Hydrogen gas has long been seen as a viable alternative to natural gas supplies in the UK, with experts frequently highlighting its environmental benefits in comparison to traditional fossil fuels. 

For anyone working within the gas industry, be it newcomers or experienced engineers, such a switch will almost certainly have long-term repercussions when it comes to the training and qualifications they need to complete.

With that said, below are some of the recent big developments relating to the much talked about hydrogen gas switch over, and what we might expect going forward. 

Hydrogen gas successfully integrated with existing pipelines

Back in September 2025, a first-of-its-kind trial confirmed that existing UK gas pipelines could be used to transport hydrogen gas in the future, marking a major milestone in plans to move away from natural gas supplies.  

Carried out by SGN, the project focused on the UK’s high-pressure live transmission system (LTS), an 11,600km pipeline that brings gas from the national system to both domestic and commercial buildings. 

The LTS Futures test, which focused on a 30km stretch of the LTS between Granton and Grangemouth, aimed to determine whether existing natural gas networks could be used on live hydrogen pipelines in the future. 

The live trial included various works associated with the operation and maintenance of gas supplies, such as welding and hot tapping, as well as flow stopping; the temporary blocking of gas flow so works can be carried out without shutting off the entire system. 

Deemed a success, SGN says the findings would form a blueprint for repurposing the entire LTS to hydrogen, helping to create regional hydrogen hubs and providing a pathway for a wider transition to low-carbon hydrogen. You can read more about LTS Futures here. 

Cadent Launches H2East 150Km Hydrogen Pipeline

More recently, a proposed underground hydrogen pipeline linking the Humber with Nottinghamshire officially entered the public phase in January 2026. 

The planned network, which is being developed by Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, will deliver hydrogen directly to energy-intensive manufacturers currently dependent on methane-based natural gas.

Known as the East Coast Hydrogen initiative, the network forms the first stage of Project Union, a collaboration between National Gas, Northern Gas Networks and Cadent. Over the next 15 years, the project seeks to convert up to 39,000 businesses to hydrogen across the North and East of England. 

So, what does the future hold for gas engineers? 

While clear progress has been made in terms of testing and proving the viability of switching to hydrogen, any wide-scale changes are likely still a long way off. Any potential shift to hydrogen would be rolled out gradually over a long period of time, with no concrete date or commitment set for a full switch over. 

This means the day-to-day workload for most gas engineers is unlikely to change any time soon, and the government’s scrapping of the proposed 2035 ban on gas boilers only reinforces this.

Should hydrogen indeed be the chosen long-term alternative to natural gas, these early tests are proof that the skill sets that engineers already possess will be highly valuable, and that much of the work could even be carried out on existing systems. 

While some element of upskilling will be needed, it’s clear that gas engineers will have a crucial role to play in switching supplies, decommissioning outdated appliances and installing new green alternatives, signalling an exciting and busy period ahead for the sector.