Policy & Socio-Economics
Strategic Policy Targets and the Contribution of Hydrogen in a 100% Renewable European Power System
Jul 2021
Publication
The goal of the European energy policy is to achieve climate neutrality. The long-term energy strategies of various European countries include additional targets such as the diversification of energy sources maintenance of security of supply and reduction of import dependency. When optimizing energy systems these strategic policy targets are often only considered in a rudimentary manner and thus the understanding of the corresponding interdependencies is lacking. Moreover hydrogen is considered as a key component of a fully decarbonized energy system but its role in the power sector remains unclear due to the low round-trip efficiencies. This study reveals how fully decarbonized European power systems can benefit from hydrogen in terms of overall system costs and the achievement of strategic policy targets. We analyzed a broad spectrum of scenarios using an energy system optimization model and varied model constraints that reflect strategic policy targets. Our results are threefold. First compared to power systems without hydrogen systems using hydrogen realize savings of 14–16% in terms of the total system costs. Second the implementation of a hydrogen infrastructure reduces the number of infeasible scenarios when structural policy targets are considered within the power system. Third the role of hydrogen is highly diverse at a national level. Particularly in countries with low renewable energy potential hydrogen plays a crucial role. Here high levels of self-sufficiency and security of supply are achieved by deploying hydrogen-based power generation of up to 46% of their annual electricity demand realized via imports of green hydrogen.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Hydrogen Requirement to Minimize Seasonal Variability in Future Solar and Wind Energy in South Korea
Nov 2022
Publication
Renewable energy supply is essential for carbon neutrality; however technologies aiming to optimally utilize renewable energy sources remain insufficient. Seasonal variability in renewable energy is a key issue which many studies have attempted to overcome through operating systems and energy storage. Currently hydrogen is the only technology that can solve this seasonal storage problem. In this study the amount of hydrogen required to circumvent the seasonal variability in renewable energy supply in Korea was quantified. Spatiotemporal analysis was conducted using renewable energy resource maps and power loads. It was predicted that 50% of the total power demand in the future will be met using solar and wind power and a scenario was established based on the solar-to-wind ratio. It was found that the required hydrogen production differed by approximately four-times depending on the scenarios highlighting the importance of supplying renewable energy at an appropriate ratio. Spatially wind power was observed to be unsuitable for the physical transport of hydrogen because it has a high potential at mountain peaks and islands. The results of this study are expected to aid future hydrogen research and solve renewable energy variability problems.
Clean Technology Selection of Hydrogen Production on an Industrial Scale in Morocco
Nov 2022
Publication
Sustainable hydrogen production is a priority for Morocco and it’s part of the country’s national energy strategy which is currently being developed. Many processes can be used for its production. However it’s necessary to select the appropriate one for Morocco’s case. In this study a multi-criteria analysis was followed to select the best clean and renewable catalytic process for hydrogen production on an industrial scale. Ten routes were evaluated using the AHP method coupled with the Fuzzy Vikor method for criteria weighting and ranking of alternatives respectively. The results showed that alkaline water electrolysis coupled with renewable energy sources is the most suitable for industrial production in Morocco. The processes that are not well ranked and require further study and development before deployment on an industrial scale are biophotolysis photo fermentation photolysis and thermolysis. The parametric sensitivity analysis performed validated the result obtained. Then the potential for hydrogen production using solar energy is investigated. It was found that Morocco can produce 1057.26 million tons of green hydrogen showing how attractive the selected catalytic process is. This study enables investors and decision-makers to make an informed decision about whether to develop a green hydrogen production industrial installation in Morocco.
A Simulated Roadmap of Hydrogen Technology Contribution to Climate Change Mitigation Based on Representative Concentration Pathways Considerations
Apr 2018
Publication
Hydrogen as fuel has been a promising technology toward climate change mitigation efforts. To this end in this paper we analyze the contribution of hydrogen technology to our future environmental goals. It is assumed that hydrogen is being produced in higher efficiency across time and this is simulated on Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM). The environmental restrictions applied are the expected emissions representative concentration pathways (RCP) 2.6 4.5 and 6.0. Our results have shown increasing hydrogen production as the environmental constraints become stricter and hydrogen more efficient in being produced. This increase has been quantified and provided on open access as Supporting Information to this manuscript.
Analysis of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy in the Context of the EU’s Strategic Documents on Hydrogen
Oct 2021
Publication
In December 2019 the European Commission unveiled an ambitious project the European Green Deal which aims to lead the European Union to climate neutrality by 2050. This is a significant challenge for all EU countries and especially for Poland. The role of hydrogen in the processes of decarbonization of the economy and transport is being discussed in many countries around the world to find rational solutions to this difficult and complex problem. There is an ongoing discussion about the hydrogen economy which covers the production of hydrogen its storage transport and conversion to the desired forms of energy primarily electricity mechanical energy and new fuels. The development of the hydrogen economy can significantly support the achievement of climate neutrality. The belief that hydrogen plays an important role in the transformation of the energy sector is widespread. There are many technical and economic challenges as well as legal and logistical barriers to deal with in the transition process. The development of hydrogen technologies and a global sustainable energy system that uses hydrogen offers a real opportunity to solve the challenges facing the global energy industry: meeting the need for clean fuels increasing the efficiency of fuel and energy production and significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The paper provides an in-depth analysis of the Polish Hydrogen Strategy a document that sets out the directions for the development of hydrogen use (competences and technologies) in the energy transport and industrial sectors. This analysis is presented against the background of the European Commission’s document ‘A Hydrogen Strategy for a Climate-Neutral Europe’. The draft project presented is a good basis for further discussion on the directions of development of the Polish economy. The Polish Hydrogen Strategy although it was created later than the EU document does not fully follow its guidelines. The directions for further work on the hydrogen strategy are indicated so that its final version can become a driving force for the development of the country’s economy.
Sector Coupling via Hydrogen to Lower the Cost of Energy System Decarbonization
Aug 2021
Publication
There is growing interest in using hydrogen (H2) as a long-duration energy storage resource in a future electric grid dominated by variable renewable energy (VRE) generation. Modeling H2 use exclusively for grid-scale energy storage often referred to as ‘‘power-to-gas-to-power (P2G2P)’’ overlooks the cost-sharing and CO2 emission benefits from using the deployed H2 assets to decarbonize other end-use sectors where direct electrification is challenging. Here we develop a generalized framework for co-optimizing infrastructure investments across the electricity and H2 supply chains accounting for the spatio-temporal variations in energy demand and supply. We apply this sector-coupling framework to the U.S. Northeast under a range of technology cost and carbon price scenarios and find greater value of power-to-H2 (P2G) vs. P2G2P routes. Specifically P2G provides grid flexibility to support VRE integration without the round-trip efficiency penalty and additional cost incurred by P2G2P routes. This form of sector coupling leads to: (a) VRE generation increase by 13–56% and (b) total system cost (and levelized costs of energy) reduction by 7–16% under deep decarbonization scenarios. Both effects increase as H2 demand for other end-uses increases more than doubling for a 97% decarbonization scenario as H2 demand quadruples. We also find that the grid flexibility enabled by sector coupling makes deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) for power generation less cost-effective than its use for low-carbon H2 production. These findings highlight the importance of using an integrated energy system framework with multiple energy vectors in planning cost-effective energy system decarbonization
Green Hydrogen and Energy Transition: Current State and Prospects in Portugal
Jan 2023
Publication
Hydrogen is a promising commodity a renewable secondary energy source and feedstock alike to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets and promote economic decarbonization. A common goal pursued by many countries the hydrogen economy receives a blending of public and private capital. After European Green Deal state members created national policies focused on green hydrogen. This paper presents a study of energy transition considering green hydrogen production to identify Portugal’s current state and prospects. The analysis uses energy generation data hydrogen production aspects CO2 emissions indicators and based costs. A comprehensive simulation estimates the total production of green hydrogen related to the ratio of renewable generation in two different scenarios. Then a comparison between EGP goals and Portugal’s transport and energy generation prospects is made. Portugal has an essential renewable energy matrix that supports green hydrogen production and allows for meeting European green hydrogen 2030–2050 goals. Results suggest that promoting the conversion of buses and trucks into H2-based fuel is better for CO2 reduction. On the other hand given energy security thermoelectric plants fueled by H2 are the best option. The aggressive scenario implies at least 5% more costs than the moderate scenario considering economic aspects.
Use of Hydrogen as Fuel: A Trend of the 21st Century
Jan 2022
Publication
The unbridled use of fossil fuels is a serious problem that has become increasingly evident over the years. As such fuels contribute considerably to environmental pollution there is a need to find new sustainable sources of energy with low emissions of greenhouse gases. Climate change poses a substantial challenge for the scientific community. Thus the use of renewable energy through technologies that offer maximum efficiency with minimal pollution and carbon emissions has become a major goal. Technology related to the use of hydrogen as a fuel is one of the most promising solutions for future systems of clean energy. The aim of the present review was to provide an overview of elements related to the potential use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source considering its specific chemical and physical characteristics as well as prospects for an increase in the participation of hydrogen fuel in the world energy matrix.
Challenges in the Decarbonization of the Energy Sector
Jun 2020
Publication
In order to limit the effects of climate change the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the energy sector need to be reduced. Significant reductions can be achieved by using appropriate technologies and policies. In the context of recent discussions about climate change and energy transition this article critically reviews some technologies policies and frequently discussed solutions. The options for carbon emission reductions are grouped into (1) generation of secondary energy carriers (2) end-use energy sectors and (3) sector interdependencies. The challenges on the way to a decarbonized energy sector are identified with respect to environmental sustainability security of energy supply economic stability and social aspects. A global carbon tax is the most promising instrument to accelerate the process of decarbonization. Nevertheless this process will be very challenging for humanity due to high capital requirements the competition among energy sectors for decarbonization options inconsistent environmental policies and public acceptance of changes in energy use.
Clean or Renewable – Hydrogen and Power-to-gas in EU Energy Law
Aug 2020
Publication
Interest in hydrogen as a carbon-neutral energy carrier is on the rise around the globe including in Europe. In particular power-to-gas as a technology to transform electricity to hydrogen is receiving ample attention. This article scrutinises current updates in the energy law framework of the EU to explain the legal pre-conditions for the various possible applications of power-to-gas technology. It highlights the influence of both electricity and gas legislation on conversion storage and transmission of hydrogen and demonstrates why ‘green’ hydrogen might come with certain legal privileges under the Renewable Energy Directive attached to it as opposed to the European Commission’s so-called ‘clean’ hydrogen. The article concludes by advocating for legal system integration in EU energy law namely merging the currently distinct EU electricity and gas law frameworks into one unified EU Energy Act.
Renewable Energy, Carbon Capture & Sequestration and Hydrogen Solutions as Enabling Technologies for Reduced CO2 Energy Transition at a National Level: An Application to the 2030 Italian National Energy Scenarios
Dec 2022
Publication
Globally climate change fossil fuel depletion and greenhouse emissions are fundamental problems requiring massive effort from the international scientific community to be addressed and solved. Following the Clean Energy for all Europeans Package (CEP) guidelines the Italian Government has established challenging and tight objectives both on energy and climate matter to be targeted by 2030. Accordingly research activities on different topics are carried out in Italy looking at the installation of intermittent renewable energy systems (IRES) implementation of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) on existing power plants and hydrogen technology and infrastructure penetration for accomplishing the end-users demands. The optimal integration of the above-mentioned technologies is one of the most effective weapons to address these objectives. The paper investigates different energy scenarios for meeting the Italian National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) 2030 targets showing how the combined implementation of around +12 GW of IRES and +6 GW of electrolyzers compared to the national estimates simultaneously with the CCS of around 10 Mt of CO2 per year can reduce the CO2 emissions up to about 247 Mt/year. Thanks to the adoption of the well-established software platform EnergyPlan the integration of IRES plants CCS and hydrogen-based technologies have been explored and the most successful results for concurrently reducing the impact of industrial transport residential and energy sectors and mitigating the greenhouse emissions substantially relies on the diversifications. Results show both the technical and economic convenience of a 2030 energy scenario which implements properly hydrogen IRES and CCS penetration in the energy system meeting the NECP 2030 targets and maintaining both the over-generation of the power plants below 5 TWh and the initial capital expenditure to be sustained for this scenario to occur below +80% compared to the 2019 energy scenario.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Decarbonising the Gas Grid with Cadent
Mar 2020
Publication
On this weeks episode the team are talking all things hydrogen with Lorna Millington Future Networks Manager in the Safety and Network Strategy team at Cadent. On the show we discuss the role that Cadent and other gas distribution network operators (GDNOs) are playing in supporting the transition towards a low (and eventually zero) carbon gas grid through the use of hydrogen. The potential for hydrogen to support decarbonisation of heat through the gas network is one of the most exciting emerging themes for countries that have large existing gas networks and who are looking to repurpose those assets towards national net zero objectives. As a leader on hydrogen into the gas grid projects Cadent offer a wealth of knowledge around the potential opportunities and considerations for displacing natural gas with hydrogen over time. And given the chance to reduce up to 6 million tonnes of CO2 a year through using more hydrogen in the gas grid this is a show you won’t want to miss! All this and more on the show!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Between Hope And Hype: A Hydrogen Vision For The UK
Mar 2021
Publication
There is a growing conversation around the role that hydrogen can play in the future of the UK and how to best harness its potential to secure jobs show climate leadership promote industrial competitiveness and drive innovation. The Government’s ‘Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’ included hydrogen as one of its ten actions targeting 5GW of ‘low carbon’ hydrogen production by 2030. Britain is thus joining the EU US Japan Germany and a host of other countries seeking to be part of the hydrogen economy of the future.<br/><br/>A focus on clean green hydrogen within targeted sectors and hubs can support multiple Government goals – including demonstrating climate leadership reducing regional inequalities through the ‘levelling up’ agenda and ensuring a green and cost-effective recovery from the coronavirus pandemic which prioritises jobs and skills. A strategic hydrogen vision must be honest and recognise where green hydrogen does not present the optimal pathway for decarbonisation – for instance where alternative solutions are already readily available for roll-out are more efficient and cost-effective. A clear example is hydrogen use for heating where it is estimated to require around 30 times more offshore wind farm capacity than currently available to produce enough green hydrogen to replace all gas boilers as well as adding costs for consumers.<br/><br/>This paper considers the offer of hydrogen for key Government priorities – including an inclusive and resilient economic recovery from the pandemic demonstrating climate leadership and delivering for all of society across the UK. It assesses existing evidence and considers the risks and opportunities and how they might inform a strategic vision for the UK. Ahead of the forthcoming Hydrogen Strategy it sets expectations for Government and outlines key recommendations.
Uncomfortable Home Truths - Why Britain Urgently Needs a Low Carbon Heat Strategy Future Gas Series Part 3
Nov 2019
Publication
UK homes are primarily heated by fossil fuels and contribute 13% of UK’s carbon footprint (equivalent to all the UK’s 38.4m cars). The report says this is incompatible with UK climate legislation targeting net-zero economy by 2050. New polling finds that consumers are open to cleaner greener ways to heat their homes into the future but that they are “still in the dark about smarter greener heating solutions and lack access to independent advice to help them make better decisions for their homes pockets and the planet”.<br/><br/>The report – Uncomfortable Home Truths: why Britain urgently needs a low carbon heat strategy – says a bold new national roadmap is needed by 2020 which puts consumers and households at the heart of a revolution in green heat innovation. It recommends the creation of an Olympic-style delivery body to catalyse and coordinate regional innovation and local leadership tailored to different parts of the UK and the nation’s diverse housing stock.<br/><br/>This report is the third in the Future Gas Series which has explored the opportunities and challenges associated with using low carbon gas in the energy system and is backed by cross-party parliamentary co-Chairs
How Green Are the National Hydrogen Strategies?
Feb 2022
Publication
Since Japan promulgated the world’s first national hydrogen strategy in 2017 28 national (or regional in the case of the EU) hydrogen strategies have been issued by major world economies. As carbon emissions vary with different types of hydrogen and only green hydrogen produced from renewable energy can be zero-emissions fuel this paper interrogates the commitment of the national hydrogen strategies to achieve decarbonization objectives focusing on the question “how green are the national hydrogen strategies?” We create a typology of regulatory stringency for green hydrogen in national hydrogen strategies analyzing the text of these strategies and their supporting policies and evaluating their regulatory stringency toward decarbonization. Our typology includes four parameters fossil fuel penalties hydrogen certifications innovation enablement and the temporal dimension of coal phasing out. Following the typology we categorize the national hydrogen strategies into three groups: zero regulatory stringency scale first and clean later and green hydrogen now. We find that most national strategies are of the type “scale first and clean later” with one or more regulatory measures in place. This article identifies further challenges to enhancing regulatory stringency for green hydrogen at both national and international levels.
The Economics and the Environmental Benignity of Different Colors of Hydrogen
Feb 2022
Publication
Due to the increasing greenhouse gas emissions as well as due to the rapidly increasing use of renewable energy sources in the electricity generation over the last years interest in hydrogen is rising again. Hydrogen can be used as a storage for renewable energy balancing the whole energy systems and contributing to the decarbonization of the energy system especially of the industry and the transport sector. The major objective of this paper is to discuss various ways of hydrogen production depending on the primary energy sources used. Moreover the economic and environmental performance of three major hydrogen colors as well as major barriers for faster deployment in fuel cell vehicles are analyzed. The major conclusion is that the full environmental benefits of hydrogen use are highly dependent on the hydrogen production methods and primary sources used. Only green hydrogen with electricity from wind PV and hydro has truly low emissions. All other sources like blue hydrogen with CCUS or electrolysis using the electricity grid have substantially higher emissions coming close to grey hydrogen production. Another conclusion is that it is important to introduce an international market for hydrogen to lower costs and to produce hydrogen where conditions are best. Finally the major open question remaining is whether e including all external costs of all energy carriers hydrogen of any color may become economically competitive in any sector of the energy system. The future success of hydrogen is very dependent on technological development and resulting cost reductions as well as on future priorities and the corresponding policy framework. The policy framework should support the shift from grey to green hydrogen.
Techno-Economic Analysis of a Novel Hydrogen-Based Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Both Grid-Tied and Off-Grid Power Supply in Japan: The Case of Fukushima Prefecture
Jun 2020
Publication
After the Great East Japan Earthquake energy security and vulnerability have become critical issues facing the Japanese energy system. The integration of renewable energy sources to meet specific regional energy demand is a promising scenario to overcome these challenges. To this aim this paper proposes a novel hydrogen-based hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) in which hydrogen fuel can be produced using both the methods of solar electrolysis and supercritical water gasification (SCWG) of biomass feedstock. The produced hydrogen is considered to function as an energy storage medium by storing renewable energy until the fuel cell converts it to electricity. The proposed HRES is used to meet the electricity demand load requirements for a typical household in a selected residential area located in Shinchi-machi in Fukuoka prefecture Japan. The techno-economic assessment of deploying the proposed systems was conducted using an integrated simulation-optimization modeling framework considering two scenarios: (1) minimization of the total cost of the system in an off-grid mode and (2) maximization of the total profit obtained from using renewable electricity and selling surplus solar electricity to the grid considering the feed-in-tariff (FiT) scheme in a grid-tied mode. As indicated by the model results the proposed HRES can generate about 47.3 MWh of electricity in all scenarios which is needed to meet the external load requirement in the selected study area. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of the system in scenarios 1 and 2 was estimated at 55.92 JPY/kWh and 56.47 JPY/kWh respectively
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: A New Hope for Hydrogen?
Apr 2020
Publication
On this weeks episode the team discuss the Hydrogen Council the global stakeholder forum that has been at the forefront of efforts to advance the role of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies globally. We are excited to have as our guests Pierre-Etienne Franc Vice President for the Hydrogen Energy World Business Unit at Air Liquide and Stephan Herbst General Manager at Toyota Motor Europe. On the show we discuss why Air Liquide and Toyota decided to engage with the Council its strategy vision and perspective on the role that hydrogen can play in the energy transition and how companies can work with policymakers to enable this process. All this and more on the show!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Development of Renewable Energy Multi-energy Complementary Hydrogen Energy System (A Case Study in China): A Review
Aug 2020
Publication
The hydrogen energy system based on the multi-energy complementary of renewable energy can improve the consumption of renewable energy reduce the adverse impact on the power grid system and has the characteristics of green low carbon sustainable etc. which is currently a global research hotspot. Based on the basic principles of hydrogen production technology this paper introduces the current hydrogen energy system topology and summarizes the technical advantages of renewable energy complementary hydrogen production and the complementary system energy coordination forms. The problems that have been solved or reached consensus are summarized and the current status of hydrogen energy system research at home and abroad is introduced in detail. On this basis the key technologies of multi-energy complementation of hydrogen energy system are elaborated especially in-depth research and discussion on coordinated control strategies energy storage and capacity allocation energy management and electrolysis water hydrogen production technology. The development trend of the multi-energy complementary system and the hydrogen energy industry chain is also presented which provides a reference for the development of hydrogen production technology and hydrogen energy utilization of the renewable energy complementary system.
A Multi-objective MILP Model for the Design and Operation of Future Integrated Multi-vector Energy Networks Capturing Detailed Spatio-temporal Dependencies
Dec 2017
Publication
A multi-objective optimisation model based on mixed integer linear programming is presented that can simultaneously determine the design and operation of any integrated multi-vector energy networks. It can answer variants of the following questions: What is the most effective way in terms of cost value/profit and/or emissions of designing and operating the integrated multi-vector energy networks that utilise a variety of primary energy sources to deliver different energy services such as heat electricity and mobility given the availability of primary resources and the levels of demands and their distribution across space and time? When to invest in technologies where to locate them; what resources should be used where when and how to convert them to the energy services required; how to transport the resources and manage inventory? Scenarios for Great Britain were examined involving different primary energy sources such as natural gas biomass and wind power in order to satisfy demands for heat electricity and mobility via various energy vectors such as electricity natural gas hydrogen and syngas. Different objectives were considered such as minimising cost maximising profit minimising emissions and maximising renewable energy production subject to the availability of suitable land for biomass and wind turbines as well as the maximum local production and import rates for natural gas. Results suggest that if significant mobility demands are met by hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles then hydrogen is the preferred energy vector over natural gas for satisfying heat demands. If natural gas is not used and energy can only be generated from wind power and biomass electricity and syngas are the preferred energy carriers for satisfying electricity and heat demands.
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