Ireland

Feedstock-to-fuel conversion or “Fuel Production” is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in life cycle assessment (LCA) of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) from wastes. Here we construct and demonstrate an original mass and energy conserved chemically rigorous LCA methodology for the production of Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids-Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (HEFA-SPK) from Used Cooking Oil (UCO). This study proposes and demonstrates the use of; (i) the chemical composition of the UCO (ii) the ASTM properties of HEFA-SPK and (iii) the elemental mass and energy conserved reaction mechanism which converts one to the other as physical constraints for the specific LCA of any UCO derived HEFA-SPK. With application of these constraints the emissions embodied in UCO HEFA-SPK Fuel Production is found to range from 4.2 to 15.7 gCO2e/MJSAF depending on the renewability of the energy and hydrogen utilized. Imposition of (i)-(iii) as modelling constraints derives a HEFA-SPK yield of 49 mass% a priori. This finding aligns with experimental literature but brings attention to the higher yield estimations of 70–81% observed in current LCA tools. We show that this impacts the end LCA significantly as it adjusts allocation of emissions. A replication study of CORSIA’s (10.5 gCO2e/MJSAF) default core LCA value for Fuel Production quantifies the increase at +5.3 gCO2e/MJSAF or 15.8 gCO2e/MJSAF as total for Fuel Production. As the embodied emissions are significantly dependent on the specifics of the scenario assessed we highlight reporting a definitive GHG intensity for any UCO derived HEFA-SPK as generic will be inaccurate to an extent.

This paper aims to optimize dual-fuel facilitated off-/on-grid multi-energy systems (MESs) for different renewable energy zones (REZs) in Australia. The main objective is to develop a novel MES with the main feature of green hydrogen production and blended natural gas utilization for remote households. The proposed optimal system produces green hydrogen of 5343 kg/yr via proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer and blends it with natural gas. It involves 20 % hydrogen and 80 % natural gas in the overall volume of the blending process. This study contributes by performing optimal sizing of the components economic-energy-environmental and performance analyses to examine the most feasible solution for each REZ. The results indicate that the optimal system in North Queensland REZ has the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCE) of 1.28 A$/kWh and 0.1003 A $/kWh and the net present cost (NPC) of A$0.311 million and A$0.219 million for off-grid and on-grid configurations. The optimal on-grid system has 95.27 % less carbon emissions than the natural gas-fueled combustion energy system.

To improve the economic viability of renewable (green) hydrogen production excess renewable energy which cannot be input to the electricity grid (curtailed power) can be utilized. While several models have attempted to optimize hydrogen production using curtailed power several factors must be considered in greater detail including the impacts of future renewable energy capacity weather variability and electricity grid constraints. This study aims to explore these aspects through an integrated model performing a techno-economic assessment and size optimization in order to achieve the minimum levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). Based on the Irish case optimizing the production of hydrogen from curtailed power results in a minimum LCOH of 1.20–9.39 €/kg. To maximize variable renewable energy penetration in the grid while allowing for low-cost hydrogen production from curtailed power it is suggested to focus on grid improvements while ensuring rapid commissioning of offshore wind installations leading to a LCOH of 1.26–2.44 €/kg.

Using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) a survey of international tourists on the island of Tenerife is conducted to examine preferences for fuel cell vehicle (FCV) rental while on vacation. Survey respondents were generally supportive of FCVs and willing to hire one as part of their trip but for most individuals this is contingent on an adequate fuel station infrastructure. A latent class model was used to identify three distinct groups; one of which potentially represent early adopters e they have a high willingness-to-pay (WTP) for green hydrogen and are more likely to accept a low number of fuel stations but it could be challenging to convince them to use FCVs if they are not run on green hydrogen.

This paper examines the techno-economic feasibility of utilising salt caverns for large-scale hydrogen storage in Ireland leveraging wind energy and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers. The analysis focuses on optimising the integration of wind power with hydrogen production and storage addressing key challenges such as energy curtailment grid transmission constraints and renewable energy intermittency. Findings highlight significant economic considerations with a single hydrogen storage cavern requiring an initial investment of approximately €240 million where geological site preparation and compressor systems constitute the largest cost components. Annual operational expenses (OPEX) are estimated at €4.6 million largely due to compressor energy consumption and cooling requirements. The study emphasizes the critical impact of electrolyser scale on economic viability. Small-scale systems such as a 20 MW PEM electrolyser are economically unfeasible with a levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH) of around €10/kg and filling times extending up to 2.5 years. However scaling up to a 200 MW PEM electrolyser dramatically improves cost efficiency lowering the LCOH to approximately €0.83/kg and reducing filling times to just 90 days. This research provides a comprehensive framework for hydrogen storage development offering key insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to drive the renewable energy transition and enhance energy security through cost-effective and sustainable storage solutions.

One of the major challenges in harnessing energy from renewable sources like wind and solar is their intermittent nature. Energy production from these sources can vary based on weather conditions and time of day making it essential to store surplus energy for later use when there is a shortfall. Energy storage systems play a crucial role in addressing this intermittency issue and ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply. Green hydrogen sourced from renewables emerges as a promising solution to meet the rising demand for sustainable energy addressing the depletion of fossil fuels and environmental crises. In the present study underground hydrogen storage in various geological formations (aquifers depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs salt caverns) is examined emphasizing the need for a detailed geological analysis and addressing potential hazards. The paper discusses challenges associated with underground hydrogen storage including the requirement for extensive studies to understand hydrogen interactions with microorganisms. It underscores the importance of the issue with a focus on reviewing the the various past and present hydrogen storage projects and sites as well as reviewing the modeling studies in this field. The paper also emphasizes the importance of incorporating hybrid energy systems into hydrogen storage to overcome limitations associated with standalone hydrogen storage systems. It further explores the past and future integrations of underground storage of green hydrogen within this dynamic energy landscape.

Shipping corridors act as the arteries of the global economy. The maritime shipping sector is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions accounting for 2.9% of the global total. The international nature of the shipping sector combined with issues surrounding the use of battery technology means that these emissions are considered difficult to eliminate. This work explores the transition to renewable fuels by examining the use of electrofuels (in the form of liquid hydrogen methane methanol ammonia and Fischer-Tropsch fuel) to decarbonise large container ships from a technical economic and environmental perspective. For an equivalent range to current fossil fuel vessels the cargo capacity of vessels powered by electrofuels decreases by between 3% and 16% depending on the fuel of choice due to the lower energy density compared with conventional marine fuels. If vessel operators are willing to sacrifice range cargo space can be preserved by downsizing onboard energy storage which necessitates more frequent refuelling. For a realistic green hydrogen cost of €3.5/kg (10.5 €c/kWh) in 2030 the use of electrofuels in the shipping sector results in an increase in the total cost of ownership of between 124% and 731% with liquid hydrogen in an internal combustion engine being the most expensive and methanol in an internal combustion engine resulting in the lowest cost increase. Despite this we find that the increased transportation costs of some consumer goods to be relatively small adding for example less than €3.27 to the cost of a laptop. In general fuels which do not require cryogenic storage and can be used in internal combustion engines result in the lowest cost increases. For policymakers reducing the environmental impact of the shipping sector is a key priority. The use of liquid hydrogen which results in the largest cost increase offers a 70% reduction in GHG emissions for an electricity carbon intensity of 80 gCO2e/ kWh which is the greatest reduction of all fuels assessed in this work. A minimum carbon price of €400/tCO2 is required to allow these fuels to reach parity with conventional shipping operations. To meet European Union emissions reductions targets electricity with an emissions intensity below 40 gCO2e/kWh is required which suggests that for electrofuels to be truly sustainable direct connection with a source of renewable electricity is required.

In this paper developed in the context of the Clean Sky 2 project SIENA (Scalability Investigation of hybrid-Electric concepts for Next-generation Aircraft) an extensive analysis is carried out to identify and accelerate the development of innovative propulsion technologies and architectures that can be scaled across five aircraft categories from small General Aviation airplanes to long-range airliners. The assessed propulsive architectures consider various components such as batteries and fuel cells to provide electricity as well as electric motors and jet engines to provide thrust combined to find feasible aircraft architectures that satisfy certification constraints and deliver the required performance. The results provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of key technology performance indicators on aircraft performance. They also highlight technology switching points as well as the potential for scaling up technologies from smaller to larger aircraft based on different hypotheses and assumptions concerning the upcoming technological advancements of components crucial for the decarbonization of aviation. Given the considered scenarios the common denominator of the obtained results is hydrogen as the main energy source. The presented work shows that for the underlying models and technology assumptions hydrogen can be efficiently used by fuel cells for propulsive and system power for smaller aircraft (General Aviation commuter and regional) typically driven by propellers. For short- to long-range jet aircraft direct combustion of hydrogen combined with a fuel cell to power the on-board subsystems appears favorable. The results are obtained for two different temporal scenarios 2030 and 2050 and are assessed using Payload-Range Energy Efficiency as the key performance indicator. Naturally introducing such innovative architectures will face a lack of applicable regulation which could hamper a smooth entry into service. These regulatory gaps are assessed detailing the level of maturity in current regulations for the different technologies and aircraft categories.