connecting hydrogen to the home

As part of a consortium, Aalberts has connected an existing home to a local, underground hydrogen network on the Green Village project at Delft University of Technology. This European first enables residents to fully heat their home and tap water with hydrogen, which is seen as a promising alternative to natural gas as it’s more energy efficient and cost-effective.

European first  
Aalberts is taking a central role in shaping eco-friendly buildings, and this European first is another step in that direction. The test set-up of H2@Home is a first on the European mainland and its unique character is due to a combination of factors: the hydrogen is supplied via an underground pipeline network, which is similar to a natural gas network; the house is occupied and there is an individual residential connection; and the hydrogen pipes also run through the meter cupboard and user areas of the house. Together, these factors make the test environment particularly realistic and the results are significant to help us provide households with access to hydrogen in the future. And I am extremely proud that a range of Aalberts technology brands (Flamco, Comap, HSF, Henco and VSH) have worked so hard as part of the consortium to make it a reality.

future success
While hydrogen is a promising alternative to natural gas, it currently plays only a very limited role in the built environment. One area that is being researched further is converting a natural gas installation to hydrogen, as it is still unknown territory. The standard procedures for the installation and use of natural gas cannot simply be applied to hydrogen. It is the extremely broad expertise of the H2@Home consortium, which consists of network operators, manufacturers and other parties, that makes it possible to jointly investigate a range of areas that are crucial to solving these issues. However, we believe that using sustainably produced hydrogen could be a fantastic way to generate sustainable energy, resulting in no harmful emissions, and it has the potential to play a serious role in our future energy needs. This project fits with Aalberts' innovative thinking and sustainable agenda, tapping into our unique skill set where we push boundaries with our engineering expertise.

H2@home is being carried out with support from the hydrogen tender scheme of the ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate