias invasion of Ukraine. The report recommends a campaign targeted on businesses and households, centred on the UK governments aim of a 15% reduction in energy demand by 2030. By combining quick win energybill saving actions and wider and longer-term actions to achieve carbon reductions and promote energy security, the campaign could engage people with different priorities such as those who are less responsive to net zero-focused messages, it says. Energy secretary says hydrogen less likely to be used routinely to heat homes The government has scrapped plans for a village hydrogen heat trial as Secretary of State for energy Grant Shapps has downplayed the role that the fuel will play in homes. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero informed gas network Cadent last week that it has decided not to press ahead with its proposal to use the Cheshire village of Whitby as a test bed for hydrogen in home heating. Junior energy minister Lord Callanan tweeted that there was not strong local support for the trial, which would have seen hydrogen replace natural gas in up to 2,000 homes over two years. The village-scale trials for which Whitby was earmarked are a key staging post in the governments programme to test how hydrogen works in home heating. The trials are designed to inform decisions on future options for home heating in 2026. However Cadents plan sparked a fierce backlash among Whitby residents. The announcement means that only a pilot at Redcar in Teesside is in the running for the village hydrogen home heat trial. A Cadent spokesperson said: While Whitby wont be the location for the trial, the information we have gained over the past 12 months will still play an invaluable role in shaping how the UK heats its homes and businesses in the future. While hydrogen would form part of Britains overall energy mix, it was less likely to be routinely used in home heating, said Shapps, who added: Its not that we wont do trials. We will. But I think hydrogen will be used for storing energy. C OMP R EH EN S I V E EXTENSIVE PRODUCT RANGE AND BESPOKE SOLUTIONS Trusted since 1919, our extensive portfolio of general and public health valves, pipe fittings and commissioning valves for constant and variable flow ensure you dont have to look anywhere else. Even if you need a bespoke solution come to us. Find out more at Cranefs.com/solutions 21400_CRANE_FS_COMPREHENSIVE_AD_133X186.indd 1 6 August 2023 www.cibsejournal.com 14/02/2022 13:32