Backed by government funding, it is trialling hydrogen power, which does not produce the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

A test home at Low Thornley, near Gateshead, has been built in partnership with fellow gas distributor Cadent and the Government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and the signs so far appear positive.

The property is fitted with UK manufactured hydrogen gas appliances, including boilers, cookers and fires, together with a hydrogen meter. The appliances look similar to conventional natural gas appliances, except for the flame on the hob, which burns orange rather than blue.

Apart from that, the oven and hobs cook food at the same temperature and in the same amount of time as natural gas. The boiler and fires are just as warm.

Northern Gas Networks believe that a hydrogen gas supply could offer the most cost effective and least invasive route to zero carbon home heating and will help the government in its target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“We can reuse the existing gas networks and households can reuse the same pipework and radiators, with just the replacement of appliances needed,” says Stella Mathews, Hydrogen Development Manager at NGN.

Manufacturers including Baxi Heating, Ideal, Vaillant and Worcester Bosch have already developed hydrogen-ready boilers, which can run on both gas and hydrogen. They have also made a promise to match the price of hydrogen-ready boilers to today’s natural gas boilers.

The first phase towards the government’s goal would be introducing a 20 per cent hydrogen blend into the UK mains supply, which won’t be until 2028 at the earliest.

Critics say that hydrogen fuel, unlike natural gas, doesn’t exist in nature and has to be manufactured, sometimes using CO2 for that process, so it is not 100 per cent green, though Stella Matthews says: “If we use blue hydrogen which is produced using natural gas, then carbon capture will be used.”

She adds: “There is no one silver bullet to tackle climate change but hydrogen power comes with less disruption to homes and that appeals to people.”

Meanwhile, Redcar has been identified as a potential place for a hydrogen heating village trial, which would see the conversion of existing gas network infrastructure in the area, repurposed for 100 per cent hydrogen.

Interest in this alternative form of power is certainly high and so the NGN offers tours of its hydrogen house to the public. It is now full booked until the end of December.

The tours last between one and two hours and are aimed at allaying concerns . You can book a visit by emailing [email protected].

Why homes run on hydrogen could be coming to Yorkshire