Publications
Techno-Economic Assessment of Pink Hydrogen Produced from Small Modular Reactors for Maritime Applications
Jul 2025
Publication
This paper presents a techno-economic assessment of liquid hydrogen produced from small modular reactors (SMRs) for maritime applications. Pink hydrogen is examined as a carbon-free alternative to conventional marine fuels leveraging the zero-emission profile and dispatchable nature of nuclear energy. Using Greece as a case study the analysis includes both production and transportation costs along with a sensitivity analysis on key parameters influencing the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) such as SMR and electrolyzer CAPEX uranium cost and SMR operational lifetime. Results show that with an SMR CAPEX of 10000 EUR/kW the LCOH reaches 6.64 EUR/kg which is too high to compete with diesel under current market conditions. Economic viability is achieved only if carbon costs rise to 0.387 EUR/kg and diesel prices exceed 0.70 EUR/L. Under these conditions a manageable deployment of fewer than 1000 units (equivalent to 77 GW) is sufficient to achieve economies of mass production. Conversely lower carbon and fuel prices require over 10000 units (770 GW) rendering their establishment impractical.
Life Cycle Net Energy Assessment of Sustainable H2 Production and Hydrogenation of Chemicals in a Coupled Photoelectrochemical Device
Feb 2023
Publication
Green hydrogen has been identified as a critical enabler in the global transition to sustainable energy and decarbonized society but it is still not economically competitive compared to fossil-fuel-based hydrogen. To overcome this limitation we propose to couple photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting with the hydrogenation of chemicals. Here we evaluate the potential of coproducing hydrogen and methyl succinic acid (MSA) by coupling the hydrogenation of itaconic acid (IA) inside a PEC water splitting device. A negative net energy balance is predicted to be achieved when the device generates only hydrogen but energy breakeven can already be achieved when a small ratio (~2%) of the generated hydrogen is used in situ for IA-to-MSA conversion. Moreover the simulated coupled device produces MSA with much lower cumulative energy demand than conventional hydrogenation. Overall the coupled hydrogenation concept offers an attractive approach to increase the viability of PEC water splitting while at the same time decarbonizing valuable chemical production.
Perspectives for a Sustainable Implementation of Super-green Hydrogen Production by Photoelectrochemical Technology in Hard-to-abate Sectors
May 2023
Publication
The energy transition's success hinges on the effectiveness to curbing carbon emissions from hard-to-abate sectors. Hydrogen (H2) has been proposed as the candidate vector that could be used to replace fossils in such energy-intensive industries. Despite green H2 via solar-powered water electrolysis being a reality today the overall defossilization of the hard-to-abate sectors by electrolytic H2 would be unfeasible as it relies on the availability of renewable electricity. In this sense the unbiassed photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC) as inspired by natural photosynthesis may be a promising alternative expected in the long term. PEC could be partly or even completely decoupled from renewable electricity and then could produce H2 autonomously. However some remaining challenges still limit PEC water splitting to operate sustainably. These limitations need to be evaluated before the scaling up and implementation. A prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used to elucidate a positive performance scenario in which the so-called super-green H2 or photo-H2 could be a sustainable alternative to electro-H2. The study has defined future scenarios by conducting a set of sensitivity assessments determining the figures of operating parameters such as i) the energy to produce the cell; ii) solar-to-hydrogen efficiency (STH); and iii) lifetime. These parameters have been evaluated based on two impact categories: i) Global Warming Potential (GWP); and ii) fossil Abiotic Depletion Potentials (fADP). The mature water electrolysis was used for benchmarking in order to elucidate the target performance in which PEC technology could be positively implemented at large-scale. Efficiencies over 10% (STH) and 7 years of lifetime are compulsory in the coming developments to achieve a positive scaling-up.
A Hybrid Perspective on Energy Transition Pathways: Is Hydrogen the Key for Norway?
Jun 2021
Publication
Hydrogen may play a significant part in sustainable energy transition. This paper discusses the sociotechnical interactions that are driving and hindering development of hydrogen value chains in Norway. The study is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. A multi-level perspective (MLP) is deployed to discuss how exogenous trends and uncertainties interact with processes and strategies in the national energy system and how this influences the transition potential associated with Norwegian hydrogen production. We explore different transition pathways towards a low-emission society in 2050 and find that Norwegian hydrogen production and its deployment for decarbonization of maritime and heavy-duty transport decarbonisation of industry and flexibility services may play a crucial role. Currently the development is at a branching point where national coordination is crucial to unlock the potential. The hybrid approach provides new knowledge on underlying system dynamics and contributes to the discourse on pathways in transition studies.
Techno-Economic Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-Gas Turbine Hybrid Systems for Stationary Power Applications Using Renewable Hydrogen
Jun 2023
Publication
Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)–gas turbine (GT) hybrid systems can produce power at high electrical efficiencies while emitting virtually zero criteria pollutants (e.g. ozone carbon monoxide oxides of nitrogen and sulfur and particulate matters). This study presents new insights into renewable hydrogen (RH2 )-powered SOFC–GT hybrid systems with respect to their system configuration and techno-economic analysis motivated by the need for clean on-demand power. First three system configurations are thermodynamically assessed: (I) a reference case with no SOFC off-gas recirculation (II) a case with cathode off-gas recirculation and (III) a case with anode off-gas recirculation. While these configurations have been studied in isolation here we provide a detailed performance comparison. Moreover a techno-economic analysis is conducted to study the economic competitiveness of RH2 -fueled hybrid systems and the economies of scale by offering a comparison to natural gas (NG)-fueled systems. Results show that the case with anode off-gas recirculation with 68.50%-lower heating value (LHV) at a 10 MW scale has the highest efficiency among the studied scenarios. When moving from 10 MW to 50 MW the efficiency increases to 70.22%-LHV. These high efficiency values make SOFC–GT hybrid systems highly attractive in the context of a circular economy as they outcompete most other power generation technologies. The cost-of-electricity (COE) is reduced by about 10% when moving from 10 MW to 50 MW from USD 1976/kW to USD 1668/kW respectively. Renewable H2 is expected to be economically competitive with NG by 2030 when the U.S. Department of Energy’s target of USD 1/kg RH2 is reached.
A Review of Alternative Processes for Green Hydrogen Production Focused on Generating Hydrogen from Biomass
Apr 2024
Publication
Hydrogen plays a leading role in achieving a future with net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The present challenge is producing green hydrogen to cover the fuel demands of transportation and industry to gain independence from fossil fuels. This review’s goal is to critically demonstrate the existing methods of biomass treatment and assess their ability to scale up. Biomass is an excellent hydrogen carrier and biomass-derived processes are the main target for hydrogen production as they provide an innovative pathway to green hydrogen production. Comparing the existing processes thermochemical treatment is found to be far more evolved than biological or electrochemical treatment especially with regard to scaling prospects.
Blue, Green, and Turquoise Pathways for Minimizing Hydrogen Production Costs from Steam Methane Reforming with CO2 Capture
Nov 2022
Publication
Rising climate change ambitions require large-scale clean hydrogen production in the near term. “Blue” hydrogen from conventional steam methane reforming (SMR) with pre-combustion CO2 capture can fulfil this role. This study therefore presents techno-economic assessments of a range of SMR process configurations to minimize hydrogen production costs. Results showed that pre-combustion capture can avoid up to 80% of CO2 emissions cheaply at 35 €/ton but the final 20% of CO2 capture is much more expensive at a marginal CO2 avoidance cost around 150 €/ton. Thus post-combustion CO2 capture should be a better solution for avoiding the final 20% of CO2. Furthermore an advanced heat integration scheme that recovers most of the steam condensation enthalpy before the CO2 capture unit can reduce hydrogen production costs by about 6%. Two hybrid hydrogen production options were also assessed. First a “blue-green” hydrogen plant that uses clean electricity to heat the reformer achieved similar hydrogen production costs to the pure blue configuration. Second a “blue turquoise” configuration that replaces the pre-reformer with molten salt pyrolysis for converting higher hydrocarbons to a pure carbon product can significantly reduce costs if carbon has a similar value to hydrogen. In conclusion conventional pre-combustion CO2 capture from SMR is confirmed as a good solution for kickstarting the hydrogen economy and it can be tailored to various market conditions with respect to CO2 electricity and pure carbon prices.
The Green Hydrogen Revolution
Jul 2023
Publication
Green hydrogen is considered the most suitable choice for the future energy market both as energy storage media energy vector and fuel for transportation industry and other applications. In the last twenty years increasing efforts have been dedicated to green hydrogen technologies development but still today a number of issues are claimed in justifying the delay in its large scale application and the star vation of its market. Moreover some new questions seem ready to be put on the table for justifying the delay in green hydrogen technologies applications. In this paper a critical analysis of recent literature and institutional reports is carried out with the aim of understanding what is the real state of the play. In particular peculiar advantages and shortcomings of different green hydrogen technologies (biomass pyrolysis and gasification water electrolysis etc.) have been analysed and compared with a focus on the electrolysis process as the most promising method for large scale and distributed generation of hydrogen. Some geopolitical and economic aspects associated with the transition to a green hydrogen economy - including the feared exacerbation of the water crisis - have been widely examined and discussed with the purpose of identifying approaches and solutions to accelerate the mentioned transition.
Critical Challenges in Biohydrogen Production Processes from the Organic Feedstocks
Aug 2020
Publication
The ever-increasing world energy demand drives the need for new and sustainable renewable fuel to mitigate problems associated with greenhouse gas emissions such as climate change. This helps in the development toward decarbonisation. Thus in recent years hydrogen has been seen as a promising candidate in global renewable energy agendas where the production of biohydrogen gains more attention compared with fossil-based hydrogen. In this review biohydrogen production using organic waste materials through fermentation biophotolysis microbial electrolysis cell and gasification are discussed and analysed from a technological perspective. The main focus herein is to summarise and criticise through bibliometric analysis and put forward the guidelines for the potential future routes of biohydrogen production from biomass and especially organic waste materials. This research review claims that substantial efforts currently and in the future should focus on biohydrogen production from integrated technology of processes of (i) dark and photofermentation (ii) microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) and (iii) gasification of combined different biowastes. Furthermore bibliometric mapping shows that hydrogen production from biomethanol and the modelling process are growing areas in the biohydrogen research that lead to zero-carbon energy soon.
Decommissioning Platforms to Offshore Solar System: Road to Green Hydrogen Production from Seawater
May 2023
Publication
With more than 140 offshore platforms identified in Malaysian water to be decommissioned within 10 years it is critical for the Oil and Gas operators to re-evaluate the overall decommissioning strategies for a more sustainable approach. A revision to the current decommissioning options with inclusion of green decommissioning plan to the overall decision tree will assist in accelerating sustainable decision making. Using the advantage of the available 3D modelling from Naviswork and convert to PVSyst software for solar analysis to the one of the shortlisted offshore gas complexes in Malaysia three solar powered generation scenario was evaluated with aimed to establish the best integrated system on a modified decommissioned unmanned processing platform to generate cleaner energy. Financial assessment inclusive of Levelized Cost of Electricity as well as environmental assessment for each scenario are evaluated together. From the study optimum tilt angle was determined resulted to best annual solar yield of 257MWh with performance ratio (PR) of 87% for on-grid scenario 1. Off-grid scenario 3 is used to understand the estimated green hydrogen production. A desktop investigation conducted to three (3) type of electrolysers resulted to 8.6 kg to 18 kg of green hydrogen based on the average daily solar yield produced in scenario 3. Using Proton Electron Membrane electrolyser to simulate the PV solar-to-hydrogen offshore system it is observed that 98% of annual solar fraction can be achieved with annual performance ratio of 74.5% with levelized cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) of $10.95 per kg. From financial assessment this study justifies platforms repurpose to renewable energy concept to be an attractive option since cost to decommission the identified complex was observed to be 11 times greater compared to investing for this proposed concept.
A Comparison of Well-to-Wheels Energy Use and Emissions of Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Electric, LNG, and Diesel-Powered Logistics Vehicles in China
Jul 2023
Publication
Global energy and environmental issues are becoming increasingly serious and the promotion of clean energy and green transportation has become a common goal for all countries. In the logistics industry traditional fuels such as diesel and natural gas can no longer meet the requirements of energy and climate change. Hydrogen fuel cell logistics vehicles are expected to become the mainstream vehicles for future logistics because of their “zero carbon” advantages. The GREET model is computer simulation software developed by the Argonne National Laboratory in the USA. It is extensively utilized in research pertaining to the energy and environmental impact of vehicles. This research study examines four types of logistics vehicles: hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) electric vehicles LNG-fueled vehicles and diesel-fueled vehicles. Diesel-fueled logistics vehicles are currently the most abundant type of vehicle in the logistics sector. LNG-fueled logistics vehicles are considered as a short-term alternative to diesel logistics vehicles while electric logistics vehicles are among the most popular types of new-energy vehicles currently. We analyze and compare their well-to-wheels (WTW) energy consumption and emissions with the help of GREET software and conduct lifecycle assessments (LCAs) of the four types of vehicles to analyze their energy and environmental benefits. When comparing the energy consumption of the four vehicle types electric logistics vehicles (EVs) have the lowest energy consumption with slightly lower energy consumption than FCVs. When comparing the nine airborne pollutant emissions of the four vehicle types the emissions of the FCVs are significantly lower than those of spark-ignition internal combustion engine logistics vehicles (SI ICEVs) compression-ignition direct-injection internal combustion engine logistics vehicles (CIDI ICEVs) and EVs. This study fills a research gap regarding the energy consumption and environmental impact of logistics vehicles in China.
Market Uptake and Impact of Key Green Aviation Technologies
Jan 2023
Publication
Steer was appointed by the Directorate-General of Research and Innovation (DG RTD) to undertake an overview of key green aviation technologies and conditions for their market uptake. Steer is being supported in delivery by the Institute of Air Transport and Airport Research of the German Aerospace Centre DLR. The study was undertaken in the context of the Clean Aviation Partnership’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for the period 2030-2050. The objective of the project is to identify the prerequisites for the market entry of climate-neutral aviation technologies as well as the flanking measures required for this to be successful. The scope of the study is hydrogen and electrically powered aircraft in the regional and short/medium range categories taking a holistic view on the technological development and keeping the economic context in mind. The outcome of the study will serve as guidance for the Commission and other actors with regard to further policy or industry initiatives such as in the context of Horizon Europe or the Alliance Zero Emission Aviation.
Hydrogen Net Zero Investment Roadmap: Leading the Way to Net Zero
Apr 2023
Publication
This net zero investment roadmap summarises government’s hydrogen policies and available investment opportunities.
Hydrogen Recombiners for Non-nuclear Hydrogen Safety Applications
Sep 2023
Publication
Hydrogen recombiners are catalyst-based hydrogen mitigation systems that have been successfully implemented in the nuclear industry but have not yet received serious interest from the hydrogen industry. Recombiners have been installed in the containment buildings of many nuclear power plants to prevent the accumulation of hydrogen in potential accidents. The attractiveness of hydrogen recombiners for the nuclear industry is due to the confined state of the containment building where hydrogen cannot be vented easily and its passive design where no power or actions are needed for the unit to operate. Alternatively in the hydrogen industry most applications utilize ventilation to mitigate potential hydrogen accumulation in confined areas and passive safety is not essential. However many applications in the hydrogen industry may utilize hydrogen recombiners from a different approach. For instance recombiners could be utilized in emerging hydrogen areas to minimize the costs of ventilation upgrades or built into hydrogen appliances to avoid vent connections. The potential applications for recombiners in the hydrogen industry have different atmospheric conditions than the nuclear industry which may impact the catalyst in the units and render them less effective. Thus experiments have been performed to investigate the limits of the recombiner catalyst and if modifications to the catalyst can extend their use to the hydrogen industry. This paper will present and discuss the applications of interest conditions that may affect the catalyst and results from experiments investigating the catalyst behaviour at temperatures less than 0 °C and carbon monoxide concentrations up to 1000 ppm.
Evaluation of Hydrogen Blend Stability in Low-Pressure Gas Distribution
Apr 2023
Publication
Natural gas distribution companies are developing ambitious plans to decarbonize the services that they provide in an affordable manner and are accelerating plans for the strategic integration of renewable natural gas and the blending of green hydrogen produced by electrolysis powered with renewable electricity being developed from large new commitments by states such as New York and Massachusetts. The demonstration and deployment of hydrogen blending have been proposed broadly at 20% of hydrogen by volume. The safe distribution of hydrogen blends in existing networks requires hydrogen blends to exhibit similar behavior as current supplies which are also mixtures of several hydrocarbons and inert gases. There has been limited research on the properties of blended hydrogen in low-pressure natural gas distribution systems. Current natural gas mixtures are known to be sufficiently stable in terms of a lack of chemical reaction between constituents and to remain homogeneous through compression and distribution. Homogeneous mixtures are required both to ensure safe operation of customer-owned equipment and for safety operations such as leak detection. To evaluate the stability of mixtures of hydrogen and natural gas National Grid experimentally tested a simulated distribution natural gas pipeline with blends containing hydrogen at up to 50% by volume. The pipeline was outfitted with ports to extract samples from the top and bottom of the pipe at intervals of 20 feet. Samples were analyzed for composition and the effectiveness of odorant was also evaluated. The new results conclusively demonstrate that hydrogen gas mixtures do not significantly separate or react under typical distribution pipeline conditions and gas velocity profiles. In addition the odorant retained its integrity in the blended gas during the experiments and demonstrated that it remains an effective method of leak detection.
Dynamic Investigation and Optimization of a Solar‐Based Unit for Power and Green Hydrogen Production: A Case Study of the Greek Island, Kythnos
Nov 2022
Publication
The aim of the present work is the analysis of a solar‐driven unit that is located on the non‐interconnected island of Kythnos Greece that can produce electricity and green hydrogen. More specifically solar energy is exploited by parabolic trough collectors and the produced heat is stored in a thermal energy storage tank. Additionally an organic Rankine unit is incorporated to generate electricity which contributes to covering the island’s demand in a clean and renewable way. When the power cannot be absorbed by the local grid it can be provided to a water electrolyzer; therefore the excess electricity is stored in the form of hydrogen. The produced hydrogen amount is compressed afterward stored in tanks and then finally can be utilized as a fuel to meet other important needs such as powering vehicles or ferries. The installation is simulated parametrically and optimized on dynamic conditions in terms of energy exergy and finance. According to the results considering a base electrical load of 75 kW the annual energy and exergy efficiencies are found at 14.52% and 15.48% respectively while the payback period of the system is deter‐ mined at 6.73 years and the net present value is equal to EUR 1073384.
The Role of Liquid Hydrogen in Integrated Energy Systems - A Case Study for Germany
May 2023
Publication
Hydrogen (H2) is expected to be a key building block in future greenhouse gas neutral energy systems. This study investigates the role of liquid hydrogen (LH2) in a national greenhouse gas-neutral energy supply system for Germany in 2045. The integrated energy system model suite ETHOS is extended by LH2 demand profiles in the sectors aviation mobility and chemical industry and means of LH2 transportation via inland vessel rail and truck. This case study demonstrates that the type of hydrogen demand (liquid or gaseous) can strongly affect the cost-optimal design of the future energy system. When LH2 demand is introduced to the energy system LH2 import transportation and production grow in importance. This decreases the need for gaseous hydrogen (GH2) pipelines and affects the location of H2 production plants. When identifying no-regret measures it must be considered that the largest H2 consumers are the ones with the highest readiness to use LH2.
Hydrogen Micro-Systems: Households’ Preferences and Economic Futility
Mar 2024
Publication
This study examines the potential market for residential hydrogen systems in light of the trends towards digitalisation and environmental awareness. Based on a survey of 350 participants the results indicate that although energy experts are sceptical about the benefits of residential hydrogen systems due to their high costs households are highly interested in this technology. The sample shows a willingness to invest in hydrogen applications with some households willing to pay an average of 24% more. An economic assessment compared the cost of a residential hydrogen system with conventional domestic energy systems revealing significant additional costs for potential buyers interested in hydrogen applications.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Integration and Testing in a Hybrid-electric Propulsion Rig
Jun 2023
Publication
On the road towards greener aviation hybrid-electric propulsion systems have emerged as a viable solution. In this paper a system based on hydrogen fuel cells is proposed and evaluated in a laboratory setting with its future integration in a propulsive system in mind and main focus on the ability to lessen the power demand on the opposing side of the bench. The setup consists in a parallel architecture with two power sources: a hydrogen fuel cell and a battery. First the performance of the fuel cell and its capability to provide power to one of the motors are analyzed. Then the entire parallel hybrid system is evaluated. Although the experimental setup was shown to be sub-optimal the results demonstrated the ability of this greener alternative to reduce power demand on the opposing side of the parallel configuration with a reduction of up to 40.3% in the highest load scenario and maximum power output on the fuel cell of 257.8 W. The stack performance was also concluded to be very dependent on the operating temperature.
Recent Research in Solar-Driven Hydrogen Production
Mar 2024
Publication
Climate concerns require immediate actions to reduce the global average temperature increase. Renewable electricity and renewable energy-based fuels and chemicals are crucial for progressive de-fossilization. Hydrogen will be part of the solution. The main issues to be considered are the growing market for H2 and the “green” feedstock and energy that should be used to produce H2 . The electrolysis of water using surplus renewable energy is considered an important development. Alternative H2 production routes should be using “green” feedstock to replace fossil fuels. We firstly investigated these alternative routes through using bio-based methanol or ethanol or ammonia from digesting agro-industrial or domestic waste. The catalytic conversion of CH4 to C and H2 was examined as a possible option for decarbonizing the natural gas grid. Secondly water splitting by reversible redox reactions was examined but using a renewable energy supply was deemed necessary. The application of renewable heat or power was therefore investigated with a special focus on using concentrated solar tower (CST) technology. We finally assessed valorization data to provide a tentative view of the scale-up potential and economic aspects of the systems and determine the needs for future research and developments.
Potential of Salt Caverns for Hydrogen Storage in Southern Ontario, Canada
Jul 2023
Publication
Salt caverns produced by solution mining in Southern Ontario provide ideal spaces for gas storage due to their low permeability. Underground hydrogen storage (UHS) is an important part of the future renewable energy market in Ontario in order to achieve global carbon neutrality and to fill the gap left by retiring nuclear power plants. However large-scale hydrogen storage is still restricted by limited storage space on the ground’s surface. In this study hydrogen’s physical and chemical properties are first introduced and characterized by low molecular weight high diffusivity low solubility and low density. Then the geological conditions of the underground reservoirs are analyzed especially salt caverns. Salt caverns with their inert cavity environments and stable physical properties offer the most promising options for future hydrogen storage. The scales heights and thicknesses of the roof and floor salt layers and the internal temperatures and pressures conditions of salt caverns can affect stabilities and storage capacities. Finally several potential problems that may affect the safe storage of hydrogen in salt caverns are discussed. Through the comprehensive analysis of the influencing factors of hydrogen storage in salt caverns this study puts forward the most appropriate development strategy for salt caverns which provides theoretical guidance for UHS in the future and helps to reduce the risk of large-scale storage design.
Combining Renewable Sources Towards Negative Carbon Emission Hydrogen
Apr 2023
Publication
Multi-energy systems that combine different energy sources and carriers to improve the overall technical economic and environmental performance can boost the energy transition. In this paper we posit an innovative multi-energy system for green hydrogen production that achieves negative carbon emissions by combining bio-fuel membraneintegrated steam reforming and renewable electricity electrolysis. The system produces green hydrogen and carbon dioxide both at high purity. We use thermo-chemical models to determine the system performance and optimal working parameters. Specifically we focus on its ability to achieve negative carbon emissions. The results show that in optimal operating conditions the system can capture up to 14.1 g of CO2 per MJ of stored hydrogen and achieves up to 70% storage efficiency. Therefore we prove that a multi-energy system may reach the same efficiency of an average electrolyzer while implementing carbon capture. In the same optimal operating conditions the system converts 7.8 kg of biogas in 1 kg of hydrogen using 3.2 kg of oxygen coming from the production of 6.4 kg of hydrogen through the electrolyzer. With such ratios we estimate that the conversion of all the biogas produced in Europe with our system could result in the installation of additional dedicated 800 GWp - 1280 GWp of photovoltaic power or of 266 GWp - 532 GWp of wind power without affecting the distribution grid and covering yearly the 45% of the worldwide hydrogen demand while removing from the atmosphere more than 2% of the European carbon dioxide emissions.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Policy Simplicity & Certainty
Mar 2023
Publication
On this episode of Everything About Hydrogen we have Daria Nochevnik the Director of Policy and Partnerships for Hydrogen Council.
The podcast can be found on their website.
The podcast can be found on their website.
Paving the Way: Analysing Energy Transition Pathways and Green Hydrogen Exports in Developing Countries - The Case of Algeria
Apr 2024
Publication
The measures needed to limit global warming pose a particular challenge to current fossil fuel exporters who must not only decarbonise their local energy systems but also compensate for the expected decline in fossil fuel revenues. One possibility is seen in the export of green hydrogen. Using Algeria as a case study this paper analyses how different levels of ambition in hydrogen exports energy efficiency and fuel switching affect the costoptimal expansion of the power sector for a given overall emissions reduction path. Despite falling costs for photovoltaics and wind turbines the results indicate that in countries with very low natural gas prices such as Algeria a fully renewable electricity system by 2050 is unlikely without appropriate policy measures. The expansion of renewable energy should therefore start early given the high annual growth rates required which will be reinforced by additional green hydrogen exports. In parallel energy efficiency is a key factor as it directly mitigates CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and reduces domestic electricity demand which could instead be used for hydrogen production. Integrating electrolysers into the power system could potentially help to reduce specific costs through load shifting. Overall it seems advisable to analyse hydrogen exports together with local decarbonisation in order to better understand their interactions and to reduce emissions as efficiently as possible. These results and the methodology could be transferred to other countries that want to become green hydrogen exporters in the future and are therefore a useful addition for researchers and policy makers.
The Hydrogen Dilemma: An Industrial Site-specific Case Study on the Transformation Pathway Toward Renewable Hydrogen
Jul 2025
Publication
Future renewable energy systems are expected to heavily rely on low-emission hydrogen not least as a crucial feedstock for industry. Although there are numerous pan-European system studies exploring a cost-efficient hydrogen ramp-up a number of issues are driving companies to develop site-specific transformation strategies that are not always in line with the results of these large-scale studies. Addressing this gap this study contributes a detailed analysis of a real-world chemical site in Southern Germany that depends on hydrogen as a feedstock. In doing so insights in industry transformation options and its implications at site level are provided. Applying a cost-optimizing energy system model several corporate strategies and extensive sensitivity analyses for the transition to renewable hydrogen are evaluated for the period 2025 to 2045. This involves considering onsite interdependencies between the production and use of hydrogen as a feedstock and the site’s electricity and heat sector. The results show that under a purely rational strategy and current expectations the transformation to renewable hydrogen will not become competitive before 2045 while neither expensive emission allowances nor low-priced hydrogen supply on their own will result in a substantially accelerated transformation. This highlights the need for additional policy measures. Furthermore it is demonstrated that under almost any realistic condition within the following 20 years using hydrogen for heat generation below 200 ◦C is unlikely. Therefore prioritizing the electrification of process heat supply while waiting for hydrogen imports would be a logical approach for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Can Africa Serve Europe with Hydrogen Energy from Its Renewables?—Assessing the Economics of Shipping Hydrogen and Hydrogen Carriers to Europe from Different Parts of the Continent
Apr 2023
Publication
There exists no single optimal way for transporting hydrogen and other hydrogen carriers from one port to the other globally. Its delivery depends on several factors such as the quantity distance economics and the availability of the required infrastructure for its transportation. Europe has a strategy to invest in the production of green hydrogen in Africa to meet its needs. This study assessed the economic viability of shipping liquefied hydrogen (LH2 ) and hydrogen carriers to Germany from six African countries that have been identified as countries with great potential in the production of hydrogen. The results obtained suggest that the shipping of LH2 to Europe (Germany) will cost between 0.47 and 1.55 USD/kg H2 depending on the distance of travel for the ship. Similarly the transportation of hydrogen carriers could range from 0.19 to 0.55 USD/kg H2 for ammonia 0.25 to 0.77 USD/kg H2 for LNG 0.24 to 0.73 USD/kg H2 for methanol and 0.43 to 1.28 USD/kg H2 for liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs). Ammonia was found to be the ideal hydrogen carrier since it recorded the least transportation cost. A sensitivity analysis conducted indicates that an increase in the economic life by 5 years could averagely decrease the cost of LNG by some 13.9% NH3 by 13.2% methanol by 7.9% LOHC by 8.03% and LH2 by 12.41% under a constant distance of 6470 nautical miles. The study concludes with a suggestion that if both foreign and local participation in the development of the hydrogen market is increased in Africa the continent could supply LH2 and other hydrogen carriers to Europe at a cheaper price using clean fuel.
Willingness of Chinese Households to Pay Extra for Hydrogen-fuelled Buses: A Survey Based on Willingness to Pay
Mar 2023
Publication
Hydrogen-fuelled buses play an important role in the construction of low-carbon cities as a means of green travel. Beijing as a pilot city of hydrogen-fuelled buses in China is very important in the promotion of hydrogen-fuelled buses in China. Unfortunately the public acceptance of hydrogen-fuelledfuelled buses and their environmental positive externality value have not been studied. In this paper we investigated the willingness of Beijing households to pay for the promotion of hydrogen-fuelled buses and its influencing factors by means of a web-based questionnaire. The spike model was also used to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for hydrogen buses. The results show that the WTP of Beijing households is CNY 3.19 per trip. The value of a positive environmental externality is approximately CNY 29.15 million per trip. Household income level environmental knowledge individual environmental ethics and perceived behavioural control are the main influencing factors of WTP. Therefore policymakers should strengthen publicity efforts to increase individuals’ environmental awareness and environmental ethics and optimize the layout of hydrogen-fuelled bus schedules and riding experiences to improve individuals’ perceptual and behaviour control. Finally the positive environmental externality value of hydrogen buses should be valued which will help increase investor interest.
Deep Decarbonisation Pathways of the Energy System in Times of Unprecedented Uncertainty in the Energy Sector
May 2023
Publication
Unprecedented investments in clean energy technology are required for a net-zero carbon energy system before temperatures breach the Paris Agreement goals. By performing a Monte-Carlo Analysis with the detailed ETSAPTIAM Integrated Assessment Model and by generating 4000 scenarios of the world’s energy system climate and economy we find that the uncertainty surrounding technology costs resource potentials climate sensitivity and the level of decoupling between energy demands and economic growth influence the efficiency of climate policies and accentuate investment risks in clean energy technologies. Contrary to other studies relying on exploring the uncertainty space via model intercomparison we find that the CO2 emissions and CO2 prices vary convexly and nonlinearly with the discount rate and climate sensitivity over time. Accounting for this uncertainty is important for designing climate policies and carbon prices to accelerate the transition. In 70% of the scenarios a 1.5 ◦C temperature overshoot was within this decade calling for immediate policy action. Delaying this action by ten years may result in 2 ◦C mitigation costs being similar to those required to reach the 1.5 ◦C target if started today with an immediate peak in emissions a larger uncertainty in the medium-term horizon and a higher effort for net-zero emissions.
THyGA - Roadmap H2NG for Europe
May 2023
Publication
This report aims at summarizing the different stakeholders’ opinions on H2NG blends and cross them with the THyGA results to recommend some necessary actions to prepare the field for operational large-scale blending (liability delayed ignition adjustment…).
Exploring Key Operational Factors for Improving Hydrogen Production in a Pilot-scale Microbial Electrolysis Cell Treating Urban Wastewater
Jun 2023
Publication
Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) are becoming popular technologies with a plethora of applications in the environmental field. However research on the scale-up of these systems is scarce. To understand the limiting factors of hydrogen production in microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) at pilot scale a 135 L MEC was operated for six months under a wide range of operational conditions: applied potential [0.8-1.1 V] hydraulic residence time [1.1-3.9 d] and temperature [18-30 ºC] using three types of wastewater; synthetic (900 mg CODs L-1) raw urban wastewater (200 mg CODs L-1) and urban wastewater amended with acetate (1000 mg CODs L-1). The synthetic wastewater yielded the maximum current density (1.23 A m-2) and hydrogen production (0.1 m3 m-3 d-1) ever reported in a pilot scale MEC with a cathodic recovery of 70% and a coulombic efficiency of 27%. In contrast the use of low COD urban wastewater limited the plant performance. Interestingly it was possible to improve hydrogen production by reducing the hydraulic residence time finding the optimal applied potential or increasing the temperature. Further the pilot plant demonstrated a robust capacity to remove the organic matter present in the wastewater under different conditions with removal efficiencies above 70%. This study shows improved results compared to similar MEC pilot plants treating domestic wastewater in terms of hydrogen production and treatment efficiency and also compares its performance against conventional activated sludge processes.
Blue Hydrogen Production from Natural Gas Reservoirs: A Review of Application and Feasibility
Feb 2023
Publication
Recently interest in developing H2 strategies with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies has surged. Considering that this paper reviews recent literature on blue H2 a potential low-carbon short-term solution during the H2 transition period. Three key aspects were the focus of this paper. First it presents the processes used for blue H2 production. Second it presents a detailed comparison between blue H2 and natural gas as fuels and energy carriers. The third aspect focuses on CO2 sequestration in depleted natural gas reservoirs an essential step for implementing blue H2. Globally ~ 75% of H2 is produced using steam methane reforming which requires CCS to obtain blue H2. Currently blue H2 needs to compete with other advancing technologies such as green H2 solar power battery storage etc. Compared to natural gas and liquefied natural gas blue H2 gas results in lower CO2 emissions since CCS is applied. However transporting liquefied and compressed blue H2 entails higher energy economic and environmental costs. CCS must be appropriately implemented to produce blue H2 successfully. Due to their established capacity to trap hydrocarbons over geologic time scales depleted natural gas reservoirs are regarded as a viable option for CCS. Such a conclusion is supported by several simulation studies and field projects in many countries. Additionally there is much field experience and knowledge on the injection and production performance of natural gas reservoirs. Therefore using the existing site infrastructure converting these formations into storage reservoirs is undemanding.
Does Time Matter? A Multi-level Assessment of Delayed Energy Transitions and Hydrogen Pathways in Norway
Mar 2023
Publication
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has undeniably disrupted the EU's energy system and created a window of opportunity for an acceleration of the low-carbon energy transition in Europe. As the trading bloc's biggest gas supplier Norway faces the imminent threat of fast-depleting gas reserves and declining value for its exports. Norway is trying to beat the clock by aggressively exploring more petroleum therefore delaying its energy transition. In anticipation of the future drop in gas prices Norway is counting on blue hydrogen to valorise its gas resources before gradually shifting to green hydrogen export. Against this background this article seeks to understand how changes in the EU's energy landscape have affected the energy export sector and low-carbon hydrogen export developments in Norway from a multi-level perspective. Using the exploratory scenario approach the article assesses the implications of the different petroleum exploration outcomes on the development of the low-carbon hydrogen export market in Norway. The findings show that despite gas discoveries there is an urgent need for a phase-out plan for the Norwegian petroleum sector. For low-carbon hydrogen to play an important role in Norway's energy transition time is of the essence and action needs to be taken during this window of opportunity. An industrial sector and its value chain could take 25 years to transform which means that actions and policies for a full transformation pathway need to take place in Norway by 2025 to be ready for a climate-neutral Europe in 2050.
Green Hydrogen in Developing Countries
Aug 2020
Publication
In the future green hydrogen—hydrogen produced with renewable energy resources—could provide developing countries with a zero-carbon energy carrier to support national sustainable energy objectives and it needs further consideration by policy makers and investors. Developing countries with good renewable energy resources could produce green hydrogen locally generating economic opportunities and increasing energy security by reducing exposure to oil price volatility and supply disruptions. Support from development finance institutions and concessional funds could play an important role in deploying first-of-a-kind green hydrogen projects accelerating the uptake of green hydrogen in developing countries and increasing capacity and creating the necessary policy and regulatory enabling environment.
An Improved Passive Scalar Model for Hazardous H2-Air Ignition Prediction
Sep 2023
Publication
As hydrogen becomes an increasingly popular alternative fuel for transportation the need for tools to predict ignition events has grown. Recently a cost-effective passive scalar formulation has been developed to address this need [1]. This approach employs a self-reacting scalar to model the hydrogenair chain-branched explosion (due to reactions of the type Reactant + Radical → Radical + Radical). The scalar branching rate is derived analytically from the kinetic Jacobian matrix [2]. The method accurately reproduces ignition delays obtained by detailed chemistry for temperatures above crossover where branching is the dominant process. However for temperatures below the crossover temperature where other phenomena like thermal runaway are more significant the scalar approach fails to predict ignition events correctly. Therefore modifications to the scalar framework have been made to extend its validity across the entire temperature range. Additionally a simple technique for approximating the molecular diffusion of the scalar has been developed using the eigenvector of the Jacobian which accounts for differences in the radical pool’s composition and non-unity Lewis number effects. The complete modified framework is presented and its capability is evaluated in canonical scenarios and a more challenging double mixing layer.
Cryogenic Hydrogen Jet and Flame for Clean Energy Applications: Progress and Challenges
May 2023
Publication
Industries across the world are making the transition to net-zero carbon emissions as government policies and strategies are proposed to mitigate the impact of climate change on the planet. As a result the use of hydrogen as an energy source is becoming an increasingly popular field of research particularly in the aviation sector where an alternative green renewable fuel to the traditional hydrocarbon fuels such as kerosene is essential. Hydrogen can be stored in multiple ways including compressed gaseous hydrogen cryo-compressed hydrogen and cryogenic liquid hydrogen. The infrastructure and storage of hydrogen will play a pivotal role in the realisation of large-scale conversion from traditional fuels with safety being a key consideration. This paper provides a review on previous work undertaken to study the characterisation of both unignited and ignited hydrogen jets which are fundamental phenomena for the utilisation of hydrogen. This includes work that focuses on the near-field flow structure dispersion in the far-field ignition and flame characteristics with multi-physics. The safety considerations are also included. The theoretical models and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) multiphase and reactive flow approaches are discussed. Then an overview of previous experimental work is provided before focusing the review on the existing computational results with comparison to experiments. Upon completion of this review it is highlighted that the complex near-field physics and flow phenomena are areas lacking in research. The near-field flow properties and characteristics are of significant importance with respect to the ignition and combustion of hydrogen.
Knowledge and Technology Transfer via Publications, Patents, Standards: Exploring the Hydrogen Technological Innovation System
Nov 2022
Publication
Clean technologies play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the climate. Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier and fuel that can be used in many applications. We explore the global hydrogen technological innovation system (TIS) by analyzing the three knowledge and technology transfer channels of publications patents and standards. Since the adoption of hydrogen technologies requires trust in their safety this study specifically also focuses on hydrogen safety. Our results show that general and hydrogen safety research has increased significantly while patenting experienced stagnation. An analysis of the non-patent literature in safety patents shows little recognition of scientific publications. Similarly publications are under-represented in the analyzed 75 international hydrogen and fuel cell standards. This limited transfer of knowledge from published research to standards points to the necessity for greater involvement of researchers in standardization. We further derive implications for the hydrogen TIS and recommendations for a better and more impactful alignment of the three transfer channels.
Optimal Scheduling of Integrated Energy System Considering Hydrogen Blending Gas and Demand Response
Apr 2024
Publication
In the context of carbon neutrality and carbon peaking in order to achieve low carbon emissions and promote the efficient utilization of wind energy hydrogen energy as an important energy carrier is proposed to mix hydrogen and natural gas to form hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG). It is also injected into the natural gas pipeline network to achieve the transmission and utilization of hydrogen energy. At the same time the participation of demand response is considered the load’s peak and trough periods are adjusted and the large-scale consumption of renewable energy and the reduction in carbon emissions are achieved. First of all a fine model of hydrogen production and hydrogen use equipment is established to analyze the impact of adding hydrogen mixing on the economy and the low-carbon property of the system. With green certificates and demand response the utilization rate of hydrogen energy is improved to further explore the energy utilization rate and emission reduction capacity of the system. Secondly on the basis of modeling the optimal scheduling strategy is proposed with the sum of energy purchase cost equipment operation cost carbon emission cost wind curtailment cost and green certificate income as the lowest objective function. Considering the constraints such as hydrogen blending ratio and flexible load ratio of the pipeline network a low-carbon economic scheduling model of hydrogen mixed natural gas was established. The model was linearized and solved by using MATLAB 2021a and CPLEX solver. By comparing different scenarios the superiority of the model and the effectiveness of the strategy are verified.
Hydrogen or Electric Drive—Inconvenient (Omitted) Aspects
May 2023
Publication
Currently hydrogen and electric drives used in various means of transport is a leading topic in many respects. This article discusses the most important aspects of the operation of vehicles with electric drives (passenger cars) and hydrogen drives. In both cases the official reason for using both drives is the possibility of independence from fossil fuel supplies especially oil. The desire for independence is mainly dictated by political considerations. This article discusses the acquisition of basic raw materials for the construction of lithium-ion batteries in electric cars as well as methods for obtaining hydrogen as a fuel. The widespread use of electric passenger cars requires the construction of a network of charging stations. This article shows that taking into account the entire production process of electric cars including lithium-ion batteries the argument that they are ecological cannot be used. Additionally it was indicated that there is no concept for the use of used accumulator batteries. If hydrogen drives are used in trains there is no need to build the traction network infrastructure and then continuously monitor its technical condition and perform the necessary repairs. Of course the necessary hydrogen tanks must be built but there must be similar tanks to store oil for diesel locomotives. This paper also deals with other possibilities of hydrogen application for transformational usage e.g. the use of combustion engines driven with liquid hydrogen. Unfortunately an optimistic approach to this issue does not allow for a critical view of the whole matter. In public discussion there is no room for scientific arguments and emotions to dominate.
Green Hydrogen Supply Chain Risk Analysis: A European Hard-to-abate Sectors Perspective
May 2023
Publication
Green hydrogen is a tentative solution for the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as steel chemical cement and refinery industries. Green hydrogen is a form of hydrogen gas that is produced using renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power through a process called electrolysis. The green hydrogen supply chain includes several interconnected entities such as renewable energy providers electrolysers distribution facilities and consumers. Although there have been many studies about green hydrogen little attention has been devoted to green hydrogen supply chain risk identification and analysis especially for hard-to-abate sectors in Europe. This research contributes to existing knowledge by identifying and analysing the European region’s green hydrogen supply chain risk factors. Using a Delphi method 7 categories and 43 risk factors are identified based on the green hydrogen supply chain experts’ opinions. The best-worst method is utilised to determine the importance weights of the risk categories and risk factors. High investment of capital for hydrogen production and delivery technology was the highest-ranked risk factor followed by the lack of enough capacity for electrolyser and policy & regulation development. Several mitigation strategies and policy recommendations are proposed for high-importance risk factors. This study provides novelty in the form of an integrated approach resulting in a scientific ranking of the risk factors for the green hydrogen supply chain. The results of this study provide empirical evidence which corroborates with previous studies that European countries should endeavour to create comprehensive and supportive standards and regulations for green hydrogen supply chain implementation.
CFD Modelling of Startup Fuelling Phase Accounting for All Hydrogen Refuelling Station Components
Sep 2023
Publication
Further development of hydrogen-fuelled transport and associated infrastructure requires fundamentally based validated and publicly accepted models for fuelling protocol development particularly for heavy-duty transport applications where protocols are not available yet. This study aims to use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for modelling the entire hydrogen refuelling station (HRS) including all its components starting from high-pressure (HP) tanks a mass flow meter pressure control valve (PCV) a heat exchanger (HE) nozzle hose breakaway and up to 3 separate onboard tanks. The paper focuses on the initial phase of the refuelling procedure in which the main purpose is to check for leaks in the fuelling line and determine if it is safe to start fuelling. The simulation results are validated against the only publicly available data on hydrogen fuelling by Kuroki and co-authors (2021) from the NREL hydrogen fuelling station experiment. The simulation results – mass flow rate dynamics as well as pressure and temperature at different station locations - show good agreement with the measured experimental data. The development of such models is crucial for the further advancement of hydrogen-fuelled transport and infrastructure and this study presents a step towards this goal.
Evaluating Hydrogen-based Electricity Generation using the Concept of Total Efficiency
Aug 2023
Publication
The popularity of hydrogen has been increasing globally as a promising sustainable energy source. However hydrogen needs to be produced and processed before it can be used in the energy sector. This paper uses total efficiency to evaluate the lifecycle of hydrogen-driven power generation. Total efficiency introduces the energy requirement of fuel preparation in conventional efficiency and is a reliable method to fairly compare different energy sources. Two case studies in Spain and Germany with nine scenarios each are defined to study different hydrogen-preparation routes. The scenarios include the main colors of hydrogen production (grey turquoise yellow and green) and different combinations of processing and transportation choices. In most cases the highest energy penalty in the overall preparation process of the fuel is linked to the production step. A large difference is found between fossil fuel-based hydrogen and green hydrogen derived from excess renewable energy with fossil fuel-based hydrogen resulting in significantly lower total efficiencies compared to green hydrogen. The use of natural gas as the primary source to generate hydrogen is found to be a critical factor affecting total efficiency particularly in cases where the gas must be transported from far away. This shows the value of using excess renewable energy in the production of hydrogen instead of grid power. Even in the most efficient scenario of green hydrogen studied total efficiency was found to be 7 % lower than the respective conventional efficiency that does not account for hydrogen generation. These results emphasize the importance of considering the impact of fuel preparation stages in comparative thermodynamic analyses and evaluations.
PEMFC Poly-Generation Systems: Developments, Merits, and Challenges
Oct 2021
Publication
Significant research efforts are directed towards finding new ways to reduce the cost increase efficiency and decrease the environmental impact of power-generation systems. The poly-generation concept is a promising strategy that enables the development of a sustainable power system. Over the past few years the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell-based Poly-Generation Systems (PEMFC-PGSs) have received accelerated developments due to the low-temperature operation high efficiency and low environmental impact. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the main PEMFC-PGSs including Combined Heat and Power (CHP) co-generation systems Combined Cooling and Power (CCP) co-generation systems Combined Cooling Heat and Power (CCHP) tri-generation systems and Combined Water and Power (CWP) co-generation systems. First the main technologies used in PEMFC-PGSs such as those related to hydrogen production energy storage and Waste Heat Recovery (WHR) etc. are detailed. Then the research progresses on the economic energy and environmental performance of the different PEMFC-PGSs are presented. Also the recent commercialization activities on these systems are highlighted focusing on the leading countries in this field. Furthermore the remaining economic and technical obstacles of these systems along with the future research directions to mitigate them are discussed. The review reveals the potential of the PEMFC-PGS in securing a sustainable future of the power systems. However many economic and technical issues particularly those related to high cost and degradation rate still need to be addressed before unlocking the full benefits of such systems.
A Review of Sustainable Hydrogen Energy by 2050: Asupply Chain, Export Markets, Circular Economy, Social Dimensions, and Future Prospects: Australia vs. Worldwide
Jul 2025
Publication
Australia’s transition to a sustainable hydrogen economy by 2050 presents a transformative opportunity for decarbonization economic growth and global energy leadership. This review critically examines the state of hydrogen development in Australia covering supply chains export markets circular economy integration social dimensions and policy implications. The analysis highlights the critical interplay between technological innovation strategic government initiatives and market demand as key enablers for large-scale hydrogen deployment by 2050. The paper identifies research gaps in harmonizing hydrogen development with circular economy principles safety social equity and policy alignment. This work outlines clear policy implications including the need for coordinated infrastructure investment domestic market stimulation international certification for exports and integration of hydrogen into broader energy system planning. This work serves as a roadmap synthesizing recent literature and addressing the challenges and opportunities emphasizing cross-sector collaboration regulatory reform and targeted innovation investment. This review contributes a strategic framework to support decision-makers industry partners and researchers in advancing Australia’s hydrogen sector by 2050.
Genesis and Energy Significance of Natural Hydrogen
Jan 2023
Publication
H2 is clean energy and an important component of natural gas. Moreover it plays an irreplaceable role in improving the hydrocarbon generation rate of organic matter and activating ancient source rocks to generate hydrocarbon in Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis and catalytic hydrogenation. Compared with hydrocarbon reservoir system a complete hydrogen (H2) accumulation system consists of H2 source,reservoirs and seal. In nature the four main sources of H2 are hydrolysis organic matter degradation the decomposition of substances such as methane and ammonia and deep mantle degassing. Because the complex tectonic activities the H2 produced in a geological environment is generally a mixture of various sources. Compared with the genetic mechanisms of H2 the migration and preservation of H2 especially the H2 trapping are rarely studied. A necessary condition for large-scale H2 accumulation is that the speed of H2 charge is much faster than diffusion loss. Dense cap rock and continuous H2 supply are favorable for H2 accumulation. Moreover H2O in the cap rock pores may provide favorable conditions for short-term H2 accumulation.
Green Energy Hubs for the Military That Can Also Support he Civilian Mobility Sector with Green Hydrogen
May 2023
Publication
To support the energy transition in the area of defence we developed a tool and conducted a feasibility study to transform a military site from being a conventional energy consumer to becoming an energy-positive hub (or prosumer). Coupling a green energy source (e.g. photovoltaic wind) with fuel cells and hydrogen storage satisfied the dynamic energy consumption and dynamic hydrogen demand for both the civilian and military mobility sectors. To make the military sector independent of its civilian counterpart a military site was connected to a renewable energy hub. This made it possible to develop a stand-alone green-energy system transform the military site into a positive energy hub and achieve autonomous energy operation for several days or weeks. An environmental and economic assessment was conducted to determine the carbon footprint and the economic viability. The combined installed capacity of the solar power plant and the wind turbine was 2.5 times the combined peak consumption with about 19% of the total electricity and 7% of the hydrogen produced still available to external consumers.
Techno-economic Analysis of High-power Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell System
Jan 2023
Publication
Water electrolysis using solid oxide electrolysis cells is a promising method for hydrogen production because it is highly efficient clean and scalable. Recently a lot of researches focusing on development of high-power stack system have been introduced. However there are very few studies of economic analysis for this promising system. Consequently this study proposed 20-kW-scale high-power solid oxide electrolysis cells system config urations then conducted economic analysis. Especially the economic context was in South Korea. For com parison a low-power system with similar design was used as a reference; the levelized cost of hydrogen of each system was calculated based on the revenue requirement method. Furthermore a sensitivity analysis was also performed to identify how the economic variables affect the hydrogen production cost in a specific context. The results show that a high-power system is superior to a low-power system from an economic perspective. The stack cost is the dominant component of the capital cost but the electricity cost is the factor that contributes the most to the hydrogen cost. In the first case study it was found that if a high-power system can be installed inside a nuclear power plant the cost of hydrogen produced can reach $3.65/kg when the electricity cost is 3.28¢/kWh and the stack cost is assumed to be $574/kW. The second case study indicated that the hydrogen cost can decrease by 24% if the system is scaled up to a 2-MW scale.
Hydrogen Export Competitiveness Index for a Sustainable Hydrogen Economy
May 2023
Publication
The transition to cleaner energy sources including renewables introduces the need for versatile and transportable energy carriers such as hydrogen. This paper aims to quantify the hydrogen export competitiveness of all countries using a newly developed comprehensive index. The developed competitiveness index includes 21 indicators under four main categories: resource availability and potential economic and financial potential political and regulatory status and industrial knowledge. Expert interviews and surveys are conducted to properly identify choose and modify the categories and indicators and to calculate the appropriate weight for each. Top-ranking countries include the United States Australia Canada United Kingdom China Norway India Russia Netherlands and Germany and they are poised to be significant players in the hydrogen market. Policy recommendations for growing the hydrogen production and export sector are given based on each category.
A Bibliometric and Visualized Overview of Hydrogen Embrittlement from 1997 to 2022
Dec 2022
Publication
The mechanical properties of materials deteriorate when hydrogen embrittlement (HE) occurs seriously threatening the reliability and durability of the hydrogen system. Therefore it is important to summarize the status and development trends of research on HE. This study reviewed 6676 publications concerned with HE from 1997 to 2022 based on the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer was used to conduct the bibliometric analysis and produce visualizations of the publications. The results showed that the number of publications on HE increased after 2007 especially between 2017 and 2019. Japan was the country with the highest numbers of productive authors and citations of publications and the total number of citations of Japanese publications was 24589. Kyushu University was the most influential university and the total number of citations of Kyushu University publications was 7999. Akiyama was the most prolific and influential author publishing 88 publications with a total of 2565 citations. The USA South Korea and some European countries are also leading in HE research; these countries have published more than 200 publications. It was also found that the HE publications generally covered five topics: “Hydrogen embrittlement in different materials” “Effect of hydrogen on mechanical properties of materials” “Effect of alloying elements or microstructure on hydrogen embrittlement” “Hydrogen transport” and “Characteristics and mechanisms of hydrogen related failures”. Research hotspots included “Fracture failure behavior and analysis” “Microstructure” “Hydrogen diffusion and transport” “Mechanical properties” “Hydrogen resistance” and so on. These covered the basic methods and purposes of HE research. Finally the distribution of the main subject categories of the publications was determined and these categories covered various topics and disciplines. This study establishes valuable reference information for the application and development of HE research and provides a convenient resource to help researchers and scholars understand the development trends and research directions in this field.
A Hydrogen-fuelled Compressed Air Energy Storage System for Flexibility Reinforcement and Variable Renewable Energy Integration in Grids with High Generation Curtailment
Mar 2024
Publication
Globally the increasing share of renewables prominently driven by intermittent sources such as solar and wind power poses significant challenges to the reliability of current electrical infrastructures leading to the adoption of extreme measures such as generation curtailment to preserve grid security. Within this framework it is essential to develop energy storage systems that contribute to reinforce the flexibility and security of power grids while simultaneously reducing the share of generation curtailment. Therefore this study investigates the performance of an integrated photovoltaic-hydrogen fuelled-compressed air energy storage system whose configuration is specifically conceived to enable the connection of additional intermittent sources in already saturated grids. The yearly and seasonal performance of the integrated energy storage system specifically designed to supply flexibility services are evaluated for a scenario represented by a real grid with high-variable renewables penetration and frequent dispatchability issues. Results show that the integrated system with performanceoptimized components and a new energy management strategy minimizes photovoltaic energy curtailment otherwise around 50% to as low as 4% per year achieving system efficiencies of up to 62% and reinforces the grid by supplying inertial power for up to 20% of nighttime hours. In conclusion the integrated plant operating with zero emissions on-site hydrogen production and optimized for non-dispatchable photovoltaic energy utilization proves to be effective in integrating new variable renewable sources and reinforcing saturated grids particularly during spring and summer.
CFD Modeling and Experimental Validation of an Alkaline Water Electrolysis Cell for Hydrogen Production
Dec 2020
Publication
Although alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) is the most widespread technology for hydrogen production by electrolysis its electrochemical and fluid dynamic optimization has rarely been addressed simultaneously using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. In this regard a two-dimensional (2D) CFD model of an AWE cell has been developed using COMSOL® software and then experimentally validated. The model involves transport equations for both liquid and gas phases as well as equations for the electric current conservation. This multiphysics approach allows the model to simultaneously analyze the fluid dynamic and electrochemical phenomena involved in an electrolysis cell. The electrical response was evaluated in terms of polarization curve (voltage vs. current density) at different operating conditions: temperature electrolyte conductivity and electrode-diaphragm distance. For all cases the model fits very well with the experimental data with an error of less than 1% for the polarization curves. Moreover the model successfully simulates the changes on gas profiles along the cell according to current density electrolyte flow rate and electrode-diaphragm distance. The combination of electrochemical and fluid dynamics studies provides comprehensive information and makes the model a promising tool for electrolysis cell design.
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