Publications

This paper presents a simulation tool for marine hybrid power-plants equipped with polymer exchange membrane fuel cells and batteries. The virtual model through the combination of operational data and dynamically modelled subsystems can simulate power-plants of different sizes and configurations in order to analyze the response of different energy management strategies. The model aims to replicate the realistic behavior of the components included in the vessel's grid to asses if the hardware selected by the user is capable of delivering the power set-point requested by the energy management system. The model can then be used to optimize key factors such as hydrogen consumption. The case study presented in the paper demonstrates how the model can be used for the evaluation of a retrofitting operation replacing a diesel electric power-plant with fuel cells and batteries. The vessel taken into consideration is a domestic ferry operating car and passenger transport in Denmark. The vessel is outfitted with a diesel electric plant and an alternative hybrid power-plant is proposed. The hybrid configuration is tested using the model in a discrete time-domain.

Palladium (Pd) membranes are a promising enabling technology for power generation and hydrogen production with CO2 capture. SINTEF has developed and patented a flexible technology to produce Pd-alloy membranes that significantly improves flux and thereby reduces material costs. Reinertsen AS and SINTEF aim to demonstrate the Pd membrane technology for H2 separation on a side stream of the Statoil Methanol Plant at Tjeldbergodden Norway. In the present article we present the upscaling of the membrane manufacturing process together with the membrane module and skid design and construction.

The cost of storing and transporting hydrogen have been one of the main challenges for the realization of the hydrogen economy. Liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC) are a promising novel solution to tackle these challenges. In this paper we compare the LOHC concept to compressed gas truck delivery and on-site production of hydrogen via water electrolysis. As a case study we consider transportation of by-product hydrogen from chlor-alkali and chlorate plants to a single industrial customer which was considered to have the greatest potential for the LOHC technology to enter the markets. The results show that the LOHC delivery chain could significantly improve the economics of long distance road transport. For economic feasibility the most critical parameters identified are the heat supply method for releasing hydrogen at the end-user site and the investment costs for LOHC reactors.

Presently the fulfilment of world’s energy demand highly relies on the fossil fuel i.e. coal oil and natural gas. Fossil fuels pose threat to environment and biological systems on the earth. Usage of these fuels leads to an increase in the CO2 content in the atmosphere that causes global warming and undesirable climatic changes. Additionally these are limited sources of energy those will eventually dwindle. There is huge urge of identifying and utilizing the renewable energy resources to replace these fossil fuels in the near future as it is expected to have no impact on environment and thus would enable one to provide energy security. Hydrogen is one of the most desirable fuel capable of replacing vanishing hydrocarbons. In this review we present the status of energy demands recent advances in renewable energy and the prospects of hydrogen as a future fuel are highlighted. It gives a broad overview of different energy systems and mainly focuses on different technologies and their reliability for the production of hydrogen in present and future.

ISSUES MONITOR 2020: DECODING NEW SIGNALS OF CHANGE

The annual World Energy Issues Monitor provides unique insight into what energy policymakers CEOs and leading experts identify as Critical Uncertainties and Action Priorities. New this year the Issues Monitor also provides readers with the views of the individual customer detailing their perceptions of their role in the overall energy system. The Issues Monitor report includes a global issues map 58 country maps and six regional maps as well as perspectives from Future Energy Leaders (FEL) and energy innovators.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES

The 2020 global map incorporates all survey responses representing the views of over 3000 energy leaders from 104 countries. In this era of transition defined by decentralisation digitalisation and decarbonisation energy leaders must pay attention to many different signals of change and distinguish key issues from the noise. The Issues Monitor identifies shifting patterns of connected issues shaping energy transitions.

A NEW PULSE

The focus for the 2010s was about trying to automate and upgrade the energy system and set targets to move the energy transition forward. Digitalisation accelerated the transition of all sectors towards a more customer-centric environment. New policies and regulations were introduced to facilitate this transition and empower consumers. As a result the 2020s may very well be about realising those targets through a transition from activism to action.

TREND TRACKING: CCS

In comparing response from the Oil & Gas sector in 2015 with 2019 we found that almost half of respondents identified Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) as a high impact issue in 2019 up from about a third in 2015. CCS is increasingly being viewed as an essential option for continued hydrocarbon use although governmental support is needed to enable scalability and cost effectiveness.

A DIFFERENCE IN OPINION: NUCLEAR

Opinions remain polarised but in many European countries nuclear power is increasingly recognised as a carbon-free energy source and potentially an integral part of the future energy mix. In December 2019 the European Commission set a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. There is qualified support among energy leaders to include nuclear energy to help create a carbon neutral continent and enable a just energy transition.

In this paper a novel process is developed to cogenerate 4741 kg/h of methanol 297.7 kW of electricity and 35.73 ton/h of hot water including a hydrogen purification system an absorption– compression refrigeration cycle (ACRC) a regenerative Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and parabolic solar troughs. The heat produced in the methanol reactor is recovered in the ORC and ACRC. Parabolic solar troughs provide thermal power to the methanol distillation tower. Thermal efficiencies of the integrated structure and the liquid methanol production cycle are 78.14% and 60.91% respectively. The process’s total exergy efficiency and irreversibility are 89.45% and 16.89 MW. The solar thermal collectors take the largest share of exergy destruction (34%) followed by heat exchangers (30%) and mixers (19%). Based on the sensitivity analysis D17 (mixture of H2 and low-pressure fuel gas before separation) was the most influential stream affecting the performance of the process. With the temperature decline of stream D17 from −139 to −149 °C the methanol production rate and the total thermal efficiency rose to 4741.2 kg/h and 61.02% respectively. Moreover the growth in the hydrogen content from 55% to 80% molar of the feed gas the flow rate of liquid methanol and the total exergy efficiency declined to 4487 kg/h and 86.05%.

With the growth of aviation traffic and the demand for emission reduction alternative fuels like the so-called electrofuels could comprise a sustainable solution. Electrofuels are understood as those that use renewable energy for fuel synthesis and that are carbon-neutral with respect to greenhouse gas emission. In this study five potential electrofuels are discussed with respect to the potential application as aviation fuels being n-octane methanol methane hydrogen and ammonia and compared to conventional Jet A-1 fuel. Three important aspects are illuminated. Firstly the synthesis process of the electrofuel is described with its technological paths its energy efficiency and the maturity or research need of the production. Secondly the physico-chemical properties are compared with respect to specific energy energy density as well as those properties relevant to the combustion of the fuels i.e. autoignition delay time adiabatic flame temperature laminar flame speed and extinction strain rate. Results show that the physical and combustion properties significantly differ from jet fuel except for n-octane. The results describe how the different electrofuels perform with respect to important aspects such as fuel and air mass flow rates. In addition the results help determine mixture properties of the exhaust gas for each electrofuel. Thirdly a turbine configuration is investigated at a constant operating point to further analyze the drop-in potential of electrofuels in aircraft engines. It is found that electrofuels can generally substitute conventional kerosene-based fuels but have some downsides in the form of higher structural loads and potentially lower efficiencies. Finally a preliminary comparative evaluation matrix is developed. It contains specifically those fields for the different proposed electrofuels where special challenges and problematic points are seen that need more research for potential application. Synthetically-produced n-octane is seen as a potential candidate for a future electrofuel where even a drop-in capability is given. For the other fuels more issues need further research to allow the application as electrofuels in aviation. Specifically interesting could be the combination of hydrogen with ammonia in the far future; however the research is just at the beginning stage.

The presence of a conductive layers of hot-formed oxide on the surface of bars for pre or post-compressing structures can promote localized attacks as a function of pH. The aggressive local environment in the occluded cells inside localized attacks has as consequence the possibility of initiation of stress corrosion cracking. In this paper the stress corrosion cracking behavior of high strength steels proposed for tendons was studied by means of Constant Load (CL) tests and Slow Strain Rate (SSR) tests. Critical ranges of pH for cracking were verified. The promoting role of localized attack was confirmed. Further electrochemical tests were performed on bars in as received surface conditions in order to evaluate pitting initiation. The adverse effect of mill scale was recognized.

This paper describes a 1-D numerical model for the prediction of heat and mass transfer through an intumescent paint that is applied to an on-board high-pressure GH2 storage tank. The intumescent paint is treated as a composite system consisting of three general components decomposing in accordance with independent finite reaction rates. A moving mesh that is employed for a better prediction of the expansion process of the intumescent paint is based on the local changes of heat and mass. The numerical model is validated against experiments by Cagliostro et al. (1975). The overall model results are used to estimate effect of intumescent paint on fire resistance of carbon-fibre reinforced GH2 storage.

Fast response and high durability hydrogen sensor is required in the safety management of hydrogen station and fuel cell vehicle. We had developed the catalytic combustion type hydrogen sensor in the shape of the miniature beads. It is using the optimized Pd-Pt/Al2O3 catalyst and the Pt micro-heater coil. Both warm-up time and response time of this sensor achieved less than 1 second by downsizing the element to 200μm diameter. Furthermore we improved the resistance of sensor poisoning to silicone vapor and confirmed long term stability within +/-10% of output error up to 8 years. Therefore we assume that our sensor technology contribute to hydrogen safety.

There is significant interest in Australia both federally and at the state level to develop a hydrogen production industry. Australia’s Chief Scientist Alan Finkel recently prepared a briefing paper for the COAG Energy Council outlining a road map for hydrogen. It identifies hydrogen has the potential to be a significant source of export revenue for Australia in future years assist with decarbonising Australia’s economy and could establish Australia as a leader in low emission fuel production.

As part of the ongoing investigations into the hydrogen production potential of Australia Geoscience Australia has been commissioned by the Department of Industry Innovation and Science to develop heat maps that show areas with high potential for future hydrogen production. The study is technology agnostic in that it considers hydrogen production via electrolysis using renewable energy sources and also fossil fuel hydrogen coupled with carbon capture and storage (CCS). The heat maps presented in this work are synthesized from the key individual national-scale datasets that are relevant for hydrogen production. In the case of hydrogen from electrolysis renewable energy potential and the availability of water are the most important factors with various infrastructural considerations playing a secondary role. In the case of fossil fuel hydrogen proximity to gas and coal resources water and availability of carbon storage sites are the important parameters that control the heat maps. In this report we present 5 different heat map scenarios reflecting different assumptions in the geospatial analysis and also reflecting to some degree the different projected timeframes for hydrogen production. The first three scenarios pertain to renewable energy and hydrogen There is significant interest in Australia both federally and at the state level to develop a hydrogen production industry. In August 2018 Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel prepared a briefing paper for the COAG Energy Council outlining a road map for hydrogen. It identifies hydrogen has the potential to be a significant source of export revenue for Australia in future years assist with decarbonising Australia’s economy and could establish Australia as a leader in low emission fuel production.

As part of ongoing investigations into the hydrogen production potential of Australia Geoscience Australia has been engaged by the Department of Industry Innovation and Science to develop maps that show areas with high potential for future hydrogen production. The study is technology agnostic but considers only low carbon production processes. It includes hydrogen production via electrolysis using renewable energy sources (referred to as renewable hydrogen) as well as fossil fuel-derived hydrogen coupled with carbon capture and storage (CCS) (referred to as CCS hydrogen). The maps presented in this work are synthesized from the key individual national-scale datasets that are relevant for hydrogen production. In the case of hydrogen from electrolysis renewable energy potential (from wind solar and hydro resources) and the availability of water are the most important factors while various infrastructure considerations also play a role. In the case of CCS hydrogen proximity to gas and coal resources water and availability of carbon storage sites are the important parameters that control the spatial distribution of potential hydrogen production. In this report we present five different scenarios that reflect key differences in technologies for hydrogen production and the requirements of those technologies. Using geospatial analysis each scenario is translated into a heat map that shows regional trends in potential for hydrogen production based on access to underpinning resources and existing infrastructure.

Three scenarios explore the future potential for renewable hydrogen produced by electrolysis. These demonstrate a high potential for hydrogen production in the future near many Australian coastal areas which is even larger if infrastructure is available to transport renewable power generated from inland areas to the coast. Results also show significant future potential for hydrogen production in inland areas where water is available. The final two scenarios focus on the future potential for CCS hydrogen: a 2030 scenario and a 2050 scenario. A key factor in future CCS hydrogen potential is related to the timeframes for the availability of geological storage resources for CO_2.

Biomass-based gasification is an attractive and promising pathway for hydrogen production. In this work a biomass-based hydrogen production system integrated with organic Rankine cycle was designed and investigated to predict the performance of hydrogen production yield and electricity generation under various operating conditions. The modified equilibrium model presented desirable results for the produced syngas compositions compared with the experimental data. Hydrogen yields from four types of biomass (wood chips daily manure sorghum and grapevine pruning wastes) were compared under the same operating condition with wood chips exhibiting the maximum hydrogen yield of 11.59 mol/kg. The effects of gasification temperature equivalence ratio and steam-to-biomass ratio on the hydrogen yield and electricity generation were investigated by using the response surface method. Furthermore the system was optimized using a genetic algorithm based on the response surface model. A preferred optimal solution with a hydrogen yield of 39.31 mol/kg and an output power of 3558.08 kW (0.99 kW h/kg) was selected by the linear programming technique for multidimensional analysis of the preference method.

In this paper a gas-to-power (GtoP) system for power outages is digitally modeled and experimentally developed. The design includes a solid-state hydrogen storage system composed of TiFeMn as a hydride forming alloy (6.7 kg of alloy in five tanks) and an air-cooled fuel cell (maximum power: 1.6 kW). The hydrogen storage system is charged under room temperature and 40 bar of hydrogen pressure reaching about 110 g of hydrogen capacity. In an emergency use case of the system hydrogen is supplied to the fuel cell and the waste heat coming from the exhaust air of the fuel cell is used for the endothermic dehydrogenation reaction of the metal hydride. This GtoP system demonstrates fast stable and reliable responses providing from 149 W to 596 W under different constant as well as dynamic conditions. A comprehensive and novel simulation approach based on a network model is also applied. The developed model is validated under static and dynamic power load scenarios demonstrating excellent agreement with the experimental results.

With the gradual popularization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) the construction and planning of hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) are increasingly important. Taking operational HRSs in China’s coastal and major cities as examples we consider the main factors affecting the site selection of HRSs in China from the three aspects of economy technology and society to establish a site selection evaluation system for hydrogen refueling stations and determine the weight of each index through the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Then combined with fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) method and artificial neural network model (ANN) FCE method is used to evaluate HRS in operation in China's coastal areas and major cities and we used the resulting data obtained from the comprehensive evaluation as the training data to train the neural network. So an intelligent site selection model for HRSs based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation and artificial neural network model (FCE-ANN) is proposed. The planned HRSs in Shanghai are evaluated and an optimal site selection of the HRS is obtained. The results show that the optimal HRSs site selected by the FCE-ANN model is consistent with the site selection obtained by the FCE method and the accuracy of the FCE-ANN model is verified. The findings of this study may provide some guidelines for policy makers in planning the hydrogen refueling stations

In super duplex stainless steels (SDSSs) both austenite and ferrite are susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement however there is a lack of understanding into the effect of hydrogen in each phase. In this study in neutron diffraction was applied on hydrogen-charged (H-charged) samples to investigate the hydrogen embrittlement behaviour in super duplex stainless steels. The result reveals that austenite maintains good plasticity during tensile testing whilst a loss of it is realised in ferrite. Fractography analysis reveals the diffusion of hydrogen induced a brittle-to-ductile transition from the sample surface towards the centre; hydrogen embrittlement vanishes as the specimen’s centre is approached while it is demonstrated to disappear first in austenite but not in ferrite. This transition can be predicted by applying a physics-based hydrogen embrittlement model which incorporates the effects of hydrogen concentration hydrogen diffusivity residual stress loading state and temperature. The present work demonstrates the dissimilar susceptibility of austenite and ferrite to hydrogen embrittlement providing a tool to describe it.

With the rapid development of hydrogen vehicle technology and large scale fuel cell vehicle (FCV) demonstration project worldwide more hydrogen refueling stations need to be built. Safety distances of hydrogen refueling stations have always been a public concern and have become a critical issue to further implementation of hydrogen station. In this paper safety distances for 35MPa and 70MPa gaseous hydrogen refueling station are evaluated on the basis of the maximum consequences likely to occur. Four typical consequences of hydrogen release are considered in modeling: physical explosion jet fire flash fire and confined vapor cloud explosion. Results show that physical explosion and the worst case of confined vapor cloud explosion produce the longest harm effect distances for instantaneous and continuous release respectively indicating that they may be considered as leading consequences for the determination of safety distances. For both 35MPa station and 70MPa station safety measures must be implemented because the calculated safety distances of most hydrogen facilities can not meet the criteria in national code if without sufficient mitigation measures. In order to reduce the safety distances to meet the national code some mitigation measures are investigated including elevation of hydrogen facilities using smaller vessel and pipe work and setting enclosure around compressors. Results show that these measures are effective to improve safety but each has different effectiveness on safety distance reduction. The combination of these safety measures may effectively eliminate the hazard of 35MPa station however may be not enough for 70MPa station. Further improvements need to be studied for compressors inside 70MPa station.

Liquid hydrogen vent stacks often release hydrogen for example due to pressure relief from an underutilized tank boiling off hydrogen or after hydrogen delivery and transfer (trucks often depressurize through the tank vent stack to meet pressure regulations for on-road transport).<br/>A rapid release of cryogenic hydrogen through a vent stack will condense moisture from the entrained air forming a visible cloud. It is often assumed that the extent of the cold hydrogen is concurrent with the cloud. In this work a laser-based Raman scattering diagnostic was used to map out the hydrogen location during a series of vent stack release experiments. A description of the diagnostic instrument is given followed by a comparison of hydrogen signals to the visible cloud for releases through a liquid hydrogen vent stack. A liquid hydrogen pump was used to vary the flowrate of hydrogen through the vent stack and tests were performed under low and high wind conditions as well as low and high humidity conditions. The hydrogen was observed only where the condensed moisture was located regardless of the humidity level or wind. These measurements are being used to validate models such as those included in Sanda’s HyRAM toolkit and inform safety codes and standards.

Exposing and stabilizing undercoordinated platinum (Pt) sites and therefore optimizing their adsorption to reactive intermediates offers a desirable strategy to develop highly efficient Pt-based electrocatalysts. However preparation of atomically controllable Pt-based model catalysts to understand the correlation between electronic structure adsorption energy and catalytic properties of atomic Pt sites is still challenging. Herein we report the atomically thin two-dimensional PtTe₂ nanosheets with well-dispersed single atomic Te vacancies (Te-SAVs) and atomically well-defined undercoordinated Pt sites as a model electrocatalyst. A controlled thermal treatment drives the migration of the Te-SAVs to form thermodynamically stabilized ordered Te-SAV clusters which decreases both the density of states of undercoordinated Pt sites around the Fermi level and the interacting orbital volume of Pt sites. As a result the binding strength of atomically defined Pt active sites to H intermediates is effectively reduced which renders PtTe₂ nanosheets highly active and stable in hydrogen evolution reaction.

Blending hydrogen (H2) produced from PEM electrolysis coupled to Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in the existing Natural Gas (NG) network is a promising option for the deep decarbonization of the gas sector. However blending H2 with NG significantly affects the thermophysical properties of the gas mixture changing the gas supply requirements to meet the demand. In this work different scenarios of green hydrogen blending (Blend Ratio BR equal to 5/10/15/20%vol) are analyzed at the national level with different temporal constraints (hour/day/week/month/year) based on real gas demand data in Italy addressing both design requirements (RES and PEM electrolyzer capacity) via Linear Programming (LP) and carrying out dynamic simulations of different operational strategies (constant or variable blend). Although H2/NG blending provides a huge opportunity in terms of deployed H2 volume higher BRs show rapidly increasing design requirements (1.3-1.5 GWe/%vol and 2.5-3 GWe/%vol for PEM electrolyzers and RES capacity respectively) and a significative increase of the total gas mixture volume (0.83 %/%vol) which hinders the CO2 reduction potential (0.37 %/%vol). A variable blend operation strategy (allowing a variation of BR within the analyzed period) allows to balance a variable H2 production from RES. Wider temporal constraints imply several beneficial effects such as relaxing design constraints and avoiding the implementation of an external storage. The Levelized Cost Of Hydrogen (LCOH) is preliminarily estimated at around 7.3 $/kg for yearly scenarios (best-case) although shorter temporal constraints entail significant excess hydrogen which would increase the LCOH if not deployed for other applications.

In this paper different techniques to test notched Small Punch (SPT) samples in fracture conditions in aggressive environments are studied based on the comparison of the micromechanisms at different rates. Pre-embrittled samples subsequently tested in air at rates conventionally employed (0.01 and 0.002 mm/s) are compared to embrittled ones tested in environment at the same rates (0.01 and 0.002 mm/s) and at a very slow rate (5E-5 mm/s). A set of samples tested in environment under a set of constant loads that produce very slow rates completes the experimental results. As a conclusion it is recommended to test SPT notched specimens in environment at very slow rates of around E-6 mm/s when characterizing in Hydrogen Embrittlement (HE) scenarios in order to allow the interaction material-environment to govern the process.

Overview of advances in the technology of solid state hydrogen storage methods applying different kinds of novel materials is provided. Metallic and intermetallic hydrides complex chemical hydride nanostructured carbon materials metal-doped carbon nanotubes metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) metal-doped metal organic frameworks covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and clathrates solid state hydrogen storage techniques are discussed. The studies on their hydrogen storage properties are in progress towards positive direction. Nevertheless it is believed that these novel materials will offer far-reaching solutions to the onboard hydrogen storage problems in near future. The review begins with the deficiencies of current energy economy and discusses the various aspects of implementation of hydrogen energy based economy.

Hydrogen has become a strong candidate to be a future energy storage medium but there are technological challenges both in its production and storage. For storage a search for lightweight abundant and non-toxic materials is on the way. An abundant natural material such as wood cellulose would make an ideal storage medium from a sustainability perspective. Here using a combination of static DFT calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations at different temperatures it is shown that wood cellulose has the ability to uptake H2 via a physisorption mechanism based on dispersion interactions of the van der Waals type involving the O-atoms of the d-glucose rings. The absorption causes little to no disturbances on the cellulose structure and H2 is highly mobile in the material. At an external pressure of H2(g) of 0.09 atm and T = 25 °C cellulose has a theoretical gravimetric density of hydrogen storage of ≈1%.

This White Paper has been commissioned by the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell (H2FC) SUPERGEN Hub to examine the roles and potential benefits of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies for heat provision in future low-carbon energy systems. The H2FC SUPERGEN Hub is an inclusive network encompassing the entire UK hydrogen and fuel cells research community with around 100 UK-based academics supported by key stakeholders from industry and government. It is funded by the UK EPSRC research council as part of the RCUK Energy Programme. This paper is the first of four that will be published over the lifetime of the Hub with the others examining: (i) low-carbon energy systems (including balancing renewable intermittency); (ii) low-carbon transport systems; and (iii) the provision of secure and affordable energy supplies for the future

• Hydrogen and fuel cells are part of the cost-optimal heating technology portfolio in long-term UK energy system scenarios.
• Fuel cell CHP is already being deployed commercially around the world.
• Hydrogen can be a zero-carbon alternative to natural gas. Most technologies that use natural gas can be adapted to use hydrogen and still provide the same level of service.
• Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies avoid some of the disadvantages of other low-carbon heating technologies.

The highly combustible nature of hydrogen poses a great hazard creating a number of problems with its safety and handling. As a part of safety studies related to the use of hydrogen in a confined environment it is extremely important to have a good knowledge of the dispersion mechanism.<br/>The present work investigates the concentration field and flammability envelope from a small scale leak. The hydrogen is released into a 0.47 m × 0.33 m x 0.20 m enclosure designed as a 1/15 – scale model of a room in a nuclear facility. The performed tests evaluates the influence of the initial conditions at the leakage source on the dispersion and mixing characteristics in a confined environment. The role of the leak location and the presence of obstacles are also analyzed. Throughout the test during the release and the subsequent dispersion phase temporal profiles of hydrogen concentration are measured using thermal conductivity gauges within the enclosure. In addition the BOS (Background Oriented Schlieren) technique is used to visualise the cloud evolution inside the enclosure. These instruments allow the observation and quantification of the stratification effects.

Mechanical alloying is widely used for the synthesis of hydrogen storage materials. However amorphization and contamination triggered by long-time milling are serious drawbacks for obtaining efficient hydrogen storage. In this work short-time ball milling synthesis is explored for a representative hydride forming compound: TiNi. Through structural morphological and chemical characterizations we evidence that formation of TiNi is complete in only 20 min with minor Fe contamination (0.2 wt%). Cross-sectional analysis of powder stuck on milling balls reveals that alloy formation occurs through the interdiffusion between thin layers of co-laminated pure elements. Hydrogenation thermodynamics and kinetics of short-time mechanically alloyed TiNi are similar to those of coarse-grained compounds obtained by classical high-temperature melting. Mechanical alloying is a suitable method for fast and energy-efficient synthesis of intermetallic compounds such as TiNi.

The proof of concept for the production of pure pressurized hydrogen from hydrocarbons in combination with the sequestration of a pure stream of carbon dioxide with the reformer steam iron cycle is presented. The iron oxide based oxygen carrier (95% Fe₂O₃ 5% Al₂O₃) is reduced with syngas and oxidized with steam at 1023 K. The carbon dioxide separation is achieved via partial reduction of the oxygen carrier from Fe₂O₃ to Fe₃O₄ yielding thermodynamically to a product gas only containing CO₂ and H₂O. By the subsequent condensation of steam pure CO₂ is sequestrated. After each steam oxidation phase an air oxidation was applied to restore the oxygen carrier to hematite level. Product gas pressures of up to 30.1 bar and hydrogen purities exceeding 99% were achieved via steam oxidations. The main impurities in the product gas are carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide which originate from solid carbon depositions or from stored carbonaceous molecules inside the pores of the contact mass. The oxygen carrier samples were characterized using elemental analysis BET surface area measurement XRD powder diffraction SEM and light microscopy. The maximum pressure of 95 bar was demonstrated for hydrogen production in the steam oxidation phase after the full oxygen carrier reduction significantly reducing the energy demand for compressors in mobility applications.

Hydrogen storage is a materials science challenge because for all six storage methods currently being investigated materials with either a strong interaction with hydrogen or without any reaction are needed. Besides conventional storage methods i.e. high pressure gas cylinders and liquid hydrogen the physisorption of hydrogen on materials with a high specific surface area hydrogen intercalation in metals and complex hydrides and storage of hydrogen based on metals and water are reviewed.

Melt spinning was successfully utilized to prepare Mg₂₅−_xY_xNi₉Cu (x = 0 1 3 5 7) alloys producing nanocrystalline and amorphous structures with improved hydrogenation and dehydrogenation performances. The influence of spinning rate on hydrogenation and dehydrogenation thermodynamics and kinetics was studied in detail. XRD and TEM were utilized to characterize the alloy structures. Hydrogenation and dehydrogenation performances were investigated by Sievert apparatus DSC and TGA connected to a H₂ detector. Dehydrogenation activation energies were estimated using both Arrhenius and Kissinger methods. Results show that melt spinning significantly decreases thermodynamic parameters (ΔH and ΔS) and ameliorates desorption kinetics. Dehydrogenation activation energy markedly lowers with increase in spinning rate and is the real driver of amelioration of dehydrogenation kinetics caused by increasing Y content.

Carbon-based nanocomposites have developed as the most promising and emerging materials in nanoscience and technology during the last several years. They are microscopic materials that range in size from 1 to 100 nanometers. They may be distinguished from bulk materials by their size shape increased surface-to-volume ratio and unique physical and chemical characteristics. Carbon nanocomposite matrixes are often created by combining more than two distinct solid phase types. The nanocomposites that were constructed exhibit unique properties such as significantly enhanced toughness mechanical strength and thermal/electrochemical conductivity. As a result of these advantages nanocomposites have been used in a variety of applications including catalysts electrochemical sensors biosensors and energy storage devices among others. This study focuses on the usage of several forms of carbon nanomaterials such as carbon aerogels carbon nanofibers graphene carbon nanotubes and fullerenes in the development of hydrogen fuel cells. These fuel cells have been successfully employed in numerous commercial sectors in recent years notably in the car industry due to their cost-effectiveness eco-friendliness and long-cyclic durability. Further; we discuss the principles reaction mechanisms and cyclic stability of the fuel cells and also new strategies and future challenges related to the development of viable fuel cells.

Recently hydrogen (H2) has emerged as a superior energy carrier that has the potential to replace fossil fuel. However storing H2 under safe and operable conditions is still a challenging process due to the current commercial method i.e. H2 storage in a pressurised and liquified state which requires extremely high pressure and extremely low temperature. To solve this problem re‐ search on solid‐state H2 storage materials is being actively conducted. Among the solid‐state H2 storage materials borohydride is a potential candidate for H2 storage owing to its high gravimetric capacity (majority borohydride materials release >10 wt% of H2). Mg(BH4)2 which is included in the borohydride family shows promise as a good H2 storage material owing to its high gravimetric capacity (14.9 wt%). However its practical application is hindered by high thermal decomposition temperature (above 300 °C) slow sorption kinetics and poor reversibility. Currently the general research on the use of additives to enhance the H2 storage performance of Mg(BH4)2 is still under investigation. This article reviews the latest research on additive‐enhanced Mg(BH4)2 and its impact on the H2 storage performance. The future prospect and challenges in the development of additive‐ enhanced Mg(BH4)2 are also discussed in this review paper. To the best of our knowledge this is the first systematic review paper that focuses on the additive‐enhanced Mg(BH4)2 for solid‐state H2 storage.

According to the Global technical regulation on hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles (FCV) fuel cell discharge system at the vehicle exhaust system`s point of discharge the hydrogen concentration level shall not exceed 4 % average by volume during any moving three-second time interval during normal operation including start-up and shut down [1]. FC stack need to washout by the concentrated hydrogen as the purge gas and how to exhaust gas without exceeding 4 % is the most concerns. Also how to measure hydrogen pulse of millisecond in exhaust is also the rising up issue. In this paper model of FCV hydrogen discharge system was composed and variety of simple experiments were carried out to control the H2 concentration and release. In the case which the semiconductor sensor with porous material (average size less than quench distance) were applied to check H2 concentration the short pulse of high concentration of H2 in millisecond was hard to find. In this experiment the simple exhaust gas model H2/N2 flow was used instead of Air/H2. In the exhaust gas test experiment was conducted under the atmospheric condition in room temperature with small pressure difference and the fast solenoid valve to create quick hydrogen control. Most of the experiments except the turbulent flow experiments laminar flow is expected to be dominated when steady state condition is satisfied but the most result discussed here is the measurement of H2 concentration during the start point at the time of discharge within seconds. The results showed when H2 was added to N2 flow the boundary layer between N2 and H2 contained the high concentration of H2 at the initial wave front and decrease to reach steady state. This H2 pulse is typical in the FCV exhaust gas and topics of this paper.

Scaling up renewables to meet the 1.5ºC climate goal

As global economies aim to become carbon neutral competitive hydrogen produced with renewables has emerged as a key component of the energy mix. Falling renewable power costs and improving electrolyser technologies could make ""green"" hydrogen cost competitive by 2030 this report finds.

Green hydrogen can help to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in energy-intensive hard-to-decarbonise sectors like steel chemicals long-haul transport shipping and aviation. But production costs must be cut to make it economical for countries worldwide. Green hydrogen currently costs between two and three times more than ""blue"" hydrogen which is produced using fossil fuels in combination with carbon capture and storage (CCS).

This report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) outlines strategies to reduce electrolyser costs through continuous innovation performance improvements and upscaling from megawatt (MW) to multi-gigawatt (GW) levels.

Among the findings:

• Electrolyser design and construction: Increased module size and innovation with increased stack manufacturing have significant impacts on cost. Increasing plant size from 1 MW (typical in 2020) to 20 MW could reduce costs by over a third. Optimal system designs maximise efficiency and flexibility.
• Economies of scale: Increasing stack production with automated processes in gigawatt-scale manufacturing facilities can achieve a step-change cost reduction. Procurement of materials: Scarcity of materials can impede electrolyser cost reduction and scale-up.
• Efficiency and flexibility in operations: Power supply incurs large efficiency losses at low load limiting system flexibility from an economic perspective.
• Industrial applications: Design and operation of electrolysis systems can be optimised for specific applications in different industries. Learning rates: Based on historic cost declines for solar photovoltaics (PV) the learning rates for fuel cells and electrolysers – whereby costs fall as capacity expands – could reach values between 16% and 21%.
• Ambitious climate mitigation: An ambitious energy transition aligned with key international climate goals would drive rapid cost reduction for green hydrogen. The trajectory needed to limit global warming at 1.5oC could make electrolysers an estimated 40% cheaper by 2030.

Buffers are key components for hydrogen filling stations that are currently being developed. Type 1 or composite cylinders are used for this application. The type used depends on many parameters including pressure level cost and space available for the filling station. No international standards exist for such high pressure vessels whereas many standards exist covering Types 123 and 4 used for transport of gas or on-board fuel tanks. It is suggested to use the cylinders approved for transport or on-board applications as buffers. This solution appears to be safe if at least one issue is solved. The main difference is that transport or on-board cylinders are cycled from a low pressure to a high pressure during service whereas buffers are cycled from a relatively high pressure (corresponding to the vehicle’s filling pressure) to the MAWP. Another difference is that buffers are cycled many times per day. For standards developers requesting to systematically verify that buffers pass millions of cycles at low pressure amplitude would be impractical. Several standards and codes give formulae to estimate the number of shallow cycles when number of deep cycles are known. In this paper we describe tests performed on all types of composite cylinders to verify or determine the appropriate formulae.

The main goal of this study was to assess the energy efficiency of a small-scale on-site hydrogen production and dispensing plant for transport applications. The selected location was the city of Narvik in northern Norway where the hydrogen demand is expected to be 100 kg/day. The investigated technologies for on-site hydrogen generation starting from common liquid fossil fuels such as heavy naphtha and diesel were based on steam reforming and partial oxidation. Water electrolysis derived by renewable energy was also included in the comparison. The overall thermal efficiency of the hydrogen station was computed including compression and miscellaneous power consumption.

This study investigates the integration of water electrolysis technologies in fossil-free steelmaking via the direct reduction of iron ore followed by processing in an electric arc furnace (EAF). Hydrogen (H₂) production via low or high temperature electrolysis (LTE and HTE) is considered for the production of carbon-free direct reduced iron (DRI). The introduction of carbon into the DRI reduces the electricity demand of the EAF. Such carburization can be achieved by introducing carbon monoxide (CO) into the direct reduction process. Therefore the production of mixtures of H₂ and CO using either a combination of LTE coupled with a reverse water-gas shift reactor (rWGS-LTE) or high-temperature co-electrolysis (HTCE) was also investigated. The results show that HTE has the potential to reduce the specific electricity consumption (SEC) of liquid steel (LS) production by 21% compared to the LTE case. Nevertheless due to the high investment cost of HTE units both routes reach similar LS production costs of approximately 400 €/tonne LS. However if future investment cost targets for HTE units are reached a production cost of 301 €/tonne LS is attainable under the conditions given in this study. For the production of DRI containing carbon a higher SEC is calculated for the LTE-rWGS system compared to HTCE (4.80 vs. 3.07 MWh/tonne LS). Although the use of HTCE or LTE-rWGS leads to similar LS production costs future cost reduction of HTCE could result in a 10% reduction in LS production cost (418 vs. 375 €/tonne LS). We show that the use of HTE either for the production of pure H₂ or H₂ and CO mixtures may be advantageous compared to the use of LTE in H₂ -based steelmaking although results are sensitive to electrolyzer investment costs efficiencies and electricity prices.

Hydrogen is the most efficient energy carrier. Hydrogen can be obtained from different sources of raw materials including water. Among many hydrogen production methods eco-friendly and high purity of hydrogen can be obtained by water electrolysis. However In terms of sustainability and environmental impact PEM water electrolysis was considered as most promising techniques for high pure efficient hydrogen production from renewable energy sources and emits only oxygen as byproduct without any carbon emissions. Moreover the produced hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂) directly used for fuel cell and industrial applications. However overall water splitting resulting in only 4% of global industrial hydrogen being produced by electrolysis of water mainly due to the economic issues. Nowadays increased the desire production of green hydrogen has increased the interest on PEM water electrolysis. Thus the considerable research has been completed recently in the development of cost effective electrocatalysts for PEM water electrolysis. In this present review we discussed about the recent developments in the PEM water electrolysis including high performance low cost HER and OER electrocatalysts and their challenges new and old related to electrocatalysts and PEM cell components also addressed. This review will contribute further research improvements and a road map in order to support in developing the PEM water electrolyser as a commercially feasible hydrogen production purpose.

As the UK’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases the supply of domestic industrial and commercial heat must be decarbonised if the UK is to meet its climate change targets.<br/><br/>This report publishes the outcomes from Phase 1 of the Energy Technologies Institute’s Smart Systems and Heat programme highlighting that for the UK to transition to a low carbon heating system it must understand consumer needs and behaviours while connecting this with the development and integration of technologies and new business models.<br/><br/>Written by the ETI with support from the Energy Systems Catapult this report tackles three interconnected areas: heating needs and controls within the home; heating infrastructure and building retrofit at a local level; and the operation and governance of the whole system.<br/><br/>The research also shows that as part of a low carbon heating system upgrade advanced controls are critical to performance sizing and operating costs enabling smaller appliances and lower peak electricity demands and maximising the efficiency of existing infrastructure. With significant fabric retrofits potentially required in around 10 million of the existing 28 million dwellings in the UK housing stock the report recommends that building new homes to be both very efficient and “low carbon ready” is a low regret decision which should be progressed with some urgency.

The paper describes a lumped-parameter model for vented deflagrations of localised and layered fuel air mixtures. Theoretical model background is described to allow insight into the model development with focus on lean mixtures and overpressures significantly below 0.1 MPa for protection of low strength equipment and buildings. Phenomena leading to combustion augmentation was accounted based on conclusions of recent CFD studies. Technique to treat layered mixtures with concentration gradient is demonstrated. The model is validated against 25 vented deflagration experiments with lean non-uniform and layered hydrogen-air mixtures performed in Health and Safety Laboratory (UK) and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany).

The Government’s recently published ‘Road to Zero’ strategy sets out objectives to electrify cars and reduce emissions from heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) through policies such as ending the sale of diesel and petrol cars and subsidising electric charging infrastructure. The CCC response to the strategy however stated that the proposed measures do not go far enough. New Government policies combined with action from industry will be required for mobility related carbon reduction targets to be met.<br/>Hydrogen has been identified by the Government and CCC as one potential solution. The CCC report on a possible future hydrogen economy recognises that in particular hydrogen may have an important role to play for long distance journeys and heavy goods transport. This view was echoed further in the recent CCC ‘Net Zero’ report.<br/>Cadent’s HyNet project will produce low carbon hydrogen through reformation of natural gas combined with carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS). HyNet has primarily been designed to supply low carbon heat to industry and a blend of hydrogen to Cadent’s existing natural gas network but also provides the opportunity to supply low cost hydrogen for mobility. The HyMotion project has considered the relative merits of such an approach modelled potential demand scenarios and sought to determine technical and commercial solutions to enable deployment.<br/>Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) share powertrain technologies with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) but the roll-out of BEVs is currently ahead of FCEVs. This is largely due to a lack of low cost low carbon bulk hydrogen production and refuelling infrastructure both of which HyNet seeks to address.

In this paper an innovative concept of an energy storage system that combines the idea of energy storage through the use of compressed air and the idea of energy storage through the use of hydrogen (with its further conversion to synthetic natural gas) has been proposed. The thermal integration of two sub-systems allows for efficient storage of large amounts of energy based on the use of pressure tanks with limited volumes. A thermodynamic assessment of the integrated hybrid system was carried out. For the assumed operation parameters an energy storage efficiency value of 38.15% was obtained which means the technology is competitive with intensively developed pure hydrogen energy storage technologies. The results obtained for the hybrid system were compared to the results obtained for three reference systems each of which uses hydrogen generators. The first is a typical Power-to-H2-to-Power system which integrates hydrogen generators with a fuel cell system. The other two additionally use a compressed air energy storage installation. In the first case the compressed air energy storage system consists of a diabatic system. In the second case the compressed air energy storage system is adiabatic. The article has discussed the disadvantages and advantages of all the analyzed systems.

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of metals has remained a mystery in materials science for more than a century. To try to clarify this mystery tensile tests were conducted at room temperature (RT) on a 316 stainless steel (SS) in air and hydrogen of 70 MPa. With an aim to directly observe the effect of hydrogen on ordering of 316 SS during deformation electron diffraction patterns and images were obtained from thin foils made by a focused ion beam from the fracture surfaces of the tensile specimens. To prove lattice contraction by ordering a 40% CW 316 SS specimen was thermally aged at 400 °C to incur ordering and its lattice contraction by ordering was determined using neutron diffraction by measuring its lattice parameters before and after aging. We demonstrate that atomic ordering is promoted by hydrogen leading to formation of short-range order and a high number of planar dislocations in the 316 SS and causing its anisotropic lattice contraction. Hence hydrogen embrittlement of metals is controlled by hydrogen-enhanced ordering during RT deformation in hydrogen. Hydrogen-enhanced ordering will cause the ordered metals to be more resistant to HE than the disordered ones which is evidenced by the previous observations where furnace-cooled metals with order are more resistant to HE than water-quenched or cold worked metals with disorder. This finding strongly supports our proposal that strain-induced martensite is a disordered phase.

Liquid hydrogen (LH2) compared to compressed gaseous hydrogen offers advantages for large-scale transport and storage of hydrogen with higher densities. Although the gas industry has good experience with LH2 only little experience is available for the new applications of LH2 as an energy carrier. Therefore the European FCH JU funded project PRESLHY conducted pre-normative research for the safe use of cryogenic LH2 in non-industrial settings. The central research consisted of a broad experimental program combined with analytical work modelling and simulations belonging to the three key phenomena of the accident chain: release and mixing ignition and combustion. The presented results improve the general understanding of the behavior of LH2 in accidents and provide some design guidelines and engineering tools for safer use of LH2. Recommendations for improvement of current international standards are derived.

In future energy supply systems hydrogen and electricity may be generated in decarbonized industrial clusters using a common infrastructure for natural gas supply electricity grid and transport and geological storage of CO_2. The novel contribution of this article consists of using sequential combustion in a steam methane reforming (SMR) hydrogen plant to allow for capital and operating cost reduction by using a single post-combustion carbon capture system for both the hydrogen process and the combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant plus appropriate integration for this new equipment combination. The concept would be widely applied to any post-combustion CO₂ capture process. A newly developed rigorous gPROMs model of two hydrogen production technologies covering a wide range of hydrogen production capacities thermodynamically integrated with commercially available gas turbine engines quantifies the step change in thermal efficiency and hydrogen production efficiency. It includes a generic post-combustion capture technology – a conventional 30%wt MEA process - to quantify the reduction in size of CO₂ absorber columns the most capital intensive part of solvent-based capture systems. For a conventional SMR located downstream of an H-class gas turbine engine followed by a three-pressure level HRSG and a capture plant with two absorbers the integrated system produces ca. 696400 Nm3/h of H₂ with a net power output of 651 MWe at a net thermal efficiency of 38.9%LHV. This corresponds to 34 MWe of additional power increasing efficiency by 4.9% points and makes one absorber redundant compared to the equivalent non-integrated system producing the same volume of H₂. For a dedicated gas heated reformer (GHR) located downstream of an aeroderivative gas turbine engine followed by a two-pressure level HRSG and a capture plant with one absorber the integrated system produces ca. 80750 Nm3/h of H₂ with a net power output of 73 MWe and a net thermal efficiency of 54.7%LHV. This corresponds to 13 MWe of additional power output increasing efficiency by 13.5% points and also makes one absorber redundant. The article also presents new insights for the design and operation of reformers integrated with gas turbines and with CO₂ capture.

The hydrogen economy refers to an economic and industrial structure that uses hydrogen as its main energy source replacing traditional fossil-fuel-based energy systems. In particular the widespread adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) is one of the key factors enabling a hydrogen economy and aggressive investment in hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is essential to make large-scale adoption of HFCVs possible. In this study we address the problem of effectively designing a hydrogen supply network for refuelling HFCVs in urban areas relatively far from a large hydrogen production site such as a petrochemical complex. In these urban areas where mass supply of hydrogen is not possible hydrogen can be supplied by reforming city gas. In this case building distributed hydrogen production bases that extract large amounts of hydrogen from liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) and then supply hydrogen to nearby hydrogen stations may be a cost-effective option for establishing a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in the early stage of the hydrogen economy. Therefore an optimization model is proposed for effectively deciding when and where to build hydrogen production bases and hydrogen refuelling stations in an urban area. Then a case study of the southeastern area of Seoul known as a commercial and residential center is discussed. A variety of scenarios for the design parameters of the hydrogen supply network are analyzed based on the target of the adoption of HFCVs in Seoul by 2030. The proposed optimization model can be effectively used for determining the time and sites for building hydrogen production bases and hydrogen refuelling stations.

Blending hydrogen into natural gas pipelines is a recent alternative adopted for hydrogen transportation as a mixture with natural gas. In this paper hydrogen embrittlement of steel pipelines originally designed for natural gas transportation is investigated. Solubility permeation and diffusion phenomena of hydrogen molecules into the crystalline lattice structure of the pipeline material are followed up based on transient evolution of internal pressure applied on the pipeline wall. The transient regime is created through changes of gas demand depending on daily consumptions. As a result the pressure may reach excessive values that lead to the acceleration of hydrogen solubility and its diffusion through the pipeline wall. Furthermore permeation is an important parameter to determine the diffusion amount of hydrogen inside the pipeline wall resulting in the embrittlement of the material. The numerical obtained results have shown that using pipelines designed for natural gas conduction to transport hydrogen is a risky choice. Actually added to overpressure and great fluctuations during transients that may cause fatigue and damage the structure also the latter pressure evolution is likely to induce the diffusion phenomena of hydrogen molecules into the lattice of the structure leading to brittle the pipe material. The numerical simulation reposes on solving partial differential equations describing transient gas flow in pipelines coupled with the diffusion equation for mass transfer. The model is built using the finite elements based software COMSOL Multiphysics considering different cases of pipe material; API X52 (base metal and nutrided) and API X80 steels. Obtained results allowed tracking the evolution with time of hydrogen concentration through the pipeline internal wall based on the pressure variation due to transient gas flow. Such observation permits to estimate the amount of hydrogen diffused in the metal to avoid leakage of this flammable gas. Thus precautions may be taken to prevent explosive risks due to hydrogen embrittlement of steel pipelines among other effects that can lead to alter safe conditions of gas conduction.

Solar-driven hydrogen production from water using particulate photocatalysts is considered the most economical and effective approach to produce hydrogen fuel with little environmental concern. However the efficiency of hydrogen production from water in particulate photocatalysis systems is still low. Here we propose an efficient biphase photocatalytic system composed of integrated photothermal–photocatalytic materials that use charred wood substrates to convert liquid water to water steam simultaneously splitting hydrogen under light illumination without additional energy. The photothermal–photocatalytic system exhibits biphase interfaces of photothermally-generated steam/photocatalyst/hydrogen which significantly reduce the interface barrier and drastically lower the transport resistance of the hydrogen gas by nearly two orders of magnitude. In this work an impressive hydrogen production rate up to 220.74 μmol h−1 cm−2 in the particulate photocatalytic systems has been achieved based on the wood/CoO system demonstrating that the photothermal–photocatalytic biphase system is cost-effective and greatly advantageous for practical applications.

Some aspects of damage accumulation modelling and brittle fracture processes mechanisms under the combined effect of mechanical loading and hydrogen has been discussed in the article. New mechanism of brittle fracture for metallic materials based on dislocation and phonon structure fingerprints and lattice hydrogen content under the static and dynamic loading at low temperature condition has been proposed. The mechanism based on theoretical research and experimental and numerical studies. The experiments include the energy spectrum of internal friction determination and impact toughness testing for low-temperature brittle-ductile transition revealing. The numerical study based on damage accumulation modeling under the influence of up-hill diffusion in the elastic-plastic problem of solid state by finite element method. A new simple activation model of low temperature and hydrogen influence on damage accumulation process has been proposed. The model shows the rate of damage strong dependence of stress level and hydrogen content and test temperature. The combination of low temperature and high hydrogen content is most dangerous so the weld structures in extreme environment such as the Arctic and Subarctic regions have a high risk of breakage. So it is possible to estimate the energy and phonon spectrum of crystal lattice and predict the properties of microcrystalline and nanostructured materials with the high cold-short threshold on the base of such the approach. There are the recommendations propose to improve the cold resistance of steels and alloys by controlling the characteristics of the dislocation structure of new materials with polycrystalline and ultrafine-grained structure.

With the increase in renewable energy connected to the grid new challenges arise due to its variable supply of power. Therefore it is crucial to develop new methods of storing energy. Hydrogen can fulfil the role of energy storage and even act as an energy carrier since it has a much higher energetic density than batteries and can be easily stored. Considering that the offshore wind sector is facing significant growth and technical advances hydrogen has the potential to be combined with offshore wind energy to aid in overcoming disadvantages such as the high installation cost of electrical transmission systems and transmission losses. This paper aims to outline and discuss the main features of the integration of hydrogen solutions in offshore wind power and to offer a literature review of the current state of hydrogen production from offshore wind. The paper provides a summary of the technologies involved in hydrogen production along with an analysis of two possible hydrogen producing systems from offshore wind energy. The analysis covers the system components including hydrogen storage the system configuration (i.e. offshore vs. onshore electrolyzer) and the potential uses of hydrogen e.g. Power to Mobility Power to Power and Power to Gas.

Biofuels from biomass gasification are reviewed here and demonstrated to be an attractive option. Recent progress in gasification techniques and key generation pathways for biofuels production process design and integration and socio-environmental impacts of biofuel generation are discussed with the goal of investigating gasification-to-biofuels’ credentials as a sustainable and eco-friendly technology. The synthesis of important biofuels such as bio-methanol bio-ethanol and higher alcohols bio-dimethyl ether Fischer Tropsch fuels bio-methane bio-hydrogen and algae-based fuels is reviewed together with recent technologies catalysts and reactors. Significant thermodynamic studies for each biofuel are also examined. Syngas cleaning is demonstrated to be a critical issue for biofuel production and innovative pathways such as those employed by Choren Industrietechnik Germany and BioMCN the Netherlands are shown to allow efficient methanol generation. The conversion of syngas to FT transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel over Co or Fe catalysts is reviewed and demonstrated to be a promising option for the future of biofuels. Bio-methane has emerged as a lucrative alternative for conventional transportation fuel with all the advantages of natural gas including a dense distribution trade and supply network. Routes to produce H2 are discussed though critical issues such as storage expensive production routes with low efficiencies remain. Algae-based fuels are in the research and development stage but are shown to have immense potential to become commercially important because of their capability to fix large amounts of CO₂ to rapidly grow in many environments and versatile end uses. However suitable process configurations resulting in optimal plant designs are crucial so detailed process integration is a powerful tool to optimize current and develop new processes. LCA and ethical issues are also discussed in brief. It is clear that the use of food crops as opposed to food wastes represents an area fraught with challenges which must be resolved on a case by case basis.

The Programme Review Report ensures that the FCH JU programme is aligned with its strategy and objectives. This year the programme review was performed following a new procedure: it was carried out by the European Commission’s in-house science service the Joint Research Committee (JRC). The 2017 review pays particular attention to the added value effectiveness and efficiency of FCH JU activities. The review is structured around six panels under three pillars: transport energy and cross-cutting projects summarising the FCH JU Project Portfolio