· SGN and Fife College will upskill over 200 experienced local Gas Safe registered engineers to work with hydrogen in domestic properties
· Engineers will work on world-first green hydrogen trial – H100 Fife
Gas distribution company SGN and Fife College will open the UK’s first ever hydrogen training facility for gas engineers in the first half of 2024.
Based in Fife College’s Levenmouth Campus, the new training facility will create a new net zero workforce in Fife by upskilling over 200 existing Gas Safe registered engineers to work with hydrogen gas. SGN has been developing the training courses in partnership with Fife College since June 2022, alongside key stakeholders such as Energy & Utility Skills Partnership and the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM).
Engineers who receive the training will work on SGN’s world-first green hydrogen trial – H100 Fife. H100 Fife will be supplying green hydrogen to several hundred homes in Levenmouth in Fife through a new hydrogen gas network, which is currently being built alongside the existing natural gas network. H100 Fife Project Manager Richard Beedell said: “Our industry needs a diverse and skilled workforce to continue to keep communities safe and warm while we transition towards net zero.
“We’re delighted to be working with Fife College on building this first of a kind training centre, which brings us one step closer to bringing green hydrogen gas to domestic customers for the first time.”
Training will be delivered to local Gas Safe registered engineers in Fife by expert trainers with experience in delivering natural gas training with support from industry professionals. The course will enable engineers to safely install, test and commission the hydrogen supply system in people's homes including the newly developed hydrogen appliances (boilers, hobs and meters).
Pioneering hydrogen gas appliances, which work similarly to their natural gas equivalents, will be used in the training facility. These will be provided by leading manufacturers including MeteRSit, Pietro Fiorentini, Baxi, Clean Burner Systems (CBS), BSH and Worcester Bosch.
Jim Metcalfe, Fife College Principal, said: “Fife College is honoured and excited to be establishing the UK's first-ever hydrogen training facility, in partnership with SGN. By upskilling more than 200 gas engineers at our cutting-edge Levenmouth Campus, we are at the forefront of training the vital future workforce the country so desperately needs to make the transition to clean energy. Together with SGN we are proud to be shaping a cleaner, greener future for our local communities."
SGN CEO Mark Wild OBE, who also chairs the Energy & Utility Skills Partnership said: “It’s so important to prepare gas engineers today, for the skills they’ll need tomorrow. They are the guardians of our gas network, on the frontline making sure communities are safe, warm and have access to the critical services they need. They’ll also play a key role in the years to come ensuring our industry is at the heart of the UK’s ambitions to achieve net zero.”
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Notes to Editors
Image captions
NR-24005a: Left to right: H100 Project Manager Richard Beedell and Fife College Principal
Jim Metcalfe
NR-24005b: When the facility is up and running, engineers will be working on hydrogen boilers like this one from Baxi
About hydrogen gas:
Heating in buildings accounts for over 20% of national carbon emissions, so decarbonising heat is essential to delivering net zero. Hydrogen is a clean burning alternative to fossil fuels from which we can harness energy. It has a wide range of applications across key energy sectors, including heat, power and transport. Alongside other low carbon technologies, such as heat networks and heat pumps, hydrogen could play an important role in transitioning homes across the UK away from fossil fuels.
About H100 Fife:
The H100 Fife project is being delivered by gas distribution SGN and will be the first trial in the world to deliver green hydrogen gas into homes for heating. Green hydrogen can be created using clean energy like wind power, meaning there are no harmful carbon emissions involved. H100 Fife is part of the UK Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and will provide evidence to help inform future low-carbon policy decisions for Scotland and the UK. Find out more here.
About SGN
SGN manages the network which distributes natural and green gas to approximately six million homes and businesses across Scotland and southern England. Our pipes deliver gas safely, reliably and efficiently to each of these customers.
We perform an essential 24/7 service to keep everyone in our communities safe and warm. If anyone smells gas indoors or outside, they should dial the National Gas Emergency Number on 0800 111 999* and an engineer will visit that location to carry out the required checks.
We’re committed to caring for our customers, especially those in vulnerable circumstances, working with specialist organisations on initiatives aimed at making a positive impact on society and improving the lives of the people in our communities.
Alongside the UK and Scottish Governments and the other gas distribution networks, we’re developing the world’s first zero-carbon gas grid and shaping a net zero future for the UK.
About Fife College
Fife College is one of the largest colleges of higher and further education in Scotland with five main campuses located in Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, Leven, and Rosyth. The College offers over 400 courses, from essential skills to graduate degree programmes, in more than 40 different subject areas, with 93% of Fife College students progressing into either employment or further studies after completing their courses. Over 17,000 students currently study either full-time or part-time at the College, which also hosts the Carnegie Conference Centre, a University Hub, and the Andrew Carnegie Business School.
