A fuel is a chemical that can be ‘burnt’ to provide useful energy. Burning normally means that chemical bonds between the elements in the fuel are broken and the elements chemically combine with oxygen (often from the air).

For many years, we’ve used natural gas to heat our homes and businesses, and for power stations to generate electricity; currently 85% of homes and 40% electricity relies on gas. 

Methane is the main constituent of ‘natural gas’ from oil and gas fields. We’ve continued to use natural gas because it’s a readily available resource, it’s cost effective and it’s a cleaner alternative to coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel that we historically relied on for heating and to generate electricity.

When natural gas is burnt, it provides heat energy. But a waste product alongside water is carbon dioxide, which when released into the atmosphere contributes to climate change. 
When we burn hydrogen, the only waste product is water vapour. For hydrogen to be a viable alternative to methane, it has to be produced at scale, economically and the current infrastructure needs to be adapted. WITTIG Compressors for Hydrogen handling are first choice for these applications.