Publications

Ocean islands possess abundant renewable energy resources providing favorable conditions for developing offshore clean energy microgrids. However geographical isolation poses significant challenges for direct energy transfer between islands. Recent electrolysis and hydrogen storage technology advancements have created new opportunities for distributed energy utilization in these remote areas. This paper presents a low-carbon economic dispatch strategy designed explicitly for distant oceanic islands incorporating energy self-sufficiency rates and seasonal hydrogen storage (SHS). We propose a power supply model for offshore islands considering hydrogen production from offshore wind power. The proposed model minimizes operational and carbon emission costs while maximizing energy self-sufficiency. It considers the operational constraints of the island’s energy system the offshore transportation network the hydrogen storage infrastructure and the electricityhydrogen-transportation coupling of hydrogen storage (HS) and seasonal hydrogen storage (SHS) services. To optimize the dispatch process this study employs an improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (IGWO) combined with the Differential Evolution method to enhance population diversity and refine the position updating mechanism. Simulation results demonstrate that integrating HS and SHS effectively enhances energy self-sufficiency and reduces carbon emissions. For instance hydrogenation costs decreased by 21.4% after optimization and the peak-valley difference was reduced by 16%. These findings validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Most remote and northern communities rely on diesel for their electrical and thermal energy needs. Communities and governments are working toward diesel exit strategies but the role of hydrogen technologies has not been explored. These could serve both electrical and thermal demand reduce emissions and enhance energy security and community ownership. Here we determine the installed capacities costs hydrogen storage needs and water resource requirements of hydrogen microgrids across a large diverse sample of communities. We also compare the cost of hydrogen microgrids to that of diesel microgrids. Our results optimize resource deployment demonstrate how sub-components must operate to serve both demand types and yield insights on storage and resource needs. We find that hydrogen microgrids are cheaper in levelized cost terms than diesel systems in 28 of 37 communities investigated; if wind power capital costs escalate to CAD 20000/kW as recently seen in one project only 3 of the 37 communities net hydrogen microgrids that are cheaper than diesel variants. Hydrogen storage plays a large role in maintaining reliability and reducing cost—both it and water needs are modest. The former can be met with current technologies.

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Water Electrolyzers (PEMWEs) attract significant attention for producing green hydrogen. However their widespread application remains hindered by high production costs. This study develops cost-effective and high-performance 3D-printed gyroid structures as porous transport layers (PTLs) for the anode of PEMWEs. Experimental results demonstrate that the PTL’s structure critically influences its performance which depends on its design. Among the four gyroid structures evaluated the G10 electrode exhibited the best performance in electrochemical tests conducted under various ex-situ conditions simulating real-world operation. Furthermore the 3D-printed G10 electrode undergoes Pt coating and is compared with commercially available PTLs. The commercial PTL (C3) shows a current density of 138.488 mA cm−2 whereas the G10-1.00 μm Pt electrode achieves a significantly higher current density of 584.692 mA cm−2 at 1.9V. The gyroid structure is a promising avenue for developing high-energy and low-cost PEMWEs and other related technologies.

The global steel industry accounts for 8–10 % of global CO2 emissions and requires deep decarbonisation for achieving the targets set in the Paris Agreement. However no low-emission primary steel production technology has yet been commercially feasible or deployed. Through analysing revisions and additions of European Union climate policy we show that green hydrogenbased steelmaking in competitive locations achieves cost-competitiveness on the European market starting 2026. If the deployment of competitive lowemission steelmaking is insufficient we show that the European steel industry loses competitiveness vis-à-vis countries with access to low-cost renewable energy. Therefore we assess the options for the European steel industry to relocate the energy-intensive ironmaking step and trade Hot Briquetted Iron for rapid deep decarbonisation of the European steel industry. Lastly we discuss complementing policy options to enhance the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism’s strategic value through European Union-lead global climate cooperation and the possibility of sparking an international decarbonisation race.

More than 0.13 million tons of waste are generated annually making conventional methods of treatment including anaerobic digestion incineration and landfilling insufficient.Thus a long-term solution is required.Therefore this study used a process modeling through Aspen Plus V11 to investigate how variations in waste types and gasification temperatures affect the ability to producing hydrogen. Additionally the use of a Steam Rankin Cycle has been used to optimize the economy through generation. To explore the potential of various type of waste proximate and Ultimate analysis have been done experimentally in lab and some of them (Rice Husk Rice Straw Sugar-cane Baggage Cow-dung etc.) have been taken from references. This study presents validation against experimental data using dolomite and olivine as bed materials. The model showed strong agreement with experimental results accurately predicting hydrogen concentration CO and CO2. A detailed thermodynamic analysis revealed an increase in hydrogen purity from 50.9 % in raw syngas to 100 % after pressure swing adsorption (PSA) accompanied by an exergy reduction from 48.99 MW to 34.68 MW due to separation and thermal losses. Parametric studies demonstrated that gasification temperatures between 750 °C and 800 °C and steam-to-biomass ratios of 0.4–0.5 optimize hydrogen production. Feedstock type significantly influenced performance; rice straw rice husk jute stick and cow dung exhibited higher hydrogen yields compared to food waste. The model predicted a hydrogen production rate of approximately 1020  kg/h per ton of dry feedstock with an overall system efficiency of 48.5 % based on exergy analysis.

This paper provides a comprehensive analytical review and life cycle assessment (LCA) of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) for hydrogen production. As the global energy landscape shifts toward cleaner and more sustainable solutions SOECs offer a promising pathway for hydrogen generation by utilizing water as a feedstock. Despite their potential challenges in efficiency economic viability and technological barriers remain. This review explores the evolution of SOECs highlighting key advancements and innovations over time and examines their operational principles efficiency factors and classification by operational temperature range. It further addresses critical technological challenges and potential breakthroughs alongside an indepth assessment of economic feasibility covering production cost comparisons hydrogen storage capacity and plant viability and an LCA evaluating environmental impacts and sustainability. The findings underscore SOECs’ progress and their crucial role in advancing hydrogen production while pointing to the need for further research to overcome existing limitations and enhance commercial viability.

Solar energy is now one of the most affordable and widely available energy sources. However densely populated cities like Hong Kong often lack the land needed for large-scale solar deployment. Floating solar photovoltaics (FPV) offer a promising alternative by using water surfaces such as reservoirs while providing additional benefits over ground-mounted systems including competition with urban development such as housing and infrastructure. The advantage of this system has been explored in parts of the world while Hong Kong is yet to fully exploit it despite the presence of pilot projects. This study uses PVsyst to evaluate FPV deployment across Hong Kong’s reservoirs estimating over 7 TWh of potential annual electricity generation. Even with 60 % surface coverage generation reaches 4.6 TWh/year with LCOE between $0.036–$0.038/kWh. In parallel green hydrogen is explored as a clean energy storage solution and alternative transport fuel. By using electricity from FPV systems hydrogen production via electrolysis is assessed through HOMER Pro. Results show annual hydrogen output ranging from 180502 kg to 36310221 kg depending on reservoir size with associated LCOH between $10.2/kg and $19.4/kg. The hydrogen produced could support ongoing hydrogen bus projects and future expansion to other vehicle types as Hong Kong moves toward a hydrogen-based transport system. After coupling the FPV systems with hydrogen-generation units the new LCOEs are found to be between $0.029–4.01/ kWh. Thus suggesting the feasibility of a hydrogen-integrated FPV system in Hong Kong.

Electrolysis utilizing renewable electricity is an environmentally friendly non-polluting and sustainable method of hydrogen production. Seawater is the most desirable and inexpensive electrolyte for this process to achieve commercial acceptance compared to competing hydrogen production technologies. We reviewed metal–organic frameworks as possible electrocatalysts for hydrogen production by seawater electrolysis. Metal–organic frameworks are interesting for seawater electrolysis due to their large surface area tunable permeability and ease of functional processing which makes them extremely suitable for obtaining modifiable electrode structures. Here we discussed the development of metal– organic framework-based electrocatalysts as multifunctional materials with applications for alkaline PEM and direct seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production. Their advantages and disadvantages were examined in search of a pathway to a successful and sustainable technology for developing electrode materials to produce hydrogen from seawater.

This study examines the pricing and assesses resilience methods in hydrogen supply chains by thoroughly analyzing two main disruption scenarios. The model examines a scenario in which a hydrogen production company depends on a Renewable Power plant (RP) for its electricity supply. Ensuring a steady and efficient hydrogen supply chain is crucial but outages at renewable power sources provide substantial obstacles to sustainability and operational continuity. Therefore in the event of disruptions at the RP the company has two options for maintaining resilience: either sourcing electricity from a Fossil fuel Power plant (FP) through a grid network to continue hydrogen production or purchasing hydrogen directly from another company and utilizing third-party transportation for delivery. Using a game theoretic approach we examine how different methods affect demand satisfaction cost implications and environmental sustainability. The study employs sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of different disruption probabilities on each scenario. In addition a unique sensitivity analysis is performed to examine the resilience of transmission security to withstand disruptions. This study evaluates how investments in security measures affect the strength and stability of the supply chain in various scenarios of disruption. Our research suggests that the first scenario offers greater reliability and cost-effectiveness along with a higher resilience rate compared to the second scenario. Furthermore the examination of the environmental impact shows that the first scenario has a smaller amount of CO2 emissions per kg of hydrogen. This study offers important insights for supply chain managers to optimize resilience measures hence improving reliability reducing costs and minimizing environmental effects.

This work explores the integration of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysis waste heat with district heating networks (DHN) aiming to enhance the overall energy efficiency and economic viability of hydrogen production systems. PEM electrolysers generate substantial amounts of low-temperature waste heat during operation which is often dissipated and left unutilised. By recovering such thermal energy and selling it to district heating systems a synergistic energy pathway that supports both green hydrogen production and sustainable urban heating can be achieved. The study investigates how the electrolyser’s operating temperature ranging between 50 and 80 ◦C influences both hydrogen production and thermal energy availability exploring trade-offs between electrical efficiency and heat recovery potential. Furthermore the study evaluates the compatibility of the recovered heat with common heat emission systems such as radiators fan coils and radiant floors. Results indicate that valorising waste heat can enhance the overall system performance by reducing the electrolyser’s specific energy consumption and its levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) while supplying carbon-free thermal energy for the end users. This integrated approach contributes to the broader goal of sector coupling offering a pathway toward more resilient flexible and resource-efficient energy systems.

With the global energy structure shifting towards clean and efficient hydrogen energy the safety management issues of hydrogen refueling stations are becoming increasingly prominent. To address these issues a hydrogen leak localization algorithm for hydrogen refueling stations based on a combination of reinforcement learning and hidden Markov models is proposed. This method combines hidden Markov model to construct a probability distribution model for hydrogen leakage and diffusion simulates the propagation probability of hydrogen in different grid cells and uses reinforcement learning to achieve fast and accurate localization of hydrogen leakage events. The outcomes denoted that the training accuracy reached 95.2% with an F1 value of 0.961 indicating its high accuracy in hydrogen leak localization. When the wind speed was 0.8 m/s the mean square error of the raised method was 0.03 and when the wind speed was 1.0 m/s the mean square error of the raised method was 0.04 proving its good robustness. After 50 localization experiments the proposed algorithm achieves a localization success rate of 93.7% and an average computation time of 42.8 s further demonstrating its high accuracy and computational efficiency. The proposed hydrogen leakage location algorithm has improved the accuracy and efficiency of hydrogen leakage location providing scientific basis and technical guarantee for the safe operation of future hydrogen refueling stations.

The swift and far-reaching evolution of advanced nanostructures and nanotechnologies has accelerated the research rate and extent which has a huge prospect for the benefit of the practical demands of solid-state hydrogen storage implementation. Carbonaceous materials are of paramount importance capable of forming versatile structures and morphology. This review aims to highlight the influence of the carbon material structure dimension and morphology on the hydrogen storage ability. An extensive range of synthesis routes and methods produces diverse micro/nanostructured materials with superb hydrogen-storing properties. The structures of carbon materials used for hydrogen adsorption from 0 to 3D and fabrication methods and techniques are discussed. Besides highlighting the striking merits of nanostructured materials for hydrogen storage remaining challenges and new research avenues are also considered.

The Net Zero Scenario driven by the imperative of carbon neutrality demands a major reduction in reliance on fossil fuel-based hydrogen production. Another challenge is hydrogen’s storage and transport due to its low volumetric energy density. These issues have elevated hydrogen carriers—particularly methanol—to a prominent position. Methanol’s favorable H/C ratio liquid state under ambient conditions and renewable production potential establish it as a compelling hydrogen carrier. Already essential in vehicle fuels and chemical production methanol’s role is poised to expand further. Among conversion routes methanol steam reforming (MSR) stands out for its high hydrogen yield and low CO production. This review outlines strategies for lowering the MSR reaction temperature enabling integration with proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and leveraging the thermal synergy between the two systems. The review highlights the critical roles of catalysts and reactor design in optimizing MSR–PEMFC integration. A detailed evaluation of Cu-based and group 8–10 metal catalysts provides insight into their suitability for PEMFC applications. Reactor configurations including conventional membrane and micro-channeled designs are assessed for their integration potential. Finally the review synthesizes these findings into design-oriented insights for optimizing MSR–PEMFC systems emphasizing catalyst selection reactor configuration and system-level integration offering practical pathways for implementation.

Harnessing renewable energy for sustainable hydrogen production is a pivotal step towards a greener future. This study explores integrating solar tower (ST) technology with thermal energy storage and a power cycle to drive a PEM electrolyzer for green hydrogen production. A comprehensive investigation is conducted to evaluate the thermodynamic performance of the integrated system including an exergoeconomic analysis to evaluate and optimize techno-economic performance. Exergy analysis reveals that the main components responsible for 84 % of the total exergy destruction are the ST with 60 % the heat exchanger with 16 % and the electrolyzer with 8 %. The hydrogen production cost varies with operational parameters e.g. increased solar radiation reduces the cost to 4.5 $/kg at 1000 W/m2 . Furthermore the overall system performance is evaluated and monitored using overall effectiveness exergy efficiency and hydrogen production cost for full-day operation at hourly intervals based on the design set operating conditions versus optimized ones using the conjugate optimization. The findings indicate that the optimization improved the average overall effectiveness from 29.3 % to 31.2 % and the average exergy efficiency from 36 % to 40 % while the average hydrogen cost is reduced from 4.6 to 4.3 $/kg.

The year 2024 saw a year of important developments for the Clean Hydrogen JU continuing built on the achievements of previous years and intensifying the efforts on hydrogen valleys. With a total operational commitment of EUR 203 million and the launch of 22 new projects the overall portfolio reached a total number of 147 projects under active management towards the end of the year. The budget execution reached the outstanding level of 98% in for commitments and 84% in payments in line with previous year showing the JU’s continued effort to use the available credits. In 2024 the JU launched a call for proposals with a budget of EUR 113.5 million covering R&I activities across the whole hydrogen value chain to which was added an amount of EUR 60 million from the RePowerEU plan focusing on hydrogen valleys. That amount served for valleys-related grants and the “Hydrogen Valleys Facility” tender designed for project development assistance that will support Hydrogen Valleys at different levels of maturity. The Hydrogen Valleys concept has become a key instrument for the European Commission to scale up hydrogen technology deployment and establish interconnections between hydrogen ecosystems. At the end of 2024 the Clean Hydrogen JU has already funded 20 hydrogen valleys. This support was complemented by additional credits from third countries and the optimal use- of leftover credits from previous years allowing the award of 29 new grants from the call for 2024.

This article explores how the implementation of solar PV and transportation infrastructure – grid or hydrogen pipeline – has implications for various aspects of security cooperation and geopolitical powershifts. Highlighting the emerging intra-European green hydrogen pipeline project H2Med we examine the Portuguese geopolitical ambitions related to their geographical advantage for solar PV energy production. Using media and document analysis we identified two main axes of solar PV implementation in Portugal – one centered on resilience and one on exports – and further explored underlying and resulting tensions in neighboring countries’ energy strategies and cleantech innovation policies. Our analysis revealed that policy prioritizations in solar PV diffusion result in unequal effects on resilience energy security and power shifts. In particular solar PV implementations such as individual to local or regional grid-based ‘prosumption’ setups result in notably different geopolitical effects compared to large-scale solar PV to green hydrogen-production for storage and export. Thereby emerging possibilities of storage and long-distance trade of renewable energies have more significant implications on geopolitics and energy security than what is typically recognized.

The growing demand for sustainable solutions in the transportation sector and global decarbonization goals have fueled debate on using hydrogen as an energy source. Although hydrogen’s potential is recognized in Brazil its application in heavy-duty vehicles still faces structural and technological barriers. This study aimed to analyze the viability of hydrogen as an energy alternative for trucks in Brazil. The research adopted an exploratory qualitative approach based on the expert analysis method through semi-structured interviews with development engineers representatives of heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers and researchers specializing in hydrogen technologies. The data were organized into a thematic framework and interpreted using content analysis. The results show that although there is growing interest and ongoing initiatives challenges such as the cost of fuel cells the lack of refueling infrastructure and low technological maturity hinder large-scale adoption. From a theoretical perspective the study contributes by integrating specialized literature with practical insights from key industry players broadening the understanding of the energy transition. In practical terms it outlines some strategic paths such as expanding technological development and forming partnerships. From a social perspective it emphasizes the importance of hydrogen as a pillar for sustainable low-carbon mobility capable of positively impacting public health and mitigating climate change.

This report includes information on European training programmes educational materials and the trends and patterns of research and innovation activity in the hydrogen sector with data of patent registrations and publications. It is based on the information available at the European Hydrogen Observatory (EHO) website (https://observatory.cleanhydrogen.europa.eu/) the leading source of hydrogen data in Europe. The data presented in this report is based on research conducted until the end of August 2024. The training programmes section provides insights into major European training initiatives categorized by location. It allows filtering by type of training focus area and language. It covers a wide range of opportunities such as vocational and professional trainings summer schools and Bachelor's or Master's programmes. The education materials chapter summarizes the publicly accessible educational materials available online. Documents can be searched by educational level by course subject by language or by the year of release. The section referring to research and innovation activity analyses trends and patterns in the hydrogen sector using aggregated datasets of patent registrations and publications by country.

Green hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar is increasingly recognized as a critical enabler of the global energy transition and the decarbonization of industrial and transport sectors. The successful adoption of green hydrogen and its derivatives is closely linked to production costs which can vary substantially between countries depending not only on resource potential but also on country-specific financing conditions. These differences arise from country-specific risk factors that affect the costs of capital ultimately influencing investment decisions. However comprehensive assessments that integrate these risks with future cost projections for renewable energy green hydrogen and its synthetic downstream products are lacking. Using the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) as an example this study introduces a novel approach that allows to incorporate mainly qualitative country-specific investment risks into quantitative analyses such as costpotential and energy modelling. Our methodology calculates weighted average costs of capital (WACC) for 17 MENA countries under different risk scenarios providing a more nuanced assessment compared to traditional models that use uniform cost of capital assumptions. The results indicate significant variations in WACC such as between 4.67% in the United Arab Emirates and 24.84% in Yemen or Syria in the business-as-usual scenario. The incorporation of country-specific capital cost scenarios in quantitative analysis is demonstrated by modelling the cost-potential of Fischer-Tropsch (FT) fuels. The results show that countryspecific investment risks significantly impact costs. For instance by 2050 the starting LCOFs in high-risk scenarios can be up to 180% higher than in lowerrisk contexts. This underlines that while renewable energy potential and its cost are important it are the country-specific risk factors—captured through WACC—that have a greater influence in determining the competitiveness of exports and consequently the overall development of the renewable energy green hydrogen and synthetic fuel sectors.

Green hydrogen is increasingly recognized as a pivotal energy carrier in the global transition toward low-carbon energy systems. Beyond its established applications in industry and transportation the development of green hydrogen could accelerate its integration into the power generation sector thus enabling a more sustainable deployment of renewable energy sources. Vietnam endowed with abundant renewable energy potential—particularly solar and wind—has a strong foundation for green hydrogen. This emerging energy source holds significant potential to support the strategic objectives in recent national energy policies aligning with the country’s socio-economic development. However despite this promise the integration of green hydrogen into Vietnam’s energy system remains limited. This paper provides a critical review of the current landscape of green hydrogen in Vietnam examining both the opportunities and challenges associated with its production and deployment. Special attention is given to regulatory frameworks infrastructure readiness and economic viability. Additionally the study also explores the potential of green hydrogen in enhancing energy security within the context of the national energy transition.

Photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) production offers a promising solution to energy shortages and environmental challenges by converting solar energy into chemical energy. Hydrogen as a versatile energy carrier can be generated through photocatalysis under sunlight or via electrolysis powered by solar or wind energy. However the advancement of photocatalysis is hindered by the limited availability of effective visible light-responsive semiconductors and the challenges of charge separation and transport. To address these issues researchers are focusing on the development of novel nanostructured semiconductors and composite materials that can enhance photocatalytic performance. In this paper we provide an overview of the advanced photocatalytic materials prepared so far that can be activated by sunlight and their efficiency in H2 production. One of the key strategies in this research area concerns improving the separation and transfer of electron–hole pairs generated by light which can significantly boost H2 production. Advanced hybrid materials such as organic–inorganic hybrid composites consisting of a combination of polymers with metal oxide photocatalysts and the creation of heterojunctions are seen as effective methods to improve charge separation and interfacial interactions. The development of Schottky heterojunctions Z-type heterojunctions p–n heterojunctions from nanostructures and the incorporation of nonmetallic atoms have proven to reduce photocorrosion and enhance photocatalytic efficiency. Despite these advancements designing efficient semiconductor-based heterojunctions at the atomic scale remains a significant challenge for the realization of large-scale photocatalytic H2 production. In this review state-of-the-art advancements in photocatalytic hydrogen production are presented and discussed in detail with a focus on photocatalytic nanostructures heterojunctions and hybrid composites.

The potential for hydrogen to reshape energy systems has been recognized for over a century. Yet as decarbonization priorities have sharpened in many regions three distinct frontier areas are critical to consider: hydrogen produced from wind; hydrogen produced from nuclear power; and the development of natural hydrogen. These pathways reflect technology and policy changes including a 54% increase in the globally installed wind capacity since 2020 plus new signs of potential emerging in nuclear energy and natural hydrogen. Broadly speaking there are a considerable number of studies covering hydrogen production from electrolysis yet none systematically examine wind- and nuclear-derived hydrogen natural hydrogen or the policies that enable their adoption in key countries. This article highlights international policy and technology developments with a focus on prime movers: Germany China the US and Russia.

Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in geological formations presents a viable option for long-term large-scale H2 storage. A physical coal model was constructed based on experimental tests and a MD simulation was used to investigate the potential of UHS in underground coal gasification (UCG) cavities. We investigated H2 behavior under various conditions including temperatures ranging from 278.15 to 348.15 K pressures in the range of 5–20 MPa pore sizes ranging from 1 to 20 nm and varying water content. We also examined the competitive adsorption dynamics of H2 in the presence of CH4 and CO2 . The findings indicate that the optimal UHS conditions for pure H2 involve low temperatures and high pressures. We found that coal nanopores larger than 7.5 nm optimize H2 diffusion. Additionally higher water content creates barriers to hydrogen diffusion due to water molecule clusters on coal surfaces. The preferential adsorption of CO2 and CH4 over H2 reduces H2 -coal interactions. This work provides a significant understanding of the microscopic behaviors of hydrogen in coal nanopores at UCG cavity boundaries under various environmental factors. It also confirms the feasibility of underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in UCG cavities.

Natural hydrogen or "white hydrogen" has recently garnered attention as a viable and cost-effective energy resource due to its low-carbon footprint and high energy density positioning it as a key contributor to the transition towards a sustainable low-carbon energy system. This study represents Alberta’s first systematic effort to evaluate natural hydrogen potential in the province using publicly available geological geospatial and gas composition datasets. By mapping hydrogen occurrences against key geological features in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) we identify regions with strong geological potential for natural hydrogen generation migration and accumulation while addressing data uncertainties. Within the WCSB formations like the Montney Cardium Bearpaw Manville Belly River McMurray and Lea Park are identified as zones likely for hydrogen generation by prominent mechanisms including hydrocarbon decomposition water-rock reactions with iron-rich sediments and organic pyrolysis. Formation proximity to the underlying Canadian Shield may also suggest potential for basement-derived hydrogen migration via deep-seated faults and shear zones. Salt deposits (Elk Point Group - Prairie evaporites Cold Lake and Lotsberg) and deep shales (e.g. Kaskapau Lea Park Wapiabi) provide effective cap rock potential while reservoirs like porous sandstone (e.g. Dunvegan Spirit River Cardium) and fractured carbonate (e.g. Keg River) formations offer favorable accumulation conditions. Hydrogen occurrences in relation to geological features identify Southern Eastern and West-Central plains as prominent natural Hydrogen generation and accumulation areas. Alberta’s established energy infrastructure as well as subsurface expertise positions it as a potential leader in natural hydrogen exploration. As Alberta’s first systematic investigation this study provides a preliminary assessment of natural hydrogen potential and outlines recommended next steps to guide future exploration and research. Targeted research on specific generation and accumulation mechanisms and source identification through isotopic and geochemical fingerprinting will be crucial for exploration de-risking and viability assessment in support of net-zero emission initiatives.

Introduction: With the increasing demand for energy utilization efficiency and minimization of environmental carbon emissions in industrial parks optimizing the configuration and scheduling of integrated energy systems has become crucial. This study focuses on integrated energy systems with massive flexible load resources aiming to maximize energy utilization efficiency while reducing environmental impact. Methods: To model the uncertainties in wind and solar power outputs we employed three-parameter Weibull distribution models and Beta distribution models. Flexible loads were categorized into three types to match different electricity consumption patterns. Additionally an enhanced Kepler Optimization Algorithm (EKOA) was proposed incorporating chaos mapping and adaptive learning rate strategies to improve search scope convergence speed and solution efficiency. The effectiveness of the proposed optimization scheduling and configuration methods was validated through a case study of an industrial park located in a coastal area of southeastern China. Results: The results show that using three-parameter Weibull distribution models and Beta distribution models more accurately reflects the variations in actual wind speeds and solar irradiance levels achieving peak shaving and valley filling effects and enhancing renewable energy utilization. The EKOA algorithm significantly reduced curtailment rates of wind and solar power generation while achieving substantial economic benefits. Compared with other operation modes of hydrogen the daily average cost is reduced by 12.92% and external electricity purchases are reduced by an average of 20.2 MW h/day. Discussion: Although our approach shows potential in improving energy utilization efficiency and economic gains this paper only considered hydrogen energy for single-use pathways and did not account for the economic benefits from selling hydrogen in the market. Future research will further incorporate hydrogen demand response mechanisms and optimize the output of integrated energy systems from the perspective of spot markets. These findings provide valuable references for relevant engineering applications.