Sustainable Renovation with Preservation of Heritage Value
The residents wanted to make their monumental houses more sustainable while preserving their heritage value. They succeeded in heating the houses in a sustainable way. This was possible by good insulation and using the existing gas network for hydrogen.
Valuable Lessons
The pilot provided valuable insights into technology, safety, communication, and cooperation. Technically, the existing natural gas network is suitable for hydrogen with the right adjustments. Technicians and installers can quickly retrain thanks to their experience with gas systems. The project is also a good example of successful cooperation between residents, companies, and governments. In the project, residents, Lochem Energie, Remeha, Westfalen Gassen Nederland, installation company Kimenai, the municipality of Lochem, and we worked closely together.
Opportunities for Hydrogen
The project shows that hydrogen is a safe and reliable way to make existing homes more sustainable. To apply this on a large scale, more green and affordable hydrogen is first needed. For now, hydrogen mainly offers opportunities for industry, where high temperatures are often required. It can also help to relieve the electricity grid. In Deventer and Amsterdam, Firan is already working on regional hydrogen networks for companies.
Sustainable Renovation with Preservation of Heritage
Renovating heritage requires customization. Therefore, besides this project in Lochem, we also supported area-specific pilots in Bronkhorst and Ellecom. These mainly focused on measures to save energy.