United Kingdom

China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of hydrogen. The country has adopted a domestic strategy that targets significant growth in hydrogen consumption and production. Given the importance of hydrogen in the low-carbon energy transition it is critical to understand China’s hydrogen policies and their implementation as well as the extent to which these contribute to the country’s low-carbon goals.<br/>Existing research has focused on understanding policies and regulations in China and their implications for the country’s hydrogen prospects. This study aims to improve our understanding of central-government initiatives and look at how China’s hydrogen policies are implemented at the local level. The paper examines the three cities of Zhangjiakou (in China’s renewable-rich Hebei province) Datong (in the country’s coal-heartland of Shanxi province) and Chengdu which is rich in hydropower and natural gas. To be sure the three cities analysed in this paper do not cover all regional plans and initiatives but they offer a useful window into local hydrogen policy implementation. They also illustrate the major challenges facing green hydrogen as it moves beyond the narrow highly subsidized field of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs). Indeed costs as well as water land availability and technology continue to be constraints.<br/>The hydrogen policies and road maps reviewed in this paper offer numerous targets—often setting quantitative goals for FCVs hydrogen refuelling stations hydrogen supply chain revenue and new hydrogen technology companies—aligning with the view that hydrogen development is currently more of an industrial policy than a decarbonisation strategy. Indeed hydrogen’s potential to decarbonise sectors such as manufacturing and chemicals is of secondary importance if mentioned at all. But as the cities analysed here view hydrogen as part of their industrial programmes economic development and climate strategies support is likely to remain significant even as the specific incentive schemes will likely evolve.<br/>Given this local hydrogen development model rising demand for hydrogen in China could ultimately increase rather than decrease CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels in the short run. At the same time even though the central government’s hydrogen targets (as laid out in its 2022 policy documents) seem relatively conservative Chinese cities’ appetite for new sources of growth and the ability to fund various business models are worth watching.

With the growing demand for green technologies hydrogen energy devices such as Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells and water electrolysers have received accelerated developments. However the materials and manufacturing cost of these technologies are still relatively expensive which impedes their widespread commercialization. Additive Manufacturing (AM) commonly termed 3D Printing (3DP) with its advanced capabilities could be a potential pathway to solve the fabrication challenges of PEM parts. Herein in this paper the research studies on the novel AM fabrication methods of PEM components are thoroughly reviewed and analysed. The key performance properties such as corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement resistance of the additively manufactured materials in the PEM working environment are discussed to emphasise their reliability for the PEM systems. Additionally the major challenges and required future developments of AM technologies to unlock their full potential for PEM fabrication are identified. This paper provides insights from the latest research developments on the significance of advanced manufacturing technologies in developing sustainable energy systems to address the global energy challenges and climate change effects.

In this podcast David Ledesma engages in a conversation with Alex Patonia and Rahmat Poudineh on their recent paper focusing on hydrogen storage for a net-zero carbon future. The podcast delves into the various types of hydrogen storage options highlighting their relative strengths and drawbacks.

In order for a hydrogen economy to be established several key factors must be addressed including efficient and decarbonized production adequate transportation infrastructure and the deployment of suitable hydrogen storage facilities. However hydrogen presents unique challenges when it comes to storage and handling. Due to its extremely low volumetric energy density under ambient conditions hydrogen cannot be efficiently or economically stored without undergoing compression liquefaction or conversion into other more manageable substances.

At present there exist several hydrogen storage solutions at different levels of technology market and commercial readiness each with varying applications depending on specific circumstances.

Additionally the podcast explores the primary barriers that hinder investment in hydrogen storage and the essential components of a viable business model that can address the primary risks to which potential hydrogen storage investors are exposed.

The podcast can be found on their website.

Hydrogen (H2) usage was 90 metric tonnes (Mt) in 2020 almost entirely for industrial and refining uses and generated almost completely from fossil fuels leading to nearly 900 Mt of carbon dioxide emissions. However there has been significant growth of H2 in recent years. Electrolysers' total capacity which are required to generate H2 from electricity has multiplied in the past years reaching more than 300 MW through 2021. Approximately 350 projects reportedly under construction could push total capacity to 54 GW by the year 2030. Some other 40 projects totalling output of more than 35 GW are in the planning phase. If each of these projects is completed global H2 production from electrolysers could exceed 8 Mt by 2030. It's an opportunity to take advantage of H2S prospects to be a crucial component of a clean safe and cost-effective sustainable future. This paper assesses the situation regarding H2 at the moment and provides recommendations for its potential future advancement. The study reveals that clean H2 is experiencing significant unparalleled commercial and political force with the amount of laws and projects all over the globe growing quickly. The paper concludes that in order to make H2 more widely employed it is crucial to significantly increase innovations and reduce costs. The practical and implementable suggestions provided to industries and governments will allow them to fully capitalise on this growing momentum.

With the current trends of wind energy already playing a major part in the Scottish energy supply the capacity of wind farms is predicted to grow exponentially and reach further depths offshore. However a key challenge that presents itself is the integration of large producing assets into the current UK grid. One potential solution to this is green hydrogen production which is being heavily researched in industry with many concepts being investigated for large-scale purposes. However the operations and maintenance (O&M) costs and availability of green hydrogen systems need to be quantified to ensure economical and technical viability which is sparse in the available literature. The study presented in this paper investigated the availability and O&M costs of coupled wind–hydrogen systems by attempting to quantify the failure rates repair times repair costs and number of technicians required for key green hydrogen components. This study also utilised an O&M model created by the University of Strathclyde which uses Monte Carlo Markov chain simulations to produce the O&M outputs. A number of assumptions were made throughout the study in relation to the O&M model inputs and the baseline availability for the coupled wind–hydrogen system was 85.24%. Whilst the wind turbine still contributed a major part to the downtime seen in the simulations the combined hydrogen system also contributed a significant amount a total of 37% which could have been due to the technology readiness levels of some the components included in the hydrogen system.

Grid-scale underground hydrogen storage (UHS) is essential for the decarbonization of energy supply systems on the path towards a zero-emissions future. This study presents the feasibility of UHS in an actual saline aquifer with a typical dome-shaped anticline structure to balance the potential seasonal mismatches between energy supply and demand in the UK domestic heating sector. As a main requirement for UHS in saline aquifers we investigate the role of well configuration design in enhancing storage performance in the selected site via numerical simulation. The results demonstrate that the efficiency of cyclic hydrogen recovery can reach around 70% in the short term without the need for upfront cushion gas injection. Storage capacity and deliverability increase in successive storage cycles for all scenarios with the co-production of water from the aquifer having a minimal impact on the efficiency of hydrogen recovery. Storage capacity and deliverability also increase when additional wells are added to the storage site; however the distance between wells can strongly influence this effect. For optimum well spacing in a multi-well storage scenario within a dome-shaped anticline structure it is essential to attain an efficient balance between well pressure interference effects at short well distances and the gas uprising phenomenon at large distances. Overall the findings obtained and the approach described can provide effective technical guidelines pertaining to the design and optimization of hydrogen storage operations in deep saline aquifers.

The European Commission has identified hydrogen as a key part of its decarbonisation strategy. The 2022 REPowerEU Strategy set a target of 20MT consumption of renewable hydrogen by 2030. The Commission is keen to promote a single European market in hydrogen similar to the current one for natural gas. To this end it has published proposals on the regulation of  future European hydrogen infrastructure (pipelines storage facilities and import terminals). The European Council (representing Member States) and the European Parliament are finalising their amendments to the Commission proposals prior to ’trilogue’ negotiations and final agreement later this year. The paper ‘The EU Hydrogen and Gas Decarbonisation Package: help or hindrance for the development of a European hydrogen market?’ examines the European Commission proposals and their suitability for a developing  hydrogen market.

This is a summary report of a study which aimed to understand the safety feasibility cost and impacts for 7 industrial sites to switch from natural gas to 100% hydrogen for heating. The volunteer industrial sites:<br/>♦ are located away from industrial clusters<br/>♦ use natural gas to meet most of their energy demand<br/>♦ will likely be most impacted by decisions on the future of the natural gas grid<br/>We have published the report in order to share its findings with other industrial sites and wider industry in particular those considering hydrogen as an option for decarbonisation.<br/>Note that:<br/>♦ some work was carried out on a non-hydrogen alternative energy source but to a lesser level of detail and not to determine the optimal decarbonisation solution<br/>♦ the findings do not apply to other end user environments because of differences between these environments and the consumption of gas<br/>The study was commissioned in 2022 by the former Department for Business and Energy and undertaken by AECOM and their safety sub-contractor ESR.<br/>The evidence will inform strategic decisions in 2026 on the role of low carbon hydrogen as a replacement for natural gas heating.

In this podcast David Ledesma talks to Martin Lambert and Abdurahman Alsulaiman about the potential hydrogen import market particularly focusing on the EU which currently holds the largest and earliest hydrogen target. The podcast explores the emerging hydrogen trade market and considers numerous possibilities for its open up providing better clarity on policy statements and balance them against project announcements.

Throughout the podcast Martin and Abdulrahman delve into various key points – they shed light on the primary areas of focus for projects set to be completed by or before 2030 as well as the distinction between announcements and tangible progress such as projects currently at the Final Investment Decision stage or under construction.

Additionally they explore the EU’s role as one of the few countries to have publicly announced its requirements for hydrogen imports and its ambitious hydrogen import target. The EU is currently establishing a benchmark for the future hydrogen market. However in order for the EU to succeed in establishing future hydrogen supply lines with future trade partners it will be crucial to engage in open dialogues covering a wide range of topics.

Join us in this podcast as we uncover the potential of the hydrogen import market with a specific focus on the EU and discuss the necessary steps for its success.

The podcast can be found on their website.

Policy Connect Carbon Connect and sector and Parliamentary experts have collaborated to present options for the gas grid to play a useful role in the UK’s transition to a low carbon energy system through the widespread use of low carbon gas. The report calls on Government to support the transition to a more flexible gas grid that uses various forms of gas including low carbon gases such as hydrogen and biomethane.