Policy & Socio-Economics
Can the Current EU Regulatory Framework Deliver Decarbonisation of Gas?
Jun 2020
Publication
This Energy Insight examines the current regulatory framework and challenges facing the natural gas industry (producers transporters suppliers and consumers) during the transition to a zero-carbon economy. The EU has declared its intention to be climate neutral by 2050 which means that the current level of natural gas usage will no longer be possible. However natural gas is a crucial component of energy supply representing 24 per cent of primary energy supply for the EU27+UK and 36 per cent of residential energy consumption. In some countries the use of natural gas is much higher – around 40 per cent of primary energy supply in Netherlands UK and Italy. The current framework impacting gas addresses two different market failures – natural monopolies for gas transportation and the externalities of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The framework will not deliver decarbonisation of gas as it does not stimulate either supply or demand for alternatives such as hydrogen nor create the conditions to enable gas networks to transition to a decarbonised future. Policy makers need to prioritise their objectives to take account of the trade-offs involved in designing a new framework. Exclusion of certain low carbon technologies risks driving away investors and reduces the chances of targets being met whilst “picking winners” involves risks because of the many uncertainties involved such as future costs and time required to build new value chains.
Link to Document on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies website
Link to Document on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies website
Role of batteries and fuel cells in achieving Net Zero- Session 3
Mar 2021
Publication
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will hear from officials research funders and leading research consortia about the UK’s strategy for research and development of batteries and fuel cells to help meet the net-zero target.
The Committee will question officials from government departments and research councils about the UK’s increased support for battery development and how the initiatives and funding will evolve. The Committee will compare the support given to fuel cell research and ask how this technology will be developed for applications such as heavy transport. For both technologies it will ask how training will be delivered to provide a skilled workforce.
The Committee will also hear from leaders of research consortia asking them about support for their research sectors and how this compares with countries leading the development of the technologies. The Committee will explore coordination between research into batteries fuel cells and wider strategies such as for hydrogen and whether research for transport can be transferred to applications in other sectors such as power grids and heating.
At 10.00am: Oral evidence
Mr Tony Harper Industrial Strategy Challenge Director Faraday Battery Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) at University of Central Lancashire
Dr Lucy Martin Deputy Director of Cross-Council Programmes and lead for Net Zero at University of Central Lancashire
Dr Bob Moran Deputy Director Head of Environment Strategy at University of Central Lancashire
Professor Paul Monks Chief Scientific Adviser at University of Central Lancashire
At 11.00am: Oral evidence
Professor Philip Taylor Director at EPSRC Supergen Energy Networks Hub and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at University of Bristol
Professor David Greenwood CEO High Value Manufacturing Catapult at University of Central Lancashire Director Industrial Engagement at University of Central Lancashire and Professor of Advanced Propulsion Systems at University of Warwick
Professor Paul Dodds Professor of Energy Systems at University of Central Lancashire
Possible questions
Parliament TV video of the meeting
This is part three of a three part enquiry.
Part one can be found here and part two can be found here.
The Committee will question officials from government departments and research councils about the UK’s increased support for battery development and how the initiatives and funding will evolve. The Committee will compare the support given to fuel cell research and ask how this technology will be developed for applications such as heavy transport. For both technologies it will ask how training will be delivered to provide a skilled workforce.
The Committee will also hear from leaders of research consortia asking them about support for their research sectors and how this compares with countries leading the development of the technologies. The Committee will explore coordination between research into batteries fuel cells and wider strategies such as for hydrogen and whether research for transport can be transferred to applications in other sectors such as power grids and heating.
At 10.00am: Oral evidence
Mr Tony Harper Industrial Strategy Challenge Director Faraday Battery Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) at University of Central Lancashire
Dr Lucy Martin Deputy Director of Cross-Council Programmes and lead for Net Zero at University of Central Lancashire
Dr Bob Moran Deputy Director Head of Environment Strategy at University of Central Lancashire
Professor Paul Monks Chief Scientific Adviser at University of Central Lancashire
At 11.00am: Oral evidence
Professor Philip Taylor Director at EPSRC Supergen Energy Networks Hub and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at University of Bristol
Professor David Greenwood CEO High Value Manufacturing Catapult at University of Central Lancashire Director Industrial Engagement at University of Central Lancashire and Professor of Advanced Propulsion Systems at University of Warwick
Professor Paul Dodds Professor of Energy Systems at University of Central Lancashire
Possible questions
- On which aspects of battery and fuel cell research and development is the UK focusing and why?
- How successful have the UK’s new research initiatives been in advancing battery science and application?
- Does battery research receive greater public funding than fuel cell research? If so why?
- What technologies are seen as the most likely options for heavy transport i.e. HGVs buses and trains?
- What is the Government’s strategy for supporting the growth of skilled workers for battery and fuel cell research and development?
- To what extent is battery and fuel cell research and development coordinated in the UK? If so who is responsible for this coordination?
Parliament TV video of the meeting
This is part three of a three part enquiry.
Part one can be found here and part two can be found here.
A Decarbonization Roadmap for Singapore and Its Energy Policy Implications
Oct 2021
Publication
As a signatory to the Paris Agreement Singapore is committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions in the second half of the century. In this paper we propose a decarbonization roadmap for Singapore based on an analysis of Singapore’s energy landscape and a technology mapping exercise. This roadmap consists of four major components. The first component which also underpins the other three components is using centralized post-combustion carbon capture technology to capture and compress CO2 emitted from multiple industrial sources in Jurong Island. The captured CO2 is then transported by ship or an existing natural gas pipeline to a neighboring country where it will be stored permanently in a subsurface reservoir. Important to the success of this first-of-a-kind cross-border carbon capture and storage (CCS) project is the establishment of a regional CCS corridor which makes use of economies of scale to reduce the cost of CO2 capture transport and injection. The second component of the roadmap is the production of hydrogen in a methane steam reforming plant which is integrated with the carbon capture plant. The third component is the modernizing of the refining sector by introducing biorefineries increasing output to petrochemical plants and employing post-combustion carbon capture. The fourth component is refueling the transport sector by introducing electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles using biofuels for aviation and hydrogen for marine vessels. The implications of this roadmap on Singapore’s energy policies are also discussed.
Contrasting European Hydrogen Pathways: An Analysis of Differing Approaches in Key Markets
Mar 2021
Publication
European countries approach the market ramp-up of hydrogen very differently. In some cases the economic and political starting points differ significantly. While the probability is high that some countries such as Germany or Italy will import hydrogen in the long term other countries such as United Kingdom France or Spain could become hydrogen exporters. The reasons for this are the higher potential for renewable energies but also a technology-neutral approach on the supply side.
Role of Batteries and Fuel Cells in Achieving Net Zero- Session 1
Mar 2021
Publication
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will question experts on the role of batteries and fuel cells for decarbonisation and how much they can contribute to meeting the net-zero target.
Tuesday’s evidence session will be the first of the committee’s new decarbonisation inquiry which was launched on Wednesday 3 March and is currently accepting written evidence submissions.
The session will give an overview of battery and fuel cell technologies and their applications in transport and other sectors. The Committee will ask how battery manufacture can be scaled up to meet wide-scale deployment of electric vehicles and whether technical challenges can be overcome to allow batteries and fuel cells to be used in HGVs and trains. The Committee will also investigate the wider use of batteries and fuel cells in various sectors including integration into power grids and heating systems.
Inquiry Role of batteries and fuel cells in achieving Net Zero
Professor Nigel Brandon Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London
Professor Mauro Pasta Associate Professor of Materials at University of Oxford
Professor Pam Thomas CEO at Faraday Institution and Pro Vice Chancellor for Research at University of Warwick
Mr Amer Gaffar Director of Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University
Possible questions
What contribution are battery and fuel cell technologies currently making towards decarbonization in the UK?
What advances do we expect to see in battery and fuel cell technologies and over what timeframes?
How quickly can UK battery and fuel cell manufacture be scaled up to meet electrification demands?
What are the challenges facing technological innovation and deployment in heavy transport?
Are there any sectors where battery and fuel cell technologies are not currently used but could contribute to decarbonisation?
What are the life cycle environmental impacts of batteries and fuel cells?
Parliament TV video of the meeting
This is part one of a three part enquiry.
Part two can be found here and part three can be found here.
Tuesday’s evidence session will be the first of the committee’s new decarbonisation inquiry which was launched on Wednesday 3 March and is currently accepting written evidence submissions.
The session will give an overview of battery and fuel cell technologies and their applications in transport and other sectors. The Committee will ask how battery manufacture can be scaled up to meet wide-scale deployment of electric vehicles and whether technical challenges can be overcome to allow batteries and fuel cells to be used in HGVs and trains. The Committee will also investigate the wider use of batteries and fuel cells in various sectors including integration into power grids and heating systems.
Inquiry Role of batteries and fuel cells in achieving Net Zero
Professor Nigel Brandon Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial College London
Professor Mauro Pasta Associate Professor of Materials at University of Oxford
Professor Pam Thomas CEO at Faraday Institution and Pro Vice Chancellor for Research at University of Warwick
Mr Amer Gaffar Director of Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre at Manchester Metropolitan University
Possible questions
What contribution are battery and fuel cell technologies currently making towards decarbonization in the UK?
What advances do we expect to see in battery and fuel cell technologies and over what timeframes?
How quickly can UK battery and fuel cell manufacture be scaled up to meet electrification demands?
What are the challenges facing technological innovation and deployment in heavy transport?
Are there any sectors where battery and fuel cell technologies are not currently used but could contribute to decarbonisation?
What are the life cycle environmental impacts of batteries and fuel cells?
Parliament TV video of the meeting
This is part one of a three part enquiry.
Part two can be found here and part three can be found here.
Delivering Net-zero Carbon Heat: Technoeconomic and Whole-system Comparisons of Domestic Electricity- and Hydrogen-driven Technologies in the UK
Apr 2022
Publication
Proposed sustainable transition pathways for moving away from natural gas in domestic heating focus on two main energy vectors: electricity and hydrogen. Electrification would be implemented by using vapourcompression heat pumps which are currently experiencing market growth in many countries. On the other hand hydrogen could substitute natural gas in boilers or be used in thermally–driven absorption heat pumps. In this paper a consistent thermodynamic and economic methodology is developed to assess the competitiveness of these options. The three technologies along with the option of district heating are for the first time compared for different weather/ambient conditions and fuel-price scenarios first from a homeowner’s and then from a wholeenergy system perspective. For the former two-dimensional decision maps are generated to identify the most cost-effective technologies for different combinations of fuel prices. It is shown that in the UK hydrogen technologies are economically favourable if hydrogen is supplied to domestic end-users at a price below half of the electricity price. Otherwise electrification and the use of conventional electric heat pumps will be preferred. From a whole-energy system perspective the total system cost per household (which accounts for upstream generation and storage as well as technology investment installation and maintenance) associated with electric heat pumps varies between 790 and 880 £/year for different scenarios making it the least-cost decarbonisation pathway. If hydrogen is produced by electrolysis the total system cost associated with hydrogen technologies is notably higher varying between 1410 and 1880 £/year. However this total system cost drops to 1150 £/year with hydrogen produced cost-effectively by methane reforming and carbon capture and storage thus reducing the gap between electricity- and hydrogen-driven technologies.
Lessons Learned from Australian Infrastructure Upgrades
Feb 2020
Publication
This report fulfils Deliverable Five for Research Project 2.1-01 of the Future Fuels CRC. The aims of this project Crystallising lessons learned from major infrastructure upgrades are to provide a report on lessons learned from earlier infrastructure upgrades and fuel transitions and identify tools that can be used to develop consistent messaging around the proposed transition to hydrogen and/or other low-carbon fuels. In both the report and the toolkit there are recommendations on how to apply lessons learned and shape messaging throughout the value chain based on prior infrastructure upgrades.
This report presents three Australian case studies that that are relevant to the development of future fuels: the transition from town gas to natural gas the use of ethanol and LPG as motor fuels and the development of coal seam gas resources. Drawing on published information each case study provides an account of the issues that arose during the upgrade or transition and of the approaches through which industry and government stakeholders managed these issues. From these accounts lessons are identified that can guide stakeholder engagement in future infrastructure upgrades and fuel transitions. The findings from the case studies and academic literature have been used to develop an accompanying draft toolkit for use by FFCRC stakeholders.
The report also distils applicable lessons and frameworks from academic literature about stakeholder analysis megaprojects and the social acceptance of industries and technologies. This report is meant to be used in conjunction with a companion toolkit that provides a framework for making coordinated decisions across the fuel value chain.
You can read the full report on the Future Fuels CRC website here
This report presents three Australian case studies that that are relevant to the development of future fuels: the transition from town gas to natural gas the use of ethanol and LPG as motor fuels and the development of coal seam gas resources. Drawing on published information each case study provides an account of the issues that arose during the upgrade or transition and of the approaches through which industry and government stakeholders managed these issues. From these accounts lessons are identified that can guide stakeholder engagement in future infrastructure upgrades and fuel transitions. The findings from the case studies and academic literature have been used to develop an accompanying draft toolkit for use by FFCRC stakeholders.
The report also distils applicable lessons and frameworks from academic literature about stakeholder analysis megaprojects and the social acceptance of industries and technologies. This report is meant to be used in conjunction with a companion toolkit that provides a framework for making coordinated decisions across the fuel value chain.
You can read the full report on the Future Fuels CRC website here
Pathway to Net Zero Emissions
Oct 2021
Publication
A feasible path to limit planetary warming to 1.5°C requires certain countries and sectors to go below net zero and to do so well before the middle of the century according to new analysis from the authors of the Energy Transition Outlook. DNV’s pathway to net zero says North America and Europe must be carbon neutral by 2042 whereas Indian Subcontinent is set to be a net emitter by 2050 Net zero report says carbon capture storage and use is required as energy production will not be carbon neutral by 2050 Aim to halve emissions by 2030 is out of reach but massive early action is needed if we are to have any chance of reaching a 1.5°C future DNV’s new report “Pathway to Net Zero Emissions” describes a feasible way to limit global warming to 1.5°C Policy makers are set to meet in Glasgow for the COP 26 summit with an eye on achieving zero emissions by 2050. For this to happen North America and Europe must be carbon neutral by 2042 and then carbon negative thereafter according to DNV’s pathway to net zero. The pathway also finds that Greater China must reduce emissions by 98% from 2019 levels by 2050. There are regions that cannot realistically transition completely away from fossil fuels in the same timeframe such as the Indian Subcontinent which will reduce emissions by 64%. Pathway to Net Zero Emissions also lays out the pace at which different industry sectors need to decarbonize. The so-called hard-to-abate sectors will take longer to decarbonize and even if sectors like maritime (-90% CO2 emissions in 2050) and iron and steel production (-82%) scale up the introduction of greener technologies they will still be net emitters by 2050.
Towards Global Cleaner Energy and Hydrogen Production: A Review and Application ORC Integrality with Multigeneration Systems
Apr 2022
Publication
The current evidential effect of carbon emissions has become a societal challenge and the need to transition to cleaner energy sources/technologies has attracted wide research attention. Technologies that utilize low-grade heat like the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and Kalina cycle have been proposed as viable approaches for fossil reduction/carbon mitigation. The development of renewable energy-based multigeneration systems is another alternative solution to this global challenge. Hence it is important to monitor the development of multigeneration energy systems based on low-grade heat. In this study a review of the ORC’s application in multigeneration systems is presented to highlight the recent development in ORC integrality/application. Beyond this a new ORC-CPVT (concentrated photovoltaic/thermal) integrated multigeneration system is also modeled and analyzed using the thermodynamics approach. Since most CPVT systems integrate hot water production in the thermal stem the proposed multigeneration system is designed to utilize part of the thermal energy to generate electricity and hydrogen. Although the CPVT system can achieve high energetic and exergetic efficiencies while producing thermal energy and electricity these efficiencies are 47.9% and 37.88% respectively for the CPVT-ORC multigeneration configuration. However it is noteworthy that the electricity generation from the CPVT-ORC configuration in this study is increased by 16%. In addition the hot water cooling effect and hydrogen generated from the multigeneration system are 0.4363 L/s 161 kW and 1.515 L/s respectively. The environmental analysis of the system also shows that the carbon emissions reduction potential is enormous.
Inefficient Investments as a Key to Narrowing Regional Economic Imbalances
Feb 2022
Publication
Policy led decisions aiming at decarbonizing the economy may well exacerbate existing regional economic imbalances. These effects are seldomly recognised in spatially aggregated top-down and techno-economic decarbonization strategies. Here we present a spatial economic framework that quantifies the gross value added associated with low carbon hydrogen investments while accounting for region-specific factors such as the industrial specialization of regions their relative size and their economic interdependencies. In our case study which uses low carbon hydrogen produced via autothermal reforming combined with carbon capture and storage to decarbonize the energy intensive industries in Europe and in the UK we demonstrate that interregional economic interdependencies drive the overall economic benefits of the decarbonization. Policies intended to concurrently transition to net zero and address existing regional imbalances as in the case of the UK Industrial Decarbonization Challenge should take these local factors into account.
The Future of Gas in Decarbonising European Energy Markets – The Need for a New Approach
Sep 2017
Publication
The European gas industry has argued that gas can be a bridging fuel in the transition to decarbonised energy markets because of the advantages of switching from coal to gas and the role of gas in backing up intermittent renewable power generation. While this remains a logical approach for some countries in others it has proved either not relevant or generally unsuccessful in gaining acceptance with either policymakers or the environmental community. Policy decisions will be taken in the next 5-10 years which will irreversibly impact the future of gas in the period 2030-50. A paradigm shift in commercial time horizons and gas value chain cooperation will be necessary for the industry to embrace decarbonisation technologies (such as carbon capture and storage) which will eventually be necessary if gas is to prolong its future in European energy markets. To ensure a post-2030 future in European energy balances the gas community will be obliged to adopt a new message: `Gas can Decarbonise’ (and remain competitive with other low/zero carbon energy supplies). It will need to back up this message with a strategy which will lead to the decarbonisation of methane starting no later than 2030. Failure to do so will be to accept a future of decline albeit on a scale of decades and to risk that by the time the community engages with decarbonisation non-methane policy options will have been adopted which will make that decline irreversible.
UK Hydrogen Economy: Debate Pack
Dec 2020
Publication
A Westminster Hall debate on the UK hydrogen economy has been scheduled for Thursday 17 December 2020 at 3.00pm. The debate will be led by Alexander Stafford MP. This House of Commons Library debate pack provides background information and press and parliamentary coverage of the issues.<br/><br/>The Government has legally binding targets under the Climate Change Act 2008 to reach ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050. Background information is available from the Library webpage on Climate Change: an overview.<br/><br/>In order to meet the net zero target the use of fossil fuels (without abatement such as carbon capture usage and storage) across the economy will need to be almost entirely phased out by 2050. Hydrogen gas is regarded as an energy option to help decarbonisation especially in relation to applications that may be more challenging to decarbonise. These applications include heating transport (including heavy goods shipping and aviation) and some industrial processes.<br/><br/>The Government has legally binding targets under the Climate Change Act 2008 to reach ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050. Background information is available from the Library webpage on Climate Change: an overview.<br/><br/>In order to meet the net zero target the use of fossil fuels (without abatement such as carbon capture usage and storage) across the economy will need to be almost entirely phased out by 2050. Hydrogen gas is regarded as an energy option to help decarbonisation especially in relation to applications that may be more challenging to decarbonise. These applications include heating transport (including heavy goods shipping and aviation) and some industrial processes.
Oxford Energy Podcast – Hydrogen in Europe
Apr 2021
Publication
The EU and a number of its member states have now published hydrogen strategies and Europe continues to lead the way in the decarbonisation of its gas sector. In this latest OIES Energy Podcast James Henderson talks with Martin Lambert and Simon Schulte about their latest paper entitled “Contrasting European Hydrogen Pathways” which examines the plans in six major EU countries. They discuss the outlook for various forms of hydrogen supply contrasting the potential for green hydrogen from renewable energy with the outlook for blue hydrogen using steam-reforming of methane as well as hydrogen generated from surplus nuclear energy. They also examine the potential sources of demand considering existing use of hydrogen in industrial processes as well as the potential for hydrogen to displace hydrocarbons in the steel and cement industries. Finally the podcast also looks at the potential for imports of hydrogen and its distribution within Europe while also considering some key milestones that can provide indicators of how the region’s hydrogen plans are playing out.
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Offshore Wind and Hydrogen: Solving the Integration Challenge
Sep 2020
Publication
The combination of offshore wind and green hydrogen provides major opportunities for job creation economic growth and regional regeneration as well as attracting inward investment alongside delivering the emission reductions needed to achieve climate neutrality. In order to get to Net Zero emissions in 2050 the UK is likely to need a minimum of 75GW of offshore wind (OSW) and modelling of the energy system indicates that hydrogen will play a major role in integrating the high levels of OSW on the electricity grid.<br/><br/>Some of the key findings from report are listed below:<br/><br/>The UK has vast resources of offshore wind with the potential for over 600GW in UK waters and potentially up to 1000GW. This is well above the he figure of 75-100GW likely to be needed for UK electricity generation by 2050.<br/>The universities in the UK provide the underpinning science and engineering for electrolysers fuel cells and hydrogen and are home to world-leading capability in these areas.<br/>In order to achieve cost reduction and growing a significant manufacturing and export industry it will be crucial to develop green hydrogen in the next 5 years<br/>By 2050 green hydrogen can be cheaper than blue hydrogen. With accelerated deployment green hydrogen costs can be competitive with blue hydrogen by the eary 2030s.<br/>The combination of additional OSW deployment and electrolyser manufacture alone could generate over 120000 new jobs. These are are expected to be based mainly in manufacturing OSW-related activity shipping and mobility<br/>By 2050 it is estimated that the cumulative gross value added (GVA) from supply of electrolysers and additional OSW farm could be up to £320bn where the majority will come from exports of electrolysers to overseas markets.<br/>The report also calls for immediate government intervention and a new national strategy to support the creation of supply and demand in the new industry.<br/><br/>This study was jointly supported by the Offshore Wind Industry Council (OWIC) and ORE Catapult.
Biogas: Pathways to 2030
Mar 2021
Publication
Humans directly or indirectly generate over 105 billion tonnes of organic wastes globally each year all of which release harmful methane and other greenhouse gas emissions directly into the atmosphere as they decompose. These organic wastes include food waste sewage and garden wastes food and drink processing wastes and farm and agricultural wastes. Today only 2% of these are treated and recycled.
By simply managing these important bioresources more effectively we can cut global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 10% by 2030. This report maps out how the global biogas industry can enable countries to deliver a 10% reduction in global GHG emissions by 2030. The pathways put humanity back on track to deliver by 2030 on the ambitions of both the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The report and the executive summary can be downloaded at this link
By simply managing these important bioresources more effectively we can cut global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by 10% by 2030. This report maps out how the global biogas industry can enable countries to deliver a 10% reduction in global GHG emissions by 2030. The pathways put humanity back on track to deliver by 2030 on the ambitions of both the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The report and the executive summary can be downloaded at this link
Business Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee Inquiry into Decarbonising Heat in Homes
Dec 2020
Publication
The Hydrogen Taskforce welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to the Business Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee’s inquiry into decarbonising heat in homes. It is the Taskforce’s view that:
In March 2020 the Taskforce has defined a set of policy recommendations for Government which are designed to ensure that hydrogen can scale to meet the future demands of a net zero energy system: • Development of a cross departmental UK Hydrogen Strategy within UK Government;• Commit £1bn of capex funding over the next spending review period to hydrogen production storage and distribution projects;• Develop a financial support scheme for the production of hydrogen in blending industry power and transport.• Amend Gas Safety Management Regulations (GSMR) to enable hydrogen blending and take the next steps towards 100% hydrogen heating through supporting public trials and mandating 100% hydrogen-ready boilers by 2025; and• Commit to the support of 100 Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS) by 2025 to support the rollout of hydrogen transport.
You can download the whole document from the Hydrogen Taskforce website here
- Decarbonising heat is one of the biggest challenges that the UK faces in meeting Net Zero and several solutions will be required;
- Hydrogen can play a valuable role in reducing the cost of decarbonising heat. Its high energy density enables it to be stored cost effectively at scale providing system resilience;
- Hydrogen heating can be implemented at minimal disruption to the consumer;
- The UK holds world-class advantages in hydrogen production distribution and application; and
- Other economies are moving ahead in the development of this sector and the UK must respond.
In March 2020 the Taskforce has defined a set of policy recommendations for Government which are designed to ensure that hydrogen can scale to meet the future demands of a net zero energy system: • Development of a cross departmental UK Hydrogen Strategy within UK Government;• Commit £1bn of capex funding over the next spending review period to hydrogen production storage and distribution projects;• Develop a financial support scheme for the production of hydrogen in blending industry power and transport.• Amend Gas Safety Management Regulations (GSMR) to enable hydrogen blending and take the next steps towards 100% hydrogen heating through supporting public trials and mandating 100% hydrogen-ready boilers by 2025; and• Commit to the support of 100 Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS) by 2025 to support the rollout of hydrogen transport.
You can download the whole document from the Hydrogen Taskforce website here
Pathways toward a Decarbonized Future—Impact on Security of Supply and System Stability in a Sustainable German Energy System
Jan 2021
Publication
Pathways leading to a carbon neutral future for the German energy system have to deal with the expected phase-out of coal-fired power generation in addition to the shutdown of nuclear power plants and the rapid ramp-up of photovoltaics and wind power generation. An analysis of the expected impact on electricity market security of supply and system stability must consider the European context because of the strong coupling—both from an economic and a system operation point of view—through the cross-border power exchange of Germany with its neighbors. This analysis complemented by options to improve the existing development plans is the purpose of this paper. We propose a multilevel energy system modeling including electricity market network congestion management and system stability to identify challenges for the years 2023 and 2035. Out of the results we would like to highlight the positive role of innovative combined heat and power (CHP) solutions securing power and heat supply the importance of a network congestion management utilizing flexibility from sector coupling and the essential network extension plans. Network congestion and reduced security margins will become the new normal. We conclude that future energy systems require expanded flexibilities in combination with forward planning of operation.
Optimal Hydrogen Production in a Wind-dominated Zero-emission Energy System
May 2021
Publication
The role of hydrogen in future energy systems is widely acknowledged: from fuel for difficult-to-decarbonize applications to feedstock for chemicals synthesis to energy storage for high penetration of undispatchable renewable electricity. While several literature studies investigate such energy systems the details of how electrolysers and renewable technologies optimally behave and interact remain an open question. With this work we study the interplay between (i) renewable electricity generation through wind and solar (ii) electricity storage in batteries (iii) electricity storage via Power-to-H2 and (iv) hydrogen commodity demand. We do so by designing a cost-optimal zero-emission energy system and use the Netherlands as a case study in a mixed integer linear model with hourly resolution for a time horizon of one year. To account for the significant role of wind we also provide an elaborate approach to model broad portfolios of wind turbines. The results show that if electrolyzers can operate flexibly batteries and power-to-H2-to-power are complementary with the latter using renewable power peaks and the former using lower renewable power outputs. If the operating modes of the power-to-H2-to-power system are limited - artificially or technically - the competitive advantage over batteries decreases. The preference of electrolyzers for power peaks also leads to an increase in renewable energy utilization for increased levels of operation flexibility highlighting the importance of capturing this feature both from a technical and a modeling perspective. When adding a commodity hydrogen demand the amount of hydrogen converted to electricity decreases hence decreasing its role as electricity storage medium.
Engineering a Sustainable Gas Future
Nov 2021
Publication
The Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers (IGEM) is the UK’s Professional Engineering Institution supporting individuals and businesses working in the global gas industry. IGEM was founded in 1863 with the purpose of advancing the science and relevant knowledge of gas engineering for the benefit of the public.
As a not-for-profit independent organisation IGEM acts as a trusted source of technical information guidance and services for the gas sector. In today’s net zero context IGEM is focused on engineering a sustainable gas future – we do this by:
This document outlines the current UK gas policy landscape our stance and what contribution we are making as an organisation.
As a not-for-profit independent organisation IGEM acts as a trusted source of technical information guidance and services for the gas sector. In today’s net zero context IGEM is focused on engineering a sustainable gas future – we do this by:
- Helping our members achieve and uphold the highest standards of professional competence to ensure the safety of the public
- Supporting our members in achieving their career goals by providing high quality products services and personal and professional development opportunities
- Acting as the voice of the gas industry when working with stakeholders to develop and improve gas policy.
This document outlines the current UK gas policy landscape our stance and what contribution we are making as an organisation.
Impacts of Variation Management on Cost-optimal Investments in Wind Power and Solar Photovoltaics
Dec 2019
Publication
This work investigates the impacts of variation management on the cost-optimal electricity system compositions in four regions with different pre-requisites for wind and solar generation. Five variation management strategies involving electric boilers batteries hydrogen storage low-cost biomass and demand-side management are integrated into a regional investment model that is designed to account for variability. The variation management strategies are considered one at a time as well as combined in four different system contexts. By investigating how the variation management strategies interact with each other as well as with different electricity generation technologies in a large number of cases this work support policy-makers in identifying variation management portfolios relevant to their context. It is found that electric boilers demand-side management and hydrogen storage increase the cost-optimal variable renewable electricity (VRE) investments if the VRE share is sufficiently large to reduce its marginal system value. However low-cost biomass and hydrogen storage are found to increase cost-optimal investments in wind power in systems with a low initial wind power share. In systems with low solar PV share variation management reduce the cost-optimal solar PV investments. In two of the regions investigated a combination of variation management strategies results in a stronger increase in VRE capacity than the sum of the single variation management efforts.
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