Hydrogen Boiler Cost Guide

Hydrogen boilers are the next generation of heating for many homes in the UK. While not on sale yet, working prototypes have been made – and they're likely to be on sale very soon.

When they're available to buy, it's likely that hydrogen boilers will cost around the same as a new gas boiler – approximately £2,275 for combi boiler installation and £2,775 for a conventional boiler.

No one knows exactly how much hydrogen boilers will cost, but this is a good estimate. Keep checking back as we get more information on hydrogen boiler prices as development continues.

What will replace gas boilers?

Gas boilers eventually be phased out in newbuild homes. Home builders will have to install an alternative source of heating, such as a heat pump, to produce heating and hot water.

Lots of homeowners are worried that this applies to gas boilers already installed in their homes – but fear not. Any home with a gas boiler will still be able to use it to provide heating and hot water probably well into the 30s.

After that, the government is hinting at using hydrogen to heat our homes by supplying it through the gas grid, so maybe hydrogen boilers will become the leading source of heat for most homes in the UK. Watch this space!

Are hydrogen boilers available now?

No, hydrogen boilers aren't available now. Manufacturers Worcester Bosch and Baxi have developed prototypes of hydrogen-ready boilers which can run on natural gas now, but can switch over to 100% hydrogen when the time comes.

Can I convert my boiler to run on hydrogen?

No, you can't convert your current boiler to run on hydrogen. However, most gas boilers and other gas appliances that are available now can run on 20% hydrogen with 80% natural gas.

That means that as we reduce our reliance on natural gas and the government increases hydrogen into the gas grid, your current boiler will still work properly.

So if your gas boiler is old and inefficient but you're trying to hold out for a hydrogen-ready boiler, don't worry. It's still worth installing a new gas boiler, as you'll get many years’ use out of it before you would need to switch to something that runs on 100% hydrogen.

How much will a hydrogen boiler cost to fit?

The hydrogen boilers in development right now are very similar to natural gas boilers. Since most boilers could run on a blend of gas and hydrogen right now, we can assume that hydrogen-ready boilers will cost around the same amount to fit as gas boilers.

There will probably be laws put in place to ensure that only trained installers can fit hydrogen boilers. If the entire gas grid is switched to hydrogen, Gas Safe engineers will probably be trained to install them.

Hydrogen boiler fitting costs will still depend on whether you want your boiler installed in the same place as the old one – boiler relocation costs will be higher.

Are hydrogen boilers cheaper to run?

The jury's out on whether hydrogen boilers are cheaper to run. Hydrogen is expected to cost more per kilowatt hour (kWh) than natural gas, but it is far more efficient.

Hydrogen can produce nearly three times as much heat per kWh, so hydrogen boilers won't need to use as much fuel as gas boilers to heat your home effectively.

As hydrogen boilers will work in a similar way to gas boilers, we can expect that they will be required to have a high efficiency rating as gas boilers are. Hopefully that means that homeowners will see a saving on their energy bills with the introduction of hydrogen in the supply.

Do you need a tank for a hydrogen boiler?

No, you won't need a tank for a hydrogen boiler. The idea is that hydrogen boilers will be supplied via the mains gas pipes that are already installed in 85% of homes in the UK.

Over time, the amount of hydrogen in the supply from the gas grid will increase until we no longer use natural gas to heat our homes.

Get a quote for a hydrogen blend-ready boiler

If you want to future-proof your home and update your old gas boiler to a hydrogen blend-ready one, post your job on HaMuch for a gas boiler now. Get quotes from a range of Gas Safe registered engineers who can recommend boilers that will run on up to 20% hydrogen.

Estimates for common heating engineer jobs;

Rates for other trades