- Home
- A-Z Publications
- Publications
Publications
Roadmap Towards Zero Emissions, BEVs and FCEVs
Oct 2021
Publication
A “combined world” of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will create a greener transportation sector faster and cheaper than one of the solutions alone. Hydrogen Council with analytical support from McKinsey and Company published a report that highlights the complementary roles of FCEVs and BEVs in a decarbonised transportation sector.
The analysis found that each solution has comparable systemic efficiencies and similar CO2 life cycle intensity. From the vehicle user perspective FCEVs and BEVs will provide the flexibility and convenience to meet their specific context of use and geographic location. Additionally the costs of two supporting infrastructure for FCEVs and BEVs is cheaper than one infrastructure network primarily due to the reduced peak loads and avoidance of costly upgrades on the electricity grid. The report’s messages were developed in dialogue with the Observatory Group which consisted of representatives of government agencies and academia as well as associations and companies active in sectors like regenerative electricity generation electricity grid equipment manufacturing electric vehicle charging fleet management.
The paper can be found on their website.
The analysis found that each solution has comparable systemic efficiencies and similar CO2 life cycle intensity. From the vehicle user perspective FCEVs and BEVs will provide the flexibility and convenience to meet their specific context of use and geographic location. Additionally the costs of two supporting infrastructure for FCEVs and BEVs is cheaper than one infrastructure network primarily due to the reduced peak loads and avoidance of costly upgrades on the electricity grid. The report’s messages were developed in dialogue with the Observatory Group which consisted of representatives of government agencies and academia as well as associations and companies active in sectors like regenerative electricity generation electricity grid equipment manufacturing electric vehicle charging fleet management.
The paper can be found on their website.
ASSET Study on Geolocation of Hydrogen Production in the EU
Oct 2021
Publication
The modelling underpinning the scenarios for the EU long-term strategy did not include hydrogen trade. The assumption was that each Member State (MS) supplies its own needs for hydrogen and synthetic fuels. The goal of this study is to develop a model to undertake optimal geolocation of hydrogen production between MS including the possibility to trade hydrogen and therefore use the RES potential more optimally and decrease energy system costs at EU level. Specifically the new model helps to identify the geo-location of: 1. Renewable energy production (PV wind biomass hydro) 2. Location of RES and hydrogen production facilities 3. Storage infrastructure also for natural gas and storage technologies i.e. batteries pumping etc. 4. Infrastructure by road and pipeline
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Hydrogen Review of 2022
Oct 2022
Publication
In order to wrap Season 3 of EAH appropriately we are honored to have our most popular EAH guest back with us Alicia Eastman President and Co-Founder of Intercontinental Energy is here to help us review the big hydrogen happenings of 2022 and preview some of the most important predictions and expectations for the sector coming for 2023.
The podcast can be found on their website.
The podcast can be found on their website.
Modelling and Evaluation of PEM Hydrogen Technologies for Frequency Ancillary Services in Future Multi-energy Sustainable Power Systems
Mar 2019
Publication
This paper examines the prospect of PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolyzers and fuel cells to partake in European electrical ancillary services markets. First the current framework of ancillary services is reviewed and discussed emphasizing the ongoing European harmonization plans for future frequency balancing markets. Next the technical characteristics of PEM hydrogen technologies and their potential uses within the electrical power system are discussed to evaluate their adequacy to the requirements of ancillary services markets. Last a case study based on a realistic representation of the transmission grid in the north of the Netherlands for the year 2030 is presented. The main goal of this case study is to ascertain the effectiveness of PEM electrolyzers and fuel cells for the provision of primary frequency reserves. Dynamic generic models suitable for grid simulations are developed for both technologies including the required controllers to enable participation in ancillary services markets. The obtained results show that PEM hydrogen technologies can improve the frequency response when compared to the procurement with synchronous generators of the same reserve value. Moreover the fast dynamics of PEM electrolyzers and fuel cells can help mitigate the negative effects attributed to the reduction of inertia in the system.
Strategies for the Adoption of Hydrogen-Based Energy Storage Systems: An Exploratory Study in Australia
Aug 2022
Publication
A significant contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions will be enabled through the transition from a centralised fossil fuel system to a decentralised renewable electricity system. However due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy storage is required to provide a suitable response to dynamic loads and manage the excess generated electricity with utilisation during periods of low generation. This paper investigates the use of stationary hydrogen-based energy storage systems for microgrids and distributed energy resource systems. An exploratory study was conducted in Australia based on a mixed methodology. Ten Australian industry experts were interviewed to determine use cases for hydrogen-based energy storage systems’ requirements barriers methods and recommendations. This study suggests that the current cost of the electrolyser fuel cell and storage medium and the current low round-trip efficiency are the main elements inhibiting hydrogen-based energy storage systems. Limited industry and practical experience are barriers to the implementation of hydrogen storage systems. Government support could help scale hydrogen-based energy storage systems among early adopters and enablers. Furthermore collaboration and knowledge sharing could reduce risks allowing the involvement of more stakeholders. Competition and innovation could ultimately reduce the costs increasing the uptake of hydrogen storage systems.
The More the Merrier? Actors and Ideas in the Evolution of Germany Hydrogen Policy Discourse
Feb 2023
Publication
Hydrogen has set high hopes for decarbonization due to its flexibility and ability to decarbonize sectors of the economy where direct electrification appears unviable. Broad hydrogen policies have therefore started to emerge. Nevertheless it is still a rather niche technology not integrated or adopted at scale and not regulated through particular policy provisions. The involved stakeholders are thus still rushing to set the agenda over the issue. All this plays out publicly and shapes the public discourse. This paper explores how the composition of stakeholders their positions and the overall discourse structure have developed and accompanied the political agenda-setting in the early public debate on hydrogen in Germany. We use discourse network analysis of media where stakeholders' claims-making is documented and their positions can be tracked over time. The public discourse on hydrogen in Germany shows the expected evolution of statements in connection with the two milestones chosen for the analyses the initiation of the Gas 2030 Dialogue and the publication of the National Hydrogen Strategy. Interestingly the discourse was comparatively feeble in the immediate aftermath of the respective milestones but intensified in a consolidation phase around half a year later. Sequencing the discourse and contextualizing its content relative to political societal and economic conditions in a diachronic way is essential because it helps to avoid misinterpreting the development of stakeholders' standpoints as conflict-driven rather than mere repositioning. Thus we observed no discourse “polarization” even though potentially polarizing issues were already present in the debate.
Design of Fuel Cell Systems for Aviation: Representative Mission Profiles and Sensitivity Analyses
Apr 2019
Publication
The global transition to a clean and sustainable energy infrastructure does not stop at aviation. The European Commission defined a set of environmental goals for the “Flight Path 2050”: 75% CO2 reduction 90% NOx reduction and 65% perceived noise reduction. Hydrogen as an energy carrier fulfills these needs while it would also offer a tenable and flexible solution for intermittent large-scale energy storage for renewable energy networks. If hydrogen is used as an energy carrier there is no better device than a fuel cell to convert its stored chemical energy. In order to design fuel cell systems for passenger aircraft it is necessary to specify the requirements that the system has to fulfill. In this paper a statistical approach to analyze these requirements is presented which accounts for variations in the flight mission profile. Starting from a subset of flight data within the desired class (e.g. mid-range inter-European flights) a stochastic model of the random mission profile is inferred. This model allows for subsequent predictions under uncertainty as part of the aircraft design process. By using Monte Carlo-based sampling of flight mission profiles the range of necessary component sizes as well as optimal degrees of hybridization with a battery is explored and design options are evaluated. Furthermore Monte Carlo-based sensitivity analysis of performance parameters explores the potential of future technological developments. Results suggest that the improvement of the specific power of the fuel cell is the deciding factor for lowering the energy system mass. The specific energy of the battery has a low influence but acts in conjunction with the specific power of the fuel cell.
Hydrogen for the De-carbonization of the Resources and Energy Intensive Industries (REIIs)
Aug 2022
Publication
This study deals with the use of hydrogen for the de-carbonization of the Resources and Energy Intensive Industries (REIIs) and gives a specific insight of the situation of the steel-making industry. The growing use of hydrogen in our economy is synonym for an equal increase in electricity consumption. This results from the fact that the current most promising technologies of H2 production is water electrolysis. For this purpose the EU hydrogen strategy foresees a progressive ramp up of H2 production capacities. But bottlenecks (especially regarding energy needed for electrolysers) may occur. Capacities should reach 40 GW (around 10 Mt/y) by the end of 2030. The steel-making industry relies heavily on H2 to decarbonise its process (through direct iron ore reduction). Our study analyses the conditions under which this new process will be able to compete with both European and offshore existing carbonised assets (i.e. blast furnaces). It emphasises the need for integrated and consistent policies from carbon prices to the carbon border adjustment mechanism through carbon contracts for differences but also highlightsthat a better regulation of electricity prices should not be neglected.
Techno Environmental Assessment of Flettner Rotor as Assistance Propulsion System for LH2 Tanker Ship Fuelled by Hydrogen
Nov 2022
Publication
This study presents a novel design and development of a 280000 m3 liquefied hydrogen tanker ship by implementing a set of 6 Flettner rotors as an assistance propulsion system in conjunction with a combined-cycle gas turbine fuelled by hydrogen as a prime mover. The study includes assessment of the technical and environmental aspects of the developed design. Furthermore an established method was applied to simulate the LH2 tanker in different voyages and conditions to investigate the benefits of harnessing wind energy to assist combined-cycle gas turbine in terms of performance and emission reduction based on engine behaviour for different voyages under loaded and unloaded normal as well as 6 % degraded engine and varying ambient conditions. The results indicate that implementing a set of 6 Flettner rotors for the LH2 tanker ship has the potential to positively impact the performance and lead to environmental benefits. A maximum contribution power of around 1.8 MW was achieved in the winter season owing to high wind speed and favourable wind direction. This power could save approximately 3.6 % of the combined-cycle gas turbine total output power (50 MW) and cause a 3.5 % reduction in NOx emissions.
Thermochemical Recuperation to Enable Efficient Ammonia-Diesel Dual-Fuel Combustion in a Compression Ignition Engine
Nov 2021
Publication
A thermochemical recuperation (TCR) reactor was developed and experimentally evaluated with the objective to improve dual-fuel diesel–ammonia compression ignition engines. The novel system simultaneously decomposed ammonia into a hydrogen-containing mixture to allow high diesel fuel replacement ratios and oxidized unburned ammonia emissions in the exhaust overcoming two key shortcomings of ammonia combustion in engines from the previous literature. In the experimental work a multi-cylinder compression ignition engine was operated in dual-fuel mode using intake-fumigated ammonia and hydrogen mixtures as the secondary fuel. A full-scale catalytic TCR reactor was constructed and generated the fuel used in the engine experiments. The results show that up to 55% of the total fuel energy was provided by ammonia on a lower heating value basis. Overall engine brake thermal efficiency increased for modes with a high exhaust temperature where ammonia decomposition conversion in the TCR reactor was high but decreased for all other modes due to poor combustion efficiency. Hydrocarbon and soot emissions were shown to increase with the replacement ratio for all modes due to lower combustion temperatures and in-cylinder oxidation processes in the late part of heat release. Engine-out oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions decreased with increasing diesel replacement levels for all engine modes. A higher concentration of unburned ammonia was measured in the exhaust with increasing replacement ratios. This unburned ammonia predominantly oxidized to NOx species over the oxidation catalyst used within the TCR reactor. Ammonia substitution thus increased post-TCR reactor ammonia and NOx emissions in this work. The results show however that engine-out NH3 -to-NOx ratios were suitable for passive selective catalytic reduction thus demonstrating that both ammonia and NOx from the engine could be readily converted to N2 if the appropriate catalyst were used in the TCR reactor.
Case Studies of Energy Storage with Fuel Cells and Batteries for Stationary and Mobile Applications
Mar 2017
Publication
In this paper hydrogen coupled with fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries are considered as alternative energy storage methods. Their application on a stationary system (i.e. energy storage for a family house) and a mobile system (i.e. an unmanned aerial vehicle) will be investigated. The stationary systems designed for off-grid applications were sized for photovoltaic energy production in the area of Turin Italy to provide daily energy of 10.25 kWh. The mobile systems to be used for high crane inspection were sized to have a flying range of 120 min one being equipped with a Li-ion battery and the other with a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell. The systems were compared from an economical point of view and a life cycle assessment was performed to identify the main contributors to the environmental impact. From a commercial point of view the fuel cell and the electrolyzer being niche products result in being more expensive with respect to the Li-ion batteries. On the other hand the life cycle assessment (LCA) results show the lower burdens of both technologies.
Ammonia, Methane and Hydrogen for Gas Turbines
Aug 2015
Publication
Ammonia has been identified as a sustainable fuel for transport and power applications. Similar to hydrogen ammonia is a synthetic product that can be obtained either from fossil fuels biomass or other renewable sources. Since the 1960’s considerable research has taken place to develop systems capable of burning the material in gas turbines. However it is not until recently that interest in ammonia has regained some momentum in the energy agenda as it is a carbon free carrier and offers an energy density higher than compressed hydrogen. . Therefore this work examines combustion stability and emissions from gaseous ammonia blended with methane or hydrogen in gas turbines. Experiments were carried out in a High Pressure Combustion Rig under atmospheric conditions employing a bespoke generic swirl burner. OH* Chemiluminescense was used for all trials to determine reactivity of the radical. Emissions were measured and correlated to equilibrium calculations using GASEQ. Results show that efficient combustion can be achieved with high power but at very narrow equivalence ratios using both hydrogen and methane blends. Moreover low concentrations of OH radicals are observed at high hydrogen content probably as a consequence of the high NH2 production.
Critical Parameters Controlling Wettability in Hydrogen Underground Storage - An Analytical Study
Sep 2022
Publication
Hypothesis.<br/>The large-scale implementation of hydrogen economy requires immense storage spaces to facilitate the periodic storage/production cycles. Extensive modelling of hydrogen transport in porous media is required to comprehend the hydrogen-induced complexities prior to storage to avoid energy loss. Wettability of hydrogen-brine-rock systems influence flow properties (e.g. capillary pressure and relative permeability curves) and the residual saturations which are all essential for subsurface hydrogen systems.<br/>Model.<br/>This study aims to understand which parameters critically control the contact angle for hydrogen-brine-rock systems using the surface force analysis following the DLVO theory and sensitivity analysis. Furthermore the effect of roughness is studied using the Cassie-Baxter model.<br/>Findings.<br/>Our results reveal no considerable difference between H2 and other gases such as N2. Besides the inclusion of roughness highly affects the observed apparent contact angles and even lead to water-repelling features. It was observed that contact angle does not vary significantly with variations of surface charge and density at high salinity which is representative for reservoir conditions. Based on the analysis it is speculated that the influence of roughness on contact angle becomes significant at low water saturation (i.e. high capillary pressure).
Recent Advances in Alkaline Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis and Electrode Manufacturing
Oct 2021
Publication
Water electrolysis to obtain hydrogen in combination with intermittent renewable energy resources is an emerging sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Among the available electrolyzer technologies anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) has been paid much attention because of its advantageous behavior compared to other more traditional approaches such as solid oxide electrolyzer cells and alkaline or proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers. Recently very promising results have been obtained in the AEMWE technology. This review paper is focused on recent advances in membrane electrode assembly components paying particular attention to the preparation methods for catalyst coated on gas diffusion layers which has not been previously reported in the literature for this type of electrolyzers. The most successful methodologies utilized for the preparation of catalysts including co-precipitation electrodeposition sol–gel hydrothermal chemical vapor deposition atomic layer deposition ion beam sputtering and magnetron sputtering deposition techniques have been detailed. Besides a description of these procedures in this review we also present a critical appraisal of the efficiency of the water electrolysis carried out with cells fitted with electrodes prepared with these procedures. Based on this analysis a critical comparison of cell performance is carried out and future prospects and expected developments of the AEMWE are discussed.
Potential of Producing Green Hydrogen in Jordan
Nov 2022
Publication
Green hydrogen is becoming an increasingly important energy supply source worldwide. The great potential for the use of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source makes it an attractive energy carrier. In this paper we discuss the potential of producing green hydrogen in Jordan. Aqaba located in the south of Jordan was selected to study the potential for producing green hydrogen due to its proximity to a water source (i.e. the Red Sea). Two models were created for two electrolyzer types using MATLAB. The investigated electrolyzers were alkaline water (ALK) and polymeric electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. The first model was used to compare the required capacity of the PV solar system using ALK and PEM from 2022 to 2025 depending on the learning curves for the development of these technologies. In addition this model was used to predict the total investment costs for the investigated electrolyzers. Then a techno-economic model was constructed to predict the feasibility of using this technology by comparing the use of a PV system and grid electricity as sources for the production of hydrogen. The net present value (NPV) and levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) were used as indicators for both models. The environmental effect according to the reduction of CO2 emissions was also taken into account. The annual production of hydrogen was 70.956 million kg. The rate of hydrogen production was 19.3 kg/s and 1783 kg/s for ALK and PEM electrolyzers respectively. The LCOH was 4.42 USD/kg and 3.13 USD/kg when applying electricity from the grid and generated by the PV system respectively. The payback period to cover the capital cost of the PV system was 11 years of the project life with a NPV of USD 441.95 million. Moreover CO2 emissions can be reduced by 3042 tons/year by using the PV as a generation source instead of fossil fuels to generate electricity. The annual savings with respect to the reduction of CO2 emissions was USD 120135.
The Potential of Zero-carbon Bunker Fuels in Developing Countries
Apr 2015
Publication
To meet the climate targets set forth in the International Maritime Organization’s Initial GHG Strategy the maritime transport sector needs to abandon the use of fossil-based bunker fuels and turn toward zero-carbon alternatives which emit zero or at most very low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout their lifecycles. This report “The Potential of Zero-Carbon Bunker Fuels in Developing Countries” examines a range of zero-carbon bunker fuel options that are considered to be major contributors to shipping’s decarbonized future: biofuels hydrogen and ammonia and synthetic carbon-based fuels. The comparison shows that green ammonia and green hydrogen strike the most advantageous balance of favorable features due to their lifecycle GHG emissions broader environmental factors scalability economics and technical and safety implications. Furthermore the report finds that many countries including developing countries are very well positioned to become future suppliers of zero-carbon bunker fuels—namely ammonia and hydrogen. By embracing their potential these countries would be able to tap into an estimated $1+ trillion future fuel market while modernizing their own domestic energy and industrial infrastructure. However strategic policy interventions are needed to unlock these potentials.
Numerical Investigation of Thermal Hazards from Under-expanded Hydrogen Jet Fires using a New Scheme for the Angular Discretization of the Radiative Intensity
Sep 2021
Publication
In the context of a numerical investigation of thermal hazards from two under-expanded hydrogen jet fires results from a newly-developed thermal radiation module of the ADREA-HF computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code were validated against two physical experiments. The first experiment was a vertical under-expanded hydrogen jet fire at 170 bar with the objective of the numerical investigation being to capture the spatial distribution of the radial radiative heat flux at a given time instant. In the second case a horizontal under-expanded hydrogen jet fire at 340 bar was considered. Here the objective was to capture the temporal evolution of the radial radiative heat flux at selected fixed points in space. The numerical study employs the eddy dissipation model for combustion and the finite volume method (FVM) for the calculation of the radiative intensity. The FVM was implemented using a novel angular discretization scheme. By dividing the unit sphere into an arbitrary number of exactly equal angular control volumes this new scheme allows for more flexibility and efficiency. A demonstration of numerical convergence as a function the number of both spatial and angular control volumes was performed.
Development and Mechanistic Studies of Ternary Nanocomposites for Hydrogen Production from Water Splitting to Yield Sustainable/Green Energy and Environmental Remediation
Mar 2022
Publication
Photocatalysts lead vitally to water purifications and decarbonise environment each by wastewater treatment and hydrogen (H2 ) production as a renewable energy source from waterphotolysis. This work deals with the photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and H2 production by novel silver-nanoparticle (AgNPs) based ternary-nanocomposites of thiolated reducegraphene oxide graphitic carbon nitride (AgNPs-S-rGO2%@g-C3N4 ) material. Herein the optimised balanced ratio of thiolated reduce-graphene oxide in prepared ternary-nanocomposites played matchlessly to enhance activity by increasing the charge carriers’ movements via slowing down charge-recombination ratios. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) >2 wt.% or < 10 nm. Therefore AgNPs-S-rGO2%@g-C3N4 has 3772.5 µmolg−1 h −1 H2 production which is 6.43-fold higher than g-C3N4 having cyclic stability of 96% even after four consecutive cycles. The proposed mechanism for AgNPs-S-rGO2%@g-C3N4 revealed that the photo-excited electrons in the conduction-band of g-C3N4 react with the adhered water moieties to generate H2 .
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Hydrogen in the E-Mobility Sector
Oct 2021
Publication
Quantron AG was created in 2019 as a high-tech spin-off of the well-known Haller GmbH & Co. KG with the vision of paving the way for e-mobility in inner-city and regional passenger and cargo transportation. Quantron AG combines innovative ability and expertise in e-vans e-trucks and e-buses with the long-standing knowledge and experience of Haller GmbH & Co. KG in the commercial vehicle sector. The company's approach to e-Mobility is defined by its commitment to leveraging the most effective zero-emission vehicle technology for the use case which means Quantron is building both hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for its clients.
The podcast can be found on the website
The podcast can be found on the website
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Supplying the Building Blocks of an Energy Revolution
Apr 2021
Publication
On this episode of Everything About Hydrogen the team is joined by Sam French Business Development Director at JM who spent some time speaking with us about the transition from grey hydrogen to low-carbon generation technologies and what steps the UK - and countries all over the world - to use hydrogen as part of the pathway to a sustainable energy future.
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
No more items...