As the UK moves toward net zero, rural communities face unique challenges in reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. The H2 Farm of the Future project explored how hydrogen could support farming’s transition by assessing current technologies, mapping future pathways, and engaging directly with farmers to understand their direct needs.
This collaborative project-led by Northern Gas Networks and supported by Cenex, the Royal Agricultural Society of England and the Energy Innovation Centre provided insight into how hydrogen could play a meaningful role in agriculture’s low-carbon future.
The Challenge
Many farms are still reliant on fossil fuels for heating, transport, and agricultural processes, meaning there is a risk of this industry being left behind as mainstream energy systems move towards electrification and hydrogen. Rural areas (especially those off the gas grid) face limited and often expensive options when it comes to decarbonising their energy use. For the farming community, this challenge is particularly acute.
The large-scale East Coast Hydrogen project conducted by Northen Gas Networks, Cadent and National Gas focused on more densely populated areas, and saw existing assets between Teeside and Humberside utilised to begin distributing Hydrogen across the North East of England.
This project highlighted the risk that some rural areas situated away from the major infrastructure may not benefit as quickly from low-carbon energy solutions. The Hydrogen Farm of the Future project aimed to identify realistic, energy solutions tailored to the farming sector’s unique needs.
The approach was not just about technology; it was about creating realistic, scalable roadmaps to support farmers in transitioning away from fossil fuels. These solutions needed to be technically viable, economically sound, and culturally acceptable to those working the land.
The Journey
The first phase of the project was to evaluate the current readiness of hydrogen for use in farming. It focused on technologies close to market (TRL 7–9), such as hydrogen vehicles, heating, and on-site production. The aim was to determine which solutions would be immediately viable for farms in NGN’s region.
Next, the team looked further ahead, mapping out possible decarbonisation routes for farming up to 2050, considering emerging technologies at TRL 6 and above. This gave a clearer view of how hydrogen might support farming’s long-term shift to net zero.
To support this, the project created a set of farm energy archetypes (groupings based on typical farm types, sizes, and energy needs), which helped prioritise use cases and assess how hydrogen opportunities might scale geographically.
Engagement with farmers across Yorkshire was central to the work. To avoid the reliance on theory alone, the project captured real-world insights into barriers and incentives for hydrogen adoption, ensuring findings reflected farmers’ experience.
The Resolution
The project provided a clearer understanding of how hydrogen could support the decarbonisation of UK farming both now and in the future. By identifying realistic use cases and developing representative farm energy archetypes, it created a practical framework for assessing where and how hydrogen can be adopted across rural settings.
Financial benefits will be achieved by:
- Helping farmers and policymakers understand which hydrogen technologies are viable and where investment could bring the greatest return
- Supporting a more informed, cost-effective decision-making process across the agricultural supply chain by outlining credible transition pathways.
Social benefits will be achieved by:
- Ensuring that the voices of rural and off-grid communities are heard as part of the energy transition
- Engaging directly with farmers highlighted key barriers and incentives, helping to shape future support strategies that are tailored and inclusive.
Environmental benefits will be achieved by:
- Contributing to the UK’s net zero goals by exploring how hydrogen could replace fossil fuels in farming operations, from heating and transport to fertiliser production
- The findings offer a foundation for further action and provide a route to decarbonise a sector that is often hard to reach with conventional solutions.
What’s Next?
The Hydrogen Farm of the Future project has provided an understanding of how hydrogen could fit into the future of the UK’s farming landscape. By combining technical insight with farmer-led input, it offers a replicable model for supporting rural decarbonisation.
This work ensures that farming communities are considered from the outset and not retrospectively. Turning insight into action – sharing findings across the sector, informing future innovation, and identifying opportunities for trials.
“Northern Gas Networks are committed to facilitate a fair and just energy systems transition for all our customers. As part of this commitment, we wanted to also understand the opportunities available for not only our customers but also all energy users within our patch. The project detailed the options available for hydrogen to decarbonise farming operations”
Lewis Kirkwood, Innovation Manager, Northern Gas Networks