Iraq
Hydrogen Energy Demand Growth Prediction and Assessment (2021–2050) Using a System Thinking and System Dynamics Approach
Jan 2022
Publication
Adoption of hydrogen energy as an alternative to fossil fuels could be a major step towards decarbonising and fulfilling the needs of the energy sector. Hydrogen can be an ideal alternative for many fields compared with other alternatives. However there are many potential environmental challenges that are not limited to production and distribution systems but they also focus on how hydrogen is used through fuel cells and combustion pathways. The use of hydrogen has received little attention in research and policy which may explain the widely claimed belief that nothing but water is released as a by-product when hydrogen energy is used. We adopt systems thinking and system dynamics approaches to construct a conceptual model for hydrogen energy with a special focus on the pathways of hydrogen use to assess the potential unintended consequences and possible interventions; to highlight the possible growth of hydrogen energy by 2050. The results indicate that the combustion pathway may increase the risk of the adoption of hydrogen as a combustion fuel as it produces NOx which is a key air pollutant that causes environmental deterioration which may limit the application of a combustion pathway if no intervention is made. The results indicate that the potential range of global hydrogen demand is rising ranging from 73 to 158 Mt in 2030 73 to 300 Mt in 2040 and 73 to 568 Mt in 2050 depending on the scenario presented.
Hydrogen Diffusion in Coal: Implications for Hydrogen Geo-storage
Oct 2021
Publication
Hypothesis: Hydrogen geo-storage is considered as an option for large scale hydrogen storage in a full-scale hydrogen economy. Among different types of subsurface formations coal seams look to be one of the best suitable options as coal’s micro/nano pore structure can adsorb a huge amount of gas (e.g. hydrogen) which can be withdrawn again once needed. However literature lacks fundamental data regarding H2 diffusion in coal. Experiments: In this study we measured H2 adsorption rate in an Australian anthracite coal sample at isothermal conditions for four different temperatures (20 C 30 C 45 C and 60 C) at equilibrium pressure 13 bar and calculated H2 diffusion coefficient (DH2 ) at each temperature. CO2 adsorption rates were measured for the same sample at similar temperatures and equilibrium pressure for comparison. Findings: Results show that H2 adsorption rate and consequently DH2 increases by temperature. DH2 values are one order of magnitude larger than the equivalent DCO2 values for the whole studied temperature range 20–60 C. DH2 / DCO2 also shows an increasing trend versus temperature. CO2 adsorption capacity at equilibrium pressure is about 5 times higher than that of H2 in all studied temperatures. Both H2 and CO2 adsorption capacities at equilibrium pressure slightly decrease as temperature rises.
Ammonia-hydrogen Combustion in a Swirl Burner with Reduction of NOx Emissions
Sep 2019
Publication
Recently ammonia is being considered for fuelling gas turbines as a new sustainable source. It can undergo thermal cracking producing nitrogen hydrogen and unburned ammonia thus enabling the use of these chemicals most efficiently for combustion purposes. Ammonia being carbon-free may allow the transition towards a hydrogen economy. However one of the main constraints of this fuelling technique is that although the combustion of ammonia produces no CO2 there is a large NOx proportion of emissions using this fuel. In this work cracked ammonia obtained from a modified combustion rig designed at Cardiff University was used to simulate a swirl burner under preheating conditions via heat exchangers. The primary objective of this system is to find new ways for the reduction of NOx emissions by injecting various amounts of ammonia/hydrogen at different mixtures downstream of the primary flame zone. The amount of injected ammonia/hydrogen mixture (X) taken from the thermal cracking system was ranged from 0%-4% (vol %) of the total available fuel in the system while the remaining gas (1.00-X) was then employed as primary fuel into the burner. CHEMKIN- PRO calculations were conducted by employing a novel chemical reaction code developed at Cardiff University to achieve the goal of this paper. The predictions were performed under low pressure and rich conditions with an equivalence ratio ϕ =1.2 in a swirl burner previously characterised at output powers of ~10 kW. Ammonia and hydrogen blends were evaluated from 50% NH3 (vol %) with the remaining gas as hydrogen continuing in steps of 10% (vol %) NH3 increments. Results showed that the minimum unburned ammonia and higher flame temperature were achieved at 60%-40% NH3-H2 when compared to other blends but with high NO emissions. These NO levels were reduced by injecting a small amount of NH3/H2 mixture (X=4 %) downstream the primary zone in a generated circulations promoted by the new design of the burner which affecting the residence time hence reducing the NO emission in the exhaust gas.
Techno-Economic Assessment of Green Hydrogen Production by an Off-Grid Photovoltaic Energy System
Jan 2023
Publication
Green hydrogen production is essential to meeting the conference of the parties’ (COP) decarbonization goals; however this method of producing hydrogen is not as cost-effective as hydrogen production from fossil fuels. This study analyses an off-grid photovoltaic energy system designed to feed a proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzer for hydrogen production to evaluate the optimal electrolyzer size. The system has been analyzed in Baghdad the capital of Iraq using experimental meteorological data. The 12 kWp photovoltaic array is positioned at the optimal annual tilt angle for the selected site. The temperature effect on photovoltaic modules is taken into consideration. Several electrolyzers with capacities in the range of 2–14 kW were investigated to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. The simulation process was conducted using MATLAB and considering the project life span from 2021 to 2035. The results indicate that various potentially cost-competitive alternatives exist for systems with market combinations resembling renewable hydrogen wholesale. It has been found that the annual energy generated by the analyzed photovoltaic system is 18892 kWh at 4313 operating hours and the obtained hydrogen production cost ranges from USD 5.39/kg to USD 3.23/kg. The optimal electrolyzer capacity matches a 12 kWp PV system equal to 8 kW producing 37.5 kg/year/kWp of hydrogen for USD 3.23/kg.
Comarine Derivatives Designed as Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen Storage
Feb 2022
Publication
The growing of fossil fuel burning leads to increase CO2 and H2 emissions which cause increasing of global warming that has brought big attention. As a result enormous researches have been made to reduce CO2 and H2 build up in the environment. One of the most promising approaches for managing CO2 and H2 gases percentage in the atmosphere is capturing and storage them inside proper materials. Therefore the design of new materials for carbon dioxide and hydrogen storage has received increasing research attention. Four derivatives of coumarine linked to thiazolidinone were synthesized in good yields by reacting 3-(2-Phenylaminoacetyl)coumarine and 2-phenylimino thiazolidinone-4-one in a solution of anhydrous sodium acetate /glacial acetic acid at 120° for 5-6 hours. The synthesised organic compounds were identified by using different techniques such as 1H NMR 13C NMR FTIR and energy dispersive X-ray spectra. The agglomeration shape and porosity of the particles were determined utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microscopy images analysis. The capacity of carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2) adsorption on the prepared organic materials at 323 K 50 bar ranged from 22 to 31 cm3 /g and hydrogen from 4 to 12 cm3 /g for the four synthesised compounds which contain phenyl substituted with chloro nitro and bromo groups was found to be the most active adsorbent surfaces for carbon dioxide and hydrogen storage.
A Roadmap with Strategic Policy toward Green Hydrogen Production: The Case of Iraq
Mar 2023
Publication
The study proposes a comprehensive framework to support the development of green hydrogen production including the establishment of legal and regulatory frameworks investment incentives and public-private partnerships. Using official and public data from government agencies the potential of renewable energy sources is studied and some reasonable assumptions are made so that a full study and evaluation of hydrogen production in the country can be done. The information here proves beyond a doubt that renewable energy makes a big difference in making green hydrogen. This makes the country a leader in the field of making green hydrogen. Based on what it found this research suggests a way for the country to have a green hydrogen economy by 2050. It is done in three steps: using green hydrogen as a fuel for industry using green hydrogen in fuel cells and selling hydrogen. On the other hand the research found that making green hydrogen that can be used in Iraq and other developing countries is hard. There are technological economic and social problems as well as policy consequences that need to be solved.
Design and Simulation Studies of Hybrid Power Systems Based on Photovoltaic, Wind, Electrolyzer, and PEM Fuel Cells
May 2021
Publication
In recent years the need to reduce environmental impacts and increase flexibility in the energy sector has led to increased penetration of renewable energy sources and the shift from concentrated to decentralized generation. A fuel cell is an instrument that produces electricity by chemical reaction. Fuel cells are a promising technology for ultimate energy conversion and energy generation. We see that this system is integrated where we find that the wind and photovoltaic energy system is complementary between them because not all days are sunny windy or night so we see that this system has higher reliability to provide continuous generation. At low load hours PV and electrolysis units produce extra power. After being compressed hydrogen is stored in tanks. The purpose of this study is to separate the Bahr AL-Najaf Area from the main power grid and make it an independent network by itself. The PEM fuel cells were analyzed and designed and it were found that one layer is equal to 570.96 Watt at 0.61 volts and 1.04 A/Cm2 . The number of layers in one stack is designed to be equal to 13 layers so that the total power of one stack is equal to 7422.48 Watt. That is the number of stacks required to generate the required energy from the fuel cells is equal to 203 stk. This study provided an analysis of the hybrid system to cover the electricity demand in the Bahr AL-Najaf region of 1.5 MW the attained hybrid power system TNPC cost was about 9573208 USD whereas the capital cost and energy cost (COE) were about 7750000 USD and 0.169 USD/kWh respectively for one year.
Aging Effects on Modelling and Operation of a Photovoltaic System with Hydrogen Storage
Jun 2021
Publication
In this work the aging effects on modelling and operation of a photovoltaic system with hydrogen storage in terms of energy production decrease and demand for additional hydrogen during 10 years of the system operation was analysed for the entire energy system for the first time. The analyses were performed with the support of experimental data for the renewable energy system composed of photovoltaic modules fuel cell electrolysers hydrogen storage and hydrogen backup.<br/>It has been found that the total degradation of the analysed system can be described by the proposed parameter – unit additional hydrogen consumption ratio. The results reveal a 33.2–36.2% increase of the unit fuel requirement from an external source after 10 years in reference to the initial condition. Degradation of the components can on the other hand be well described with the unit hydrogen consumption ratio by fuel cell for electricity or the unit electricity consumption ratio by electrolyser for hydrogen production which has been found to vary for the electrolyser in the range of 4.6–4.9% and for the fuel cell stack in the range of 13.4–15.1% during the 10 years of the system operation. The analyses indicate that this value depends on the load profile and PV module types and the system performance decline is non-linear."
Massive Green Hydrogen Production Using Solar and Wind Energy: Comparison between Europe and the Middle East
Jul 2023
Publication
This comparative study examines the potential for green hydrogen production in Europe and the Middle East leveraging 3MWp solar and wind power plants. Experimental weather data from 2022 inform the selection of two representative cities namely Krakow Poland (Europe) and Diyala Iraq (Middle East). These cities are chosen as industrial–residential zones representing the respective regions’ characteristics. The research optimizes an alkaline water electrolyzer capacity in juxtaposition with the aforementioned power plants to maximize the green hydrogen output. Economic and environmental factors integral to green hydrogen production are assessed to identify the region offering the most advantageous conditions. The analysis reveals that the Middle East holds superior potential for green hydrogen production compared to Europe attributed to a higher prevalence of solar and wind resources coupled with reduced land and labor costs. Hydrogen production costs in Europe are found to range between USD 9.88 and USD 14.31 per kilogram in contrast to the Middle East where costs span from USD 6.54 to USD 12.66 per kilogram. Consequently the Middle East emerges as a more feasible region for green hydrogen production with the potential to curtail emissions enhance air quality and bolster energy security. The research findings highlight the advantages of the Middle East industrial–residential zone ‘Diyala’ and Europe industrial–residential zone ‘Krakow’ in terms of their potential for green hydrogen production.
Influence of Natural Gas and Hydrogen Properties on Internal Combustion Engine Performance, Combustion, and Emissions: A Review
Jan 2024
Publication
This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the physical properties and applications of natural gas (NG) and hydrogen as fuels in internal combustion (IC) engines. The paper also meticulously examines the use of both NG and hydrogen as a fuel in vehicles their production physical characteristics and combustion properties. It reviews the current experimental studies in the literature and investigates the results of using both fuels. It further covers the challenges associated with injectors needle valves lubrication spark plugs and safety requirements for both fuels. Finally the challenges related to the storage production and safety of both fuels are also discussed. The literature review reveals that NG in spark ignition (SI) engines has a clear and direct positive impact on fuel economy and certain emissions notably reducing CO2 and non-methane hydrocarbons. However its effect on other emissions such as unburnt hydrocarbons (UHC) nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO) is less clear. NG which is primarily methane has a lower carbon-to-hydrogen ratio than diesel fuel resulting in lower CO2 emissions per unit of energy released. In contrast hydrogen is particularly well-suited for use in gasoline engines due to its high self-ignition temperature. While increasing the hydrogen content of NG engines reduces torque and power output higher hydrogen input results in reduced fuel consumption and the mitigation of toxic exhaust emissions. Due to its high ignition temperature hydrogen is not inherently suitable for direct use in diesel engines necessitating the exploration of alternative methods for hydrogen introduction into the cylinder. The literature review suggests that hydrogen in diesel engines has shown a reduction in specific exhaust emissions and fuel consumption and an increase in NOx emissions. Overall the paper provides a valuable and informative overview of the challenges and opportunities associated with using hydrogen and NG as fuels in IC engines. It highlights the need for further research and development to address the remaining challenges such as the development of more efficient combustion chambers and the reduction of NOx emissions.
Energy Futures and Green Hydrogen Production: Is Saudi Arabia Trend?
May 2023
Publication
This paper explores the potential for hydrogen energy to become a future trend in Saudi Arabia energy industry. With the emergence of hydrogen as a promising clean energy source there has been growing interest and investment in this area globally. This study investigated whether the country is likely to pursue this trend given its current energy mix and policies. A study was conducted to provide an overview of the global trends and best practices in hydrogen energy adoption and investment. The outcomes of the analysis show that the country current energy mix has the potential to produce green hydrogen energy. The evaluation of its readiness and potential obstacles for hydrogen energy adoption has been drowned and there are several challenges that need to be addressed. The study outcomes also conclude with policy implications and recommendations for the country energy industry.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles: Opportunities and Challenges
Jul 2023
Publication
This paper provides an in-depth review of the current state and future potential of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs). The urgency for more eco-friendly and efficient alternatives to fossilfuel-powered vehicles underlines the necessity of HFCVs which utilize hydrogen gas to power an onboard electric motor producing only water vapor and heat. Despite their impressive energy efficiency ratio (EER) higher power-to-weight ratio and substantial emissions reduction potential the widespread implementation of HFCVs is presently hindered by several technical and infrastructural challenges. These include high manufacturing costs the relatively low energy density of hydrogen safety concerns fuel cell durability issues insufficient hydrogen refueling infrastructure and the complexities of hydrogen storage and transportation. Nevertheless technological advancements and potential policy interventions offer promising prospects for HFCVs suggesting they could become a vital component of sustainable transportation in the future.
Sustainable Aviation—Hydrogen Is the Future
Jan 2022
Publication
As the global search for new methods to combat global warming and climate change continues renewable fuels and hydrogen have emerged as saviours for environmentally polluting industries such as aviation. Sustainable aviation is the goal of the aviation industry today. There is increasing interest in achieving carbon-neutral flight to combat global warming. Hydrogen has proven to be a suitable alternative fuel. It is abundant clean and produces no carbon emissions but only water after use which has the potential to cool the environment. This paper traces the historical growth and future of the aviation and aerospace industry. It examines how hydrogen can be used in the air and on the ground to lower the aviation industry’s impact on the environment. In addition while aircraft are an essential part of the aviation industry other support services add to the overall impact on the environment. Hydrogen can be used to fuel the energy needs of these services. However for hydrogen technology to be accepted and implemented other issues such as government policy education and employability must be addressed. Improvement in the performance and emissions of hydrogen as an alternative energy and fuel has grown in the last decade. However other issues such as the storage and cost and the entire value chain require significant work for hydrogen to be implemented. The international community’s alternative renewable energy and hydrogen roadmaps can provide a long-term blueprint for developing the alternative energy industry. This will inform the private and public sectors so that the industry can adjust its plan accordingly.
Sustainable Hydrogen Energy in Aviation - A Narrative Review
Feb 2023
Publication
In the modern world zero-carbon society has become a new buzzword of the era. Many projects have been initiated to develop alternatives not only to the environmental crisis but also to the shortage of fossil fuels. With successful projects in automobile technology hydrogen fuel is now being tested and utilized as a sustainable green fuel in the aviation sector which will lead to zero carbon emission in the future. From the mid-20th century to the early 21st numerous countries and companies have funded multimillion projects to develop hydrogen-fueled aircraft. Empirical data show positive results for various projects. Consequently large companies are investing in various innovations undertaken by researchers under their supervision. Over time the efficiency of hydrogen-fueled aircraft has improved but the lack of refueling stations large production cost and consolidated carbon market share have impeded the path of hydrogen fuel being commercialized. In addition the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is another important element of the Aviation industry Hydrogen started to be commonly used as an alternative fuel for heavy-duty drones using fuel cell technology. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the chronological development of hydrogen-powered aircraft technology and potential aviation applications for hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Furthermore the major barriers to widespread adoption of hydrogen technology in aviation are identified as are future research opportunities.
Towards Energy Freedom: Exploring Sustainable Solutions for Energy Independence and Self-sufficiency using Integrated Renewable Energy-driven Hydrogen System
Jan 2024
Publication
n the pursuit of sustainable energy solutions the integration of renewable energy sources and hydrogen technologies has emerged as a promising avenue. This paper introduces the Integrated Renewable Energy-Driven Hydrogen System as a holistic approach to achieve energy independence and self-sufficiency. Seamlessly integrating renewable energy sources hydrogen production storage and utilization this system enables diverse applications across various sectors. By harnessing solar and/or wind energy the Integrated Renewable EnergyDriven Hydrogen System optimizes energy generation distribution and storage. Employing a systematic methodology the paper thoroughly examines the advantages of this integrated system over other alternatives emphasizing its zero greenhouse gas emissions versatility energy resilience and potential for large-scale hydrogen production. Thus the proposed system sets our study apart offering a distinct and efficient alternative compared to conventional approaches. Recent advancements and challenges in hydrogen energy are also discussed highlighting increasing public awareness and technological progress. Findings reveal a payback period ranging from 2.8 to 6.7 years depending on the renewable energy configuration emphasizing the economic attractiveness and potential return on investment. This research significantly contributes to the ongoing discourse on renewable energy integration and underscores the viability of the Integrated Renewable EnergyDriven Hydrogen System as a transformative solution for achieving energy independence. The employed model is innovative and transferable to other contexts.
Review on Ammonia as a Potential Fuel: From Synthesis to Economics
Feb 2021
Publication
Ammonia a molecule that is gaining more interest as a fueling vector has been considered as a candidate to power transport produce energy and support heating applications for decades. However the particular characteristics of the molecule always made it a chemical with low if any benefit once compared to conventional fossil fuels. Still the current need to decarbonize our economy makes the search of new methods crucial to use chemicals such as ammonia that can be produced and employed without incurring in the emission of carbon oxides. Therefore current efforts in this field are leading scientists industries and governments to seriously invest efforts in the development of holistic solutions capable of making ammonia a viable fuel for the transition toward a clean future. On that basis this review has approached the subject gathering inputs from scientists actively working on the topic. The review starts from the importance of ammonia as an energy vector moving through all of the steps in the production distribution utilization safety legal considerations and economic aspects of the use of such a molecule to support the future energy mix. Fundamentals of combustion and practical cases for the recovery of energy of ammonia are also addressed thus providing a complete view of what potentially could become a vector of crucial importance to the mitigation of carbon emissions. Different from other works this review seeks to provide a holistic perspective of ammonia as a chemical that presents benefits and constraints for storing energy from sustainable sources. State-of-the-art knowledge provided by academics actively engaged with the topic at various fronts also enables a clear vision of the progress in each of the branches of ammonia as an energy carrier. Further the fundamental boundaries of the use of the molecule are expanded to real technical issues for all potential technologies capable of using it for energy purposes legal barriers that will be faced to achieve its deployment safety and environmental considerations that impose a critical aspect for acceptance and wellbeing and economic implications for the use of ammonia across all aspects approached for the production and implementation of this chemical as a fueling source. Herein this work sets the principles research practicalities and future views of a transition toward a future where ammonia will be a major energy player.
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