Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of welcoming Tim Costley, MP for Ōtaki, along with our pilot partners GasNet, Nova Energy, Powerco, Vector Limited, Te Horo community board members and GasNZ, to the Te Horo Hydrogen Blending Pilot site and display home.
James Irvine, GM of Future Fuels at Clarus said, “This pilot is a first for New Zealand, and reaching the 10% milestone demonstrates the feasibility of using our existing gas infrastructure and appliances to transport hydrogen. Our energy future will be shaped by a mix of options, and this work helps us understand the option of hydrogen blending.”
Cooking with a blend of hydrogen
The visit ended in a fitting way—around the BBQ and stovetop. Chefs Shep and Dale from Ideas2Plate prepared a delicious meal using the hydrogen blend of gas on both a gas hob and BBQ. Their verdict? No noticeable difference compared to cooking with natural gas.
Irvine said, “The display home allows us to show what’s possible while we gather evidence to inform the development of renewable gases in New Zealand. It’s not about introducing hydrogen into every household but about proving that our networks and infrastructure can be ready, if and when hydrogen is widely available.”
Why this matters
While electricity will continue to play a major role in New Zealand’s clean energy future, not every sector can make the switch. Hydrogen is recognised internationally as a potentially renewable gas option that can be stored and transported at large scale. This could make it an ideal complement to solar and wind generation and a valuable tool for helping hard-to-electrify sectors, such as high-heat industries, heavy transport, and those already using hydrogen as a feedstock, to decarbonise
Globally, hydrogen blending trials are already underway in the UK, US, Canada, Japan, and Australia. With this NZ-first pilot, we’re gathering insights that will help determine whether hydrogen blending could have a place here too.
Looking ahead
This milestone is about more than just a percentage blend. It shows that, with industry collaboration and regulatory oversight, we can trial new technologies safely, learn from them, and be ready with credible options in the future. The lessons from this pilot will help inform how hydrogen could contribute to New Zealand’s future energy mix.
