Knapton H2 Storage wins Ofgem SIF Discovery funding

The Knapton H2 Storage consortium led by Northern Gas Networks, with partners BGS, Centrica Energy Storage, Third Energy Onshore and the University of Edinburgh, has been awarded ‘Discovery’ funding by Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to undertake a feasibility study of geological hydrogen storage potential in the Knapton area, North Yorkshire.

• Main announcement/action: The consortium will use Ofgem SIF Discovery funding under the RIIO-2 innovation framework to evaluate the area’s geology for hydrogen storage at scale, focusing on depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, porous rock aquifers, salt deposits, and lined rock shafts as possible storage options; the study aims to inform decarbonisation of adjacent gas-fired peaking plants such as Knapton.
• Background and project details: BGS will apply its laboratory and mapping programmes to identify underground exploration targets; Centrica is redeveloping its Knapton site as a multi-vector energy hub (solar, green hydrogen production, battery storage); the project will assess integration readiness and commercial readiness of storage technologies and produce insights to support medium- to large-scale hydrogen storage and H2P roll-out.