From Lochem with Love: an encounter with hydrogen heating hedonists.
The Netherlands has long been the birthplace of inventions, individuals, and initiatives that have had a seismic impact on the world. Notable mentions might include* The Dutch Masters, Cruyff, liquorice, clogs, Miffy the Rabbit, and my personal favourite, Stroopwafels. As I sit here writing this, with my feet toasty warm in hand-carved wooden shoes, admiring my collection of Rembrandts, it is clear as the windmill on the horizon that our Dutch brethren have always been at the pinnacle of progress.
But those things are from days of old, a time gone by. Immense as these achievements are, rather than resting on their tulip-adorned laurels, the Dutch have been busy birthing another progressive subculture. Whilst some argue it might not be as exciting as the café scene of Amsterdam, over the course of a 21-hour road trip, we learnt that this new movement is just as open-minded and equally forward thinking, as the Netherlands is a hotbed of innovation, implementing hydrogen for domestic heat.
Alongside a bleary-eyed band of national and trade media, we met at 4am in Heathrow to embark upon a whistle-stop voyage of heating discovery, to (do your best David Attenborough impression) “see how these boilers behave in the wild”.
Lochem is a small town in the east of the Netherlands. The hydrogen pilot consists of 12 houses, all 100+ years old, these houses are being supplied thanks to the successful repurposing of the existing natural gas grid with hydrogen. That grid is in turn being supplied via a bespoke depot located just over 1km away from the street This project is a joint venture between boiler manufacturer BDR Thermea via its brand Remeha; grid operator Alliander, a residents’ energy co-operative called LochemEnergie; and utility company Westfalen Gassen Nederland.
We visit during the first year of a three-year trial and the enthusiasm of the residents we meet is overwhelming. Ab and Elena Van Beek are a retired couple, affable, intelligent, and generous with their time. They aren’t what you might normally associate with the term ‘early adopters’ but the Van Beeks are blazing a trail.
Ab is a most accommodating host. He quite literally has no boundaries. He urges us to put our fingers in the orifices of his house to feel the pipes – “the same!” He wants us to fiddle with the valves on his radiators – “the same!” He runs the tap and splashes water “immediately hot!”. He bundles us through a small hatch in his attic to witness his Remeha boiler running on 100% hydrogen and shushes us into silence as he presses our ears to the boiler housing and asks the question: “can you hear that? NOTHING!!” He calls down for Elena to put the shower on, then run the taps, then to turn the heating up, “Still nothing!” he gleefully exclaims. Aside from the obvious observation that this is a man very happy with his decision, and his home heating, we draw another startling conclusion: we should all be a little more Ab when it comes to celebrating the small things as we live our lives.
We cross the road to see Ab’s neighbour, Rob Oostendorp. Again, we are greeted like long lost family – the welcome is as warm as the house and the enthusiastic grins are a wide as the beautiful bay windows.
The mantra as Rob tours us around his home is simple: ‘Everything works as it should’. Rob answers our questions over safety, disruption, install, issues, and supply. The report we receive back is compelling in its clinical delivery: the installation was straight forward; the engineers took one day for the boiler and meter. Adjustments have been made but they have been simple, thanks in part to the team on the ground, and bolstered by the fact that these pilot boilers have been installed with a live internet link that connects back to the Italian factory. This is like the ultimate Homecare package – any glitch, flaw or repair needed is picked up directly by the manufacturers and fixed immediately. Rob doesn’t see the fuss: this works, of course it does. Rob tells us he is more worried about society moving away from testing, learning, and trialling new things. Surely, he pleads, this is a fundamental part of being human and moving society forward?
After the end of the three-year trial period, the Lochem residents have the choice to either switch back to natural gas, or – if supply allows – continue to use hydrogen. Participation in the scheme was entirely voluntary and any homeowners in the street who were not interested in participating still receive natural gas via a new natural gas pipeline. These numbers are dwindling, there are a further three homes set to be connected to the pilot this year.
We bombarded the residents, the businesses behind the initiative, and the local politicians driving this initiative with relentless questions. Is it safe? The short answer is “yes”. The longer answer, Ab tells me is, ‘very safe’. The safety measures in place are akin to what is used in the existing gas network that has kept people safe and warm for the last 150 years. The gas pipelines of the homeowners were all checked ahead of install, there are hydrogen sensors installed near the gas meters, there is an odorant added so the hydrogen smells the same as natural gas, and an additional failsafe has been placed in the connecting pipeline that means the gas supply can be immediately cut off should any pipe in the home break.
There is no hearsay, proliferation of myth, scaremongering, and not a hint of any trolling on social media. It is a refreshing environment when comparing it to the choppy waters of UK home heating. Instead of the negativity we have seen here, Lochem instead offers an air of careful consideration and willingness to collaborate. We are reminded by the residents that none of the people taking part have been forced, nor do they lack intelligence or are likely to be duped. Ab confides in me his age and stresses that he is neither young enough, nor naïve enough to have not interrogated and investigated the trial in all its detail before signing up.
The enthusiasm of Lochem’s residents is infectious. Not only are they proud of being at the fore of this trial to test the new technology, but there is also a resounding mood of progress, and pride that this street in this town is catalysing the future. Do they view themselves as guinea pigs? No. They see themselves as pioneers. They blend the nervous optimism that comes with ‘going first’ with a acknowledgement of moral duty as they do their bit to future proof their children and grandchildren’s future by trialling low carbon technology. “We are the first in Europe to have hydrogen” Rob proclaims. “We mustn’t be the last”.
Author: Matt Eagles – Head of Engagement – Hydrogen at Cadent Gas
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From Lochem with Love: an encounter with hydrogen heating hedonists.
