Mixing hydrogen into existing gas supplies, an emission-cutting strategy being considered by the UK government, could cause household energy bills to rise by 16 percent, a new study has suggested. The British government said last year that it would work with industry to “assess the safety, technical feasibility, and cost effectiveness of mixing 20 percent hydrogen into the existing gas supply.” It said doing so “could deliver a 7 percent emissions reduction on natural gas.” But analysis from German research institute Fraunhofer IEE found that, if these plans go ahead, it could push up energy bills by 16 percent for homes, and by as much as 43 percent for industrial end-users. Hydrogen is significantly more expensive than natural gas. In a report (pdf) published on Jan. 27, the institute said, “Blending, even at low percentages, constitutes a sub-optimal pathway for the deployment of hydrogen and should be avoided in favour …