Policy & Socio-Economics
The Hydrogen Economy and Jobs of the Future
Nov 2018
Publication
Growth in the hydrogen and fuel cell industries will lead to vast new employment opportunities and these will be created in a wide variety of industries skills tasks and earnings. Many of these jobs do not currently exist and do not have occupational titles defined in official classifications. In addition many of these jobs require different skills and education than current jobs and training requirements must be assessed so that this rapidly growing part of the economy has a sufficient supply of trained and qualified workers. We discuss the current hydrogen economy and technologies. We then identify by occupational titles the new jobs that will be created in the expanding hydrogen/fuel cell economy estimate the average US salary for each job identify the minimum educational attainment required to gain entry into that occupation and specify the recommended university degree for the advanced educational requirements. We provide recommendations for further research.
The Czech Republic's Hydrogen Strategy
Jul 2021
Publication
The Czech Republic’s Hydrogen Strategy is being developed in the context of the Hydrogen Strategy for a climate neutral Europe which reflects the European Green Deal objective of climate neutrality by 2050. The objective of the Strategy is thus to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in such a way that the economy shifts smoothly to low-carbon technologies.
This is associated with two strategic goals:
This is associated with two strategic goals:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Stimulate the economic growth
- Volume of low-carbon hydrogen production
- Volume of low-carbon hydrogen consumption
- Infrastructure readiness for hydrogen transport and storage
- Progress in R&D and production of hydrogen technologies
- Low-carbon hydrogen production
- Low-carbon hydrogen use
- Hydrogen transport and storage
- Hydrogen technologies
Future Heat Series Part 2 - Policy for Heat
Oct 2015
Publication
Policy for Heat: Transforming the System urges Government to implement an ambitious long-term decarbonisation strategy for the heat sector before it’s too late in new inquiry report. The report builds on the work of Part 1 in the Future Heat Series which compared recent decarbonisation pathways and analyses to identify and highlight key policy mechanisms and transitions that are needed in order to decarbonise heat for buildings by 2050. Chaired by Shadow Energy Minister Jonathan Reynolds MP and Conservative MP Rebecca Pow (and also previous MP and member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee Dan Byles MP until he stood down at the General Election) the report is written by cross-party think tank group Carbon Connect. The report was published in Parliament at a cross-party debate on Wednesday 14th October. Sponsored by Energy & Utilities Alliance (EUA) and the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) the report is the second in a cross-party and independent inquiry series.
Energy Transition Outlook 2021: Technology Progress Report
Jun 2021
Publication
This report is part of DNV’s suite of Energy Transition Outlook publications for 2021. It focuses on how key energy transition technologies will develop compete and interact in the coming five years.
Debate and uncertainty about the energy transition tend to focus on what technology can and can’t do. All too often such discussions involve wishful thinking advocacy of a favoured technology or reference to outdated information. Through this report we bring insights derived from our daily work with the world’s leading energy players including producers transporters and end users. Each of the ten chapters that follow are written by our experts in the field – or in the case of maritime technologies on the ocean.
Because the pace of the transition is intensifying describing any given technology is like painting a fast-moving train. We have attempted to strike a balance between technical details and issues of safety efficiency cost and competitiveness. Transition technologies are deeply interlinked and in some cases interdependent; any discussion on green hydrogen for example must account for developments in renewable electricity hydrogen storage and transport systems and end-use technologies such as fuels cells.
Our selection of ten technologies is not exhaustive but each of these technologies is of particular interest for the pace and direction of the energy transition. They range from relatively mature technologies like solar PV to technologies like nuclear fusion which are some distance from commercialization but which have current R&D and prototyping worth watching. Together they cover most but not all key sectors. We describe expected developments for the coming five years which to a large extent will determine how the energy transition unfolds through to mid-century. As such this Technology Progress report is an essential supplement to our main Energy Transition Outlook forecast.
Our aim is to make an objective and realistic assessment of the status of these technologies and evaluate how they contribute to the energy transition ahead. Attention to progress in these technologies will be critical for anyone concerned with energy.
Debate and uncertainty about the energy transition tend to focus on what technology can and can’t do. All too often such discussions involve wishful thinking advocacy of a favoured technology or reference to outdated information. Through this report we bring insights derived from our daily work with the world’s leading energy players including producers transporters and end users. Each of the ten chapters that follow are written by our experts in the field – or in the case of maritime technologies on the ocean.
Because the pace of the transition is intensifying describing any given technology is like painting a fast-moving train. We have attempted to strike a balance between technical details and issues of safety efficiency cost and competitiveness. Transition technologies are deeply interlinked and in some cases interdependent; any discussion on green hydrogen for example must account for developments in renewable electricity hydrogen storage and transport systems and end-use technologies such as fuels cells.
Our selection of ten technologies is not exhaustive but each of these technologies is of particular interest for the pace and direction of the energy transition. They range from relatively mature technologies like solar PV to technologies like nuclear fusion which are some distance from commercialization but which have current R&D and prototyping worth watching. Together they cover most but not all key sectors. We describe expected developments for the coming five years which to a large extent will determine how the energy transition unfolds through to mid-century. As such this Technology Progress report is an essential supplement to our main Energy Transition Outlook forecast.
Our aim is to make an objective and realistic assessment of the status of these technologies and evaluate how they contribute to the energy transition ahead. Attention to progress in these technologies will be critical for anyone concerned with energy.
The Role of Hydrogen in Achieving Long Term Japanese Energy System Goals
Sep 2020
Publication
This research qualitatively reviews literature regarding energy system modeling in Japan specific to the future hydrogen economy leveraging quantitative model outcomes to establish the potential future deployment of hydrogen in Japan. The analysis focuses on the four key sectors of storage supplementing the gas grid power generation and transportation detailing the potential range of hydrogen technologies which are expected to penetrate Japanese energy markets up to 2050 and beyond. Alongside key model outcomes the appropriate policy settings governance and market mechanisms are described which underpin the potential hydrogen economy future for Japan. We find that transportation gas grid supplementation and storage end-uses may emerge in significant quantities due to policies which encourage ambitious implementation targets investment in technologies and research and development and the emergence of a future carbon pricing regime. On the other hand for Japan which will initially be dependent on imported hydrogen the cost of imports appears critical to the emergence of broad hydrogen usage particularly in the power generation sector. Further the consideration of demographics in Japan recognizing the aging shrinking population and peoples’ energy use preferences will likely be instrumental in realizing a smooth transition toward a hydrogen economy.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Championing a Clean Energy Future
Nov 2021
Publication
With COP starting this week we discuss with the HLC team the role of hydrogen in decarbonization and the critical need for hydrogen to scale quickly. Andrew and Patrick sit down with Kieran Coleman Energy & Industry Lead for the United Nations COP High Level Champions to chat about the work being done in advance of COP with partners and the level of ambition we’ve seen across various sectors about the future of hydrogen and a lot more!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Transitioning Remote Arctic Settlements to Renewable Energy Systems – A Modelling Study of Longyearbyen, Svalbard
Nov 2019
Publication
As transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources comes on the agenda for a range of energy systems energy modelling tools can provide useful insights. If large parts of the energy system turns out to be based on variable renewables an accurate representation of their short-term variability in such models is crucial. In this paper we have developed a stochastic long-term energy model and applied it to an isolated Arctic settlement as a challenging and realistic test case. Our findings suggest that the stochastic modelling approach is critical in particular for studies of remote Arctic energy systems. Furthermore the results from a case study of the Norwegian settlement of Longyearbyen suggest that transitioning to a system based on renewable energy sources is feasible. We recommend that a solution based mainly on renewable power generation but also including energy storage import of hydrogen and adequate back-up capacity is taken into consideration when planning the future of remote Arctic settlements.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Why Generate Capital is Excited About the Prospects of Hydrogen
Dec 2019
Publication
On this weeks episode the team are talking all things hydrogen with Jigar Shah the President of Generate Capital and Co-host of the Energy Gang podcast. Jigar Shah has a well earned reputation as one of the most influential voices in the US clean energy market having pioneered no-money down solar with SunEdison and led the not for profit climate group the Carbon War Room. Since its founding in 2014 Generate Capital the company has provided $130 million of funds to a leading fuel cell provide Plug Power meanwhile in October 2019 Jigar declared hydrogen to be the ultimate clean electricity enabler. On the show we ask Jigar why he thinks Hydrogen is becoming interesting for investors today what business models he feels are exciting and offer the most attractive niches for hydrogen technology businesses whilst getting his side of the story on that time he met Chris at a conference…..All this and more on the show!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Prospective Techno-economic and Environmental Assessment of a National Hydrogen Production Mix for Road Transport
Nov 2019
Publication
Fuel cell electric vehicles arise as an alternative to conventional vehicles in the road transport sector. They could contribute to decarbonising the transport system because they have no direct CO2 emissions during the use phase. In fact the life-cycle environmental performance of hydrogen as a transportation fuel focuses on its production. In this sense through the case study of Spain this article prospectively assesses the techno-economic and environmental performance of a national hydrogen production mix by following a methodological framework based on energy systems modelling enriched with endogenous carbon footprint indicators. Taking into account the need for a hydrogen economy based on clean options alternative scenarios characterised by carbon footprint restrictions with respect to a fossil-based scenario dominated by steam methane reforming are evaluated. In these scenarios the steam reforming of natural gas still arises as the key hydrogen production technology in the short term whereas water electrolysis is the main technology in the medium and long term. Furthermore in scenarios with very restrictive carbon footprint limits biomass gasification also appears as a key hydrogen production technology in the long term. In the alternative scenarios assessed the functional substitution of hydrogen for conventional fossil fuels in the road transport sector could lead to high greenhouse gas emission savings ranging from 36 to 58 Mt CO2 eq in 2050. Overall these findings and the model structure and characterisation developed for the assessment of hydrogen energy scenarios are expected to be relevant not only to the specific case study of Spain but also to analysts and decision-makers in a large number of countries facing similar concerns.
Developing Networks for the Future: Long-Term Development Plan 2019
Oct 2019
Publication
This report provides you with the information you need if you have plans to interact with or connect to our gas networks. Our vision is to set the standards that all of our customers love and others aspire to. This means that our long-term plans are shaped by our customers and stakeholders. This annual publication is an important opportunity to share our latest long-term plan and our strategic thinking and seek feedback so we can continue to adapt our activities going forward. We want to make it as easy and efficient as possible for you to interact with us.
Cadent Long Term Development Plan 2019
Cadent Long Term Development Plan 2019
Hydrogen Supply Chains for Mobility—Environmental and Economic Assessment
May 2018
Publication
Hydrogen mobility is one option for reducing local emissions avoiding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and moving away from a mainly oil-based transport system towards a diversification of energy sources. As hydrogen production can be based on a broad variety of technologies already existing or under development a comprehensive assessment of the different supply chains is necessary regarding not only costs but also diverse environmental impacts. Therefore in this paper a broad variety of hydrogen production technologies using different energy sources renewable and fossil are exemplarily assessed with the help of a Life Cycle Assessment and a cost assessment for Germany. As environmental impacts along with the impact category Climate change five more advanced impact categories are assessed. The results show that from an environmental point of view PEM and alkaline electrolysis are characterized by the lowest results in five out of six impact categories. Supply chains using fossil fuels in contrast have the lowest supply costs; this is true e.g. for steam methane reforming. Solar powered hydrogen production shows low impacts during hydrogen production but high impacts for transport and distribution to Germany. There is no single supply chain that is the most promising for every aspect assessed here. Either costs have to be lowered further or supply chains with selected environmental impacts have to be modified.
Research and Development Investment and Collaboration Framework for the Hydrogen Economy in South Korea
Sep 2021
Publication
South Korea developed its hydrogen strategies to achieve carbon neutrality and dominate the hydrogen economy amidst and with the impetus of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The government strives toward the goal via continuous investment in green hydrogen technologies as well as strategic collaborations. To facilitate the transition into the hydrogen economy this study presents a research and development (R&D) investment and collaboration framework as a national strategy. The framework offers abundant information to elucidate the technology R&D spectrum and regional dimensions of the strategy. Furthermore the proposed framework was applied to the Korean hydrogen economy comprising 955 nationally funded projects worth USD 565.7 million. The statuses and trends of the government’s investment in nationally funded research projects are illustrated with regard to the value chains of the hydrogen economies of 16 regions as well as nine technology clusters relating to the hydrogen economy thereby determining the research organizations that played crucial roles in each cluster of the 16 regions between 2015 and 2020. The results indicate that the research organizations in Daejeon acquired the highest government R&D funding in many hydrogen-economy-related research fields and that an R&D spectrum-based research/strategic collaboration is required to accomplish specialized complexes in the regions.
Fugitive Hydrogen Emissions in a Future Hydrogen Economy
Apr 2022
Publication
There is an increasing body of evidence that leakage of hydrogen to the atmosphere will have an indirect warming effect on the climate and so should be minimised.<br/>This study investigates and quantifies the current understanding of potential hydrogen emissions in the different sectors across a future hydrogen value-chain. It shows that there are some key areas in production distribution and end-use where there could potentially be significant leaks of hydrogen to the atmosphere. In some of these areas there are clear mitigation options while with others the options are less clear due to uncertainty in either data or future technology development.<br/>The report recommends further research and development to reduce the main leak pathways and additional evidence gathering in key areas where there is currently inadequate data to make accurate predictions.<br/>The study was commissioned by BEIS and conducted by the Frazer-Nash consultancy.
An Ammonia-Hydrogen Energy Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality: Opportunity and Challenges in China
Nov 2021
Publication
China has promised to reach the peak carbon dioxide emission (ca. 10 billion tons) by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. To realize these goals it is necessary to develop hydrogen energy and fuel cell techniques. However the high cost and low intrinsic safety of high-pressure hydrogen storage limit their commercialization. NH3 is high in hydrogen content easily liquefied at low pressure and free of carbon and the technology of NH3 synthesis has been commercialized nationwide. It is worth noting that the production of NH3 in China is about 56 million tons per year accounting for 35% of worldwide production. Hence with the well established infrastructure for NH3 synthesis and transportation and the demand for clean energy in China it is feasible to develop a green and economical energy roadmap viz. “Clean low-pressure NH3 synthesis → Safe and economical NH3 storage and transportation → Carbon-free efficient NH3-H2 utilization” for low-carbon or even carbon-free energy production.<br/>Currently the academic and industrial communities in China are striving to make technological breakthroughs in areas such as photocatalytic water splitting electrocatalytic water splitting mild-condition NH3 synthesis low-temperature NH3 catalytic decomposition and indirect or direct NH3 fuel cells with significant progress.<br/>Taking full advantage of the NH3 synthesis industry and readjusting the industrial structure it is viable to achieve energy saving and emission reduction in NH3 synthesis industry (440 million tons CO2 per year) as well as promote a new energy industry and ensure national energy security. Therefore relevant academic and industrial communities should put effort on mastering the key technologies of “Ammonia-Hydrogen” energy conversion and utilization with complete self-dependent intellectual property. It is envisioned that through the establishment of “Renewable Energy-Ammonia-Hydrogen” circular economy a green technology chain for hydrogen energy industry would pose as a promising pathway to achieve the 2030 and 2060 goals.
Climate Change Committee: Progress in Reducing Emissions, 2022 Report to Parliament
Jun 2022
Publication
This statutory report provides a comprehensive overview of the UK Government’s progress to date in reducing emissions. It is accompanied by a new Monitoring Framework which details the CCC’s updated approach to tracking real-world progress through a host of new indicators.<br/>This is a pivotal point in the UK’s journey to Net Zero. The UK is one of the few countries with emissions targets in line with the long-term temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. Policy ambition has moved substantially with the publication of the UK’s Net Zero Strategy. Now is the time to deliver the promised action.
Hydrogen Production in the Swedish Power Sector: Considering Operational Volatilities and Long-term Uncertainties
Nov 2020
Publication
With more renewables on the Swedish electricity market while decommissioning nuclear power plants electricity supply increasingly fluctuates and electricity prices are more volatile. There is hence a need for securing the electricity supply before energy storage solutions become widespread. Electricity price fluctuations moreover affect operating income of nuclear power plants due to their inherent operational inflexibility. Since the anticipated new applications of hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles and steel production producing hydrogen has become a potential source of income particularly when there is a surplus supply of electricity at low prices. The feasibility of investing in hydrogen production was investigated in a nuclear power plant applying Swedish energy policy as background. The analysis applies a system dynamics approach incorporating the stochastic feature of electricity supply and prices. The study revealed that hydrogen production brings alternative opportunities for large-scale electricity production facilities in Sweden. Factors such as hydrogen price will be influential and require in-depth investigation. This study provides guidelines for power sector policymakers and managers who plan to engage in hydrogen production for industrial applications. Although this study was focused upon nuclear power sources it can be extended to hydrogen production from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Show Me the Money!
Jul 2020
Publication
This week on the show the team catch up with Alena Fargere Principal at SWEN Capital Partners and a former special advisor to the World Energy Council on Hydrogen projects. As one of the few current project finance funds in Europe with a green gas mandate and a dedicated allocation for investing in hydrogen project finance SWEN Capital Partners provide an invaluable perspective on the challenges and opportunities for hydrogen project investment in Europe and the synergies that exist from Green Gas funds that support biogas and hydrogen opportunities. On the show our hosts discuss the rationale for this fund the profile of projects SWEN are considering and Alena’s broader perspective on the hydrogen market. All this and many more themes this week so don’t miss this episode!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Electron Stewardship in the Orkney Islands
Nov 2019
Publication
On this weeks episode the team are talking all things hydrogen in the Orkneys with Adele Lidderdale (Hydrogen Officer for Orkney Island Council) and Jon Clipsham (Hydrogen Manager EMEC). While the islands are best known for their exceptional wildlife whisky and cruise ships the Orkney islands have also emerged as a hub for the green hydrogen economy. Working alongside local government community groups research agencies and private sector partners the islands have deployed hydrogen solutions to heat a school power ferries in port move local council workers from A to B and in the future perhaps make Gin?! All this and more on the show.
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Life Cycle Environmental and Cost Comparison of Current and Future Passenger Cars under Different Energy Scenarios
Apr 2020
Publication
In this analysis life cycle environmental burdens and total costs of ownership (TCO) of current (2017) and future (2040) passenger cars with different powertrain configurations are compared. For all vehicle configurations probability distributions are defined for all performance parameters. Using these a Monte Carlo based global sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the input parameters that contribute most to overall variability of results. To capture the systematic effects of the energy transition future electricity scenarios are deeply integrated into the ecoinvent life cycle assessment background database. With this integration not only the way how future electric vehicles are charged is captured but also how future vehicles and batteries are produced. If electricity has a life cycle carbon content similar to or better than a modern natural gas combined cycle powerplant full powertrain electrification makes sense from a climate point of view and in many cases also provides reductions in TCO. In general vehicles with smaller batteries and longer lifetime distances have the best cost and climate performance. If a very large driving range is required or clean electricity is not available hybrid powertrain and compressed natural gas vehicles are good options in terms of both costs and climate change impacts. Alternative powertrains containing large batteries or fuel cells are the most sensitive to changes in the future electricity system as their life cycles are more electricity intensive. The benefits of these alternative drivetrains are strongly linked to the success of the energy transition: the more the electricity sector is decarbonized the greater the benefit of electrifying passenger vehicles.
Risk-adjusted Preferences of Utility Companies and Institutional Investors for Battery Storage and Green Hydrogen Investment
Feb 2022
Publication
Achieving climate-neutrality requires considerable investment in energy storage systems (ESS) to integrate variable renewable energy sources into the grid. However investments into ESS are often unprofitable in particular for grid-scale battery storage and green hydrogen technologies prompting many actors to call for policy intervention. This study investigates investor-specific risk-return preferences for ESS investment and derives policy recommendations. Insights are drawn from 1605 experimental investment-related decisions obtained from 42 high-level institutional investors and utility representatives. Results reveal that both investor groups view revenue stacking as key to making ESS investment viable. While the expected return on investment is the most important project characteristic risk-return preferences for other features diverge between groups. Institutional investors appear more open to exploring new technological ventures (20% of utility respondents would not consider making investments into solar photovoltaic-hydrogen) whereas utilities seem to prefer greenfield projects (23% of surveyed institutional investors rejected such projects). Interestingly both groups show strong aversion towards energy market price risk. Institutional investors require a premium of 6.87 percentage points and utilities 5.54 percentage points for moving from a position of fully hedged against market price risk to a scenario where only 20% of revenue is fixed underlining the need for policy support.
Hydrogen Production Cost Forecasts since the 1970s and Implications for Technological Development
Jun 2022
Publication
This study reviews the extant literature on hydrogen production cost forecasts to identify and analyze the historical trend of such forecasts in order to explore the feasibility of wider adoption. Hydrogen is an important energy source that can be used to achieve a carbon-neutral society but the widespread adoption of hydrogen production technologies is hampered by the high costs. The production costs vary depending on the technology employed: gray renewable electrolysis or biomass. The study identifies 174 production cost forecast data points from articles published between 1979 and 2020 and makes a comparative assessment using non-parametric statistical tests. The results show three different cost forecast trends across technologies. First the production cost of gray hydrogen showed an increasing trend until 2015 but started declining after 2015. Second the renewable electrolysis hydrogen cost was the highest of all but has shown a gradual declining trend since 2015. Finally the biomass hydrogen cost has been relatively cheaper up until 2015 after which it became the highest. Renewable electrolysis and biomass hydrogen will be potential candidates (as principal drivers) to reduce CO2 emissions in the future but renewable electrolysis hydrogen is more promising in this regard due to its declining production cost trend. Gray hydrogen can also be an alternative candidate to renewable electrolysis hydrogen because it can be equipped with carbon capture storage (CCS) to produce blue hydrogen although we need to consider additional production costs incurred by the introduction of CCS. The study discusses the technological development and policy implications of the results on hydrogen production costs.
Electrification and Sustainable Fuels: Competing for Wind and Sun (complement to the Policy brief)
May 2021
Publication
This study seeks to answer a simple question: will we have enough renewable electricity to meet all of the EU's decarbonisation objectives and if not what should be the priorities and how to address the remaining needs for energy towards carbon neutrality? Indeed if not the policy push for green hydrogen would not be covered by enough green electricity to match the “energy efficiency and electrification first” approach outlined in the system integration communication and a prioritization of green electricity uses complemented by other solutions (import of green electricity or sustainable fuels CCS...) would be advisable [1]. On one hand we show that the principle “Energy efficiency and electrification first” results in an electricity demand which will be very difficult to satisfy domestically with renewable energy. On the other hand green hydrogen and other sustainable fuels will be needed for a carbon neutral industry for the replacement of the fuel for aviation and navigation and as strategic green energy reserves. The detailed modelling of these interactions is challenging given the large uncertainties on technology and infrastructure development. Therefore we offer a “15 minutes” decarbonization scenario based on general and transparent technical considerations and very straightforward “back-of-envelope” calculations. This working paper contains the calculations and assumptions in support of the accompanying policy brief with the same title which focuses instead on the main take-aways.
Economic Analysis of Hydrogen Household Energy Systems Including Incentives on Energy Communities and Externalities: A Case Study in Italy
Sep 2021
Publication
The building sector is one of the key energy consumers worldwide. Fuel cell micro-Cogeneration Heat and Power systems for residential and small commercial applications are proposed as one of the most promising innovations contributing to the transition towards a sustainable energy infrastructure. For the application and the diffusion of these systems in addition to their environmental performance it is necessary however to evaluate their economic feasibility. In this paper a life cycle assessment of a fuel cell/photovoltaic hybrid micro-cogeneration heat and power system for a residential building is integrated with a detailed economic analysis. Financial indicators (net present cost and payback time are used for studying two different investments: reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and natural gas SOFC in comparison to a base scenario using a homeowner perspective approach. Moreover two alternative incentives scenarios are analysed and applied: net metering and self-consumers’ groups (or energy communities). Results show that both systems obtain annual savings but their high capital costs still would make the investments not profitable. However the natural gas Solide Oxide Fuel Cell with the net metering incentive is the best scenario among all. On the contrary the reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell maximizes its economic performance only when the self-consumers’ groups incentive is applied. For a complete life cycle cost analysis environmental impacts are monetized using three different monetization methods with the aim to internalize (considering them into direct cost) the externalities (environmental costs). If externalities are considered as an effective cost the natural gas Solide Oxide Fuel Cell system increases its saving because its environmental impact is lower than in the base case one while the reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell system reduces it.
Lowest Cost Decarbonisation for the UK: The Critical Role of CCS
Sep 2016
Publication
A new report to the Secretary of State for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy from the Parliamentary Advisory Group on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) advises that that the UK should kickstart CCS in order to save consumers billions a year from the cost of meeting climate change targets.
Optimal Supply Chains and Power Sector Benefits of Green Hydrogen
Jul 2021
Publication
Green hydrogen can help to decarbonize parts of the transportation sector but its power sector interactions are not well understood so far. It may contribute to integrating variable renewable energy sources if production is sufficiently flexible in time. Using an open-source co-optimization model of the power sector and four options for supplying hydrogen at German filling stations we find a trade-of between energy efficiency and temporal flexibility. For lower shares of renewables and hydrogen more energy-efficient and less flexible small-scale on-site electrolysis is optimal. For higher shares of renewables and/or hydrogen more flexible but less energy-efficient large-scale hydrogen supply chains gain importance as they allow to temporally disentangle hydrogen production from demand via storage. Liquid hydrogen emerges as particularly beneficial followed by liquid organic hydrogen carriers and gaseous hydrogen. Large-scale hydrogen supply chains can deliver substantial power sector benefits mainly through reduced renewable curtailment. Energy modelers and system planners should consider the distinct flexibility characteristics of hydrogen supply chains in more detail when assessing the role of green hydrogen in future energy transition scenarios. We also propose two alternative cost and emission metrics which could be useful in future analyses.
Possible Hydrogen Transitions in the UK: Critical Uncertainties and Possible Decision Points
Jun 2012
Publication
Many energy system optimization studies show that hydrogen may be an important part of an optimal decarbonisation mix but such analyses are unable to examine the uncertainties associated with breaking the ‘locked-in’ nature of incumbent systems. Uncertainties around technical learning rates; consumer behaviour; and the strategic interactions of governments automakers and fuel providers are particularly acute. System dynamics and agent-based models and studies of historical alternative fuel transitions have furthered our understanding of possible transition dynamics but these types of analysis exclude broader systemic issues concerning energy system evolution (e.g. supplies and prices of low-carbon energy) and the politics of transitions. This paper presents a hybrid approach to assessing hydrogen transitions in the UK by linking qualitative scenarios with quantitative energy systems modelling using the UK MARKAL model. Three possible transition pathways are explored each exploring different uncertainties and possible decision points with modelling used to inform and test key elements of each scenario. The scenarios draw on literature review and participatory input and the scenario structure is based on archetypal transition dynamics drawn from historical energy system transitions reflecting insights relating to innovation system development and resistance to change. Conclusions are drawn about appropriate policy responses.
Producing Low Carbon Gas- Future Gas Series part 2
Jul 2018
Publication
Of all the sectors in the UK decarbonising heat remains one of the most challenging. Heat used for industrial domestic and commercial purposes generates around a third of all UK carbon emissions 70% of which is due to burning natural gas. In order to meet our legally binding national climate change targets unabated natural gas use for heat must be phased out. Low carbon gas - including hydrogen and biogases - is one option to replace it. The Future Gas Series examines the opportunities and challenges associated with using low carbon gas to help decarbonise the UK economy.<br/><br/>This is the second report in the three-part Future Gas Series. Part 1: Next Steps for the Gas Grid explored the potential to decarbonise the existing gas grid. The report Part 2: the Production of Low Carbon Gas focuses on the issues related to the production of low carbon gas. It considers the different production technologies the potential scale of deployment of each method and the potential feedstocks. It also discusses issues related to bulk transport and storage of gas. Put together from expert evidence from across industry and academia it provides a balanced guide for policy makers in this area. It was a co-chaired by James Heappey MP (Conservative) Alan Whitehead MP (Labour) and Alistair Carmichael MP (SNP).<br/><br/>Carbon Connect suggests that biogases- such as biomethane and bioSNG- provide low regrets opportunities in the near term to provide low carbon heat and could also potentially make use of waste that would otherwise go to landfill. However they require further support to allow them to continue contributing to decarbonising the UK economy. Hydrogen could provide huge decarbonisation opportunities and has applications across the energy system from putting hydrogen in the gas grid to be burnt for heat in homes to hydrogen buses and trains. However to realise this potential a market for hydrogen must be built up. This should incentivise business to invest in hydrogen technologies reward those who use hydrogen and build up hydrogen infrastructure.<br/><br/>
Hungary's National Hydrogen Strategy
May 2021
Publication
Hungary’s National Hydrogen Strategy (hereinafter referred to as: Strategy) is ambitious but provides a realistic vision of the future as it opens the way for the establishment of a hydrogen economy therefore contributing to the achievement of decarbonisation goals and providing an opportunity for Hungary to become an active participant of the European hydrogen sector. On the long term the Strategy focuses on “green” hydrogen but in addition to hydrogen based on electricity generated using renewable resources primarily solar energy Hungary does not ignore opportunities for hydrogen production based on carbon-free energy accessed either through a nuclear basis or from the network. Additionally in the short and medium term a rapid reduction in emissions and the establishment of a viable hydrogen market will also require low-carbon hydrogen.
Value of Green Hydrogen When Curtailed to Provide Grid Balancing Services
Aug 2022
Publication
This paper evaluates the potential of grid services in France Italy Norway and Spain to provide an alternative income for electrolysers producing hydrogen from wind power. Grid services are simulated with each country's data for 2017 for energy prices grid services and wind power profiles from relevant wind parks. A novel metric is presented the value of curtailed hydrogen which is independent from several highly uncertain parameters such as electrolyser cost or hydrogen market price. Results indicate that grid services can monetise the unused spare capacity of electrolyser plants improving their economy in the critical deployment phase. For most countries up-regulation yields a value of curtailed hydrogen above 6 V/kg over 3 times higher than the EU's 2030 price target (without incentives). However countries with large hydro power resources such as Norway yield far lower results below 2 V/kg. The value of curtailed hydrogen also decreases with hydrogen production corresponding to the cases of symmetric and down-regulation.
Perspective on the Hydrogen Economy as a Pathway to Reach Net-zero CO2 Emissions in Europe
Jan 2022
Publication
The envisioned role of hydrogen in the energy transition – or the concept of a hydrogen economy – has varied through the years. In the past hydrogen was mainly considered a clean fuel for cars and/or electricity production; but the current renewed interest stems from the versatility of hydrogen in aiding the transition to CO2 neutrality where the capability to tackle emissions from distributed applications and complex industrial processes is of paramount importance. However the hydrogen economy will not materialise without strong political support and robust infrastructure design. Hydrogen deployment needs to address multiple barriers at once including technology development for hydrogen production and conversion infrastructure co-creation policy market design and business model development. In light of these challenges we have brought together a group of hydrogen researchers who study the multiple interconnected disciplines to offer a perspective on what is needed to deploy the hydrogen economy as part of the drive towards net-zero-CO2 societies. We do this by analysing (i) hydrogen end-use technologies and applications (ii) hydrogen production methods (iii) hydrogen transport and storage networks (iv) legal and regulatory aspects and (v) business models. For each of these we provide key take home messages ranging from the current status to the outlook and needs for further research. Overall we provide the reader with a thorough understanding of the elements in the hydrogen economy state of play and gaps to be filled.
Catalysing Hydrogen Investment: What the Market Needs to Deliver Investment in Hydrogen Infrastructure
Oct 2021
Publication
Written by Arup in collaboration with the GIIA this report is centred on the opinions of investors from around the world gathered through a survey of GIIA members and in-depth interviews. It therefore presents the sentiments of the world’s leading fund managers insurance investors pension funds and a sovereign wealth fund. Their opinions matter because these are the decision makers that hold the purse strings when it comes to private sector investment in hydrogen infrastructure. Many of the facts about hydrogen are well-known to many readers and these are presented in this report drawing on Arup’s research and experience as a global infrastructure advisory firm. However the novelty of this report is that it looks at hydrogen through the uncompromising eyes of investors with analysis of feedback which identifies barriers to investment in the infrastructure required to enable the hydrogen economy. Perhaps most importantly it also proposes interventions that policymakers and regulators could take to overcome the barriers currently faced.<br/>Introduction The sentiments of investors are at the heart of this study with results from the survey presented at the beginning of each section to serve as a launch pad for Arup’s analysis. But we want it to be more than an interesting read; it is a call to action for policy makers to create the right environment to catalyse private sector investment and kickstart the hydrogen economy.
Influences on Hydrogen Production at a Wind Farm
Dec 2022
Publication
If an affordable infrastructure for low-carbon-intensity hydrogen can be developed then hydrogen is expected to become a key factor in decarbonizing the atmosphere. This research focuses on factors an existing wind farm operator would consider when weighing participating in the electricity market the hydrogen market or both. The solutions depend on the state of technology which is changing rapidly the local market structures the local natural resources and the local pre-existing infrastructure. Consequently this investigation used an assessment approach that examined the variation of net present value. The investigation identified profitability conditions under three different scenarios: 1) Make and sell what makes economic sense at the time of production 2) Use electrolyzer and fuel cell to consume power from the grid at times of low net demand and to produce electricity at times of high net demand 3) Same as #2 but also market hydrogen directly when profitable.
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.
At What Cost Can Renewable Hydrogen Offset Fossil Fuel Use in Ireland’s Gas Network?
Apr 2020
Publication
The results of a techno-economic model of distributed wind-hydrogen systems (WHS) located at each existing wind farm on the island of Ireland are presented in this paper. Hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis from wind energy and backed up by grid electricity compressed before temporarily stored then transported to the nearest injection location on the natural gas network. The model employs a novel correlation-based approach to select an optimum electrolyser capacity that generates a minimum levelised cost of hydrogen production (LCOH) for each WHS. Three scenarios of electrolyser operation are studied: (1) curtailed wind (2) available wind and (3) full capacity operations. Additionally two sets of input parameters are used: (1) current and (2) future techno-economic parameters. Additionally two electricity prices are considered: (1) low and (2) high prices. A closest facility algorithm in a geographic information system (GIS) package identifies the shortest routes from each WHS to its nearest injection point. By using current parameters results show that small wind farms are not suitable to run electrolysers under available wind operation. They must be run at full capacity to achieve sufficiently low LCOH. At full capacity the future average LCOH is 6–8 €/kg with total hydrogen production capacity of 49 kilotonnes per year or equivalent to nearly 3% of Irish natural gas consumption. This potential will increase significantly due to the projected expansion of installed wind capacity in Ireland from 5 GW in 2020 to 10 GW in 2030
Design and Simulation Studies of Hybrid Power Systems Based on Photovoltaic, Wind, Electrolyzer, and PEM Fuel Cells
May 2021
Publication
In recent years the need to reduce environmental impacts and increase flexibility in the energy sector has led to increased penetration of renewable energy sources and the shift from concentrated to decentralized generation. A fuel cell is an instrument that produces electricity by chemical reaction. Fuel cells are a promising technology for ultimate energy conversion and energy generation. We see that this system is integrated where we find that the wind and photovoltaic energy system is complementary between them because not all days are sunny windy or night so we see that this system has higher reliability to provide continuous generation. At low load hours PV and electrolysis units produce extra power. After being compressed hydrogen is stored in tanks. The purpose of this study is to separate the Bahr AL-Najaf Area from the main power grid and make it an independent network by itself. The PEM fuel cells were analyzed and designed and it were found that one layer is equal to 570.96 Watt at 0.61 volts and 1.04 A/Cm2 . The number of layers in one stack is designed to be equal to 13 layers so that the total power of one stack is equal to 7422.48 Watt. That is the number of stacks required to generate the required energy from the fuel cells is equal to 203 stk. This study provided an analysis of the hybrid system to cover the electricity demand in the Bahr AL-Najaf region of 1.5 MW the attained hybrid power system TNPC cost was about 9573208 USD whereas the capital cost and energy cost (COE) were about 7750000 USD and 0.169 USD/kWh respectively for one year.
The Perspectives for the Use of Hydrogen for Electricity Storage Considering the Foreign Experience
Mar 2017
Publication
Over the last years the European Union has seen a rapid increase in installed capacity of generating units based on renewable energy sources (RES). The most significant increase in installed capacity was recorded in 2015 in wind farms and solar PV installations. One of the most serious is the volatile character of RES on a time basis. Therefore for a further expected increase in the use of RES and their effectiveness improvements investments are needed allowing for electricity to be stored. One of the electricity storage options is to use excess electricity in order to produce hydrogen by electrolysis of water. Although this process plays a marginal role in obtaining hydrogen on a worldwide basis due to high costs experience in recent years has shown that periodically low (negative) electricity prices developing on the power exchanges in the situation where there is surplus electricity available affect economic requirements for hydrogen production technologies. The paper shows activities undertaken by European countries (mainly Germany) aiming at making it possible for hydrogen to be stored in the natural gas grids. A particular attention is given to material resource issues and possible operational problems that might arise while blending natural gas with hydrogen into the grid. The experiences of selected European countries are of particular interest from the Polish perspective having regard to significant increase of RES in electricity generation during the last few years and adopted objectives for the growing importance of RES in the Poland’s energy balance.
Liquid Hydrogen as Prospective Energy Carrier: A Brief Review and Discussion of Underlying Assumptions Applied in Value Chain Analysis
Nov 2021
Publication
In the literature different energy carriers are proposed in future long-distance hydrogen value chains. Hydrogen can be stored and transported in different forms e.g. as compressed dense-phase hydrogen liquefied hydrogen and in chemically bound forms as different chemical hydrides. Recently different high-level value chain studies have made extrapolative investigations and compared such options with respect to energy efficiency and cost. Three recent journal papers overlap as the liquid hydrogen option has been considered in all three studies. The studies are not fully aligned in terms of underlying assumptions and battery limits. A comparison reveals partly vast differences in results for chain energy efficiency for long-distance liquid hydrogen transport which are attributable to distinct differences in the set of assumptions. Our comparison pinpoints the boiloff ratio i.e. evaporation losses due to heat ingress in liquid hydrogen storage tanks as the main cause of the differences and this assumption is further discussed. A review of spherical tank size and attributed boiloff ratios is presented for existing tanks of different vintage as well as for recently proposed designs. Furthermore the prospect for further extension of tanks size and reduction of boiloff ratio is discussed with a complementary discussion about the use of economic assumptions in extrapolative and predictive studies. Finally we discuss the impact of battery limits in hydrogen value chain studies and pinpoint knowledge needs and the need for a detailed bottom-up approach as a prerequisite for improving the understanding for pros and cons of the different hydrogen energy carriers.
Global Hydrogen Review 2022
Sep 2022
Publication
The Global Hydrogen Review is an annual publication by the International Energy Agency that tracks hydrogen production and demand worldwide as well as progress in critical areas such as infrastructure development trade policy regulation investments and innovation.
The report is an output of the Clean Energy Ministerial Hydrogen Initiative and is intended to inform energy sector stakeholders on the status and future prospects of hydrogen while also informing discussions at the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting organised by Japan. Focusing on hydrogen’s potentially major role in meeting international energy and climate goals this year’s Review aims to help decision makers fine-tune strategies to attract investment and facilitate deployment of hydrogen technologies while also creating demand for hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels. It compares real-world developments with the stated ambitions of government and industry.
This year’s report includes a special focus on how the global energy crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated the momentum behind hydrogen and on the opportunities that it offers to simultaneously contribute to decarbonisation targets and enhance energy security.
The report can be found on their website.
The report is an output of the Clean Energy Ministerial Hydrogen Initiative and is intended to inform energy sector stakeholders on the status and future prospects of hydrogen while also informing discussions at the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting organised by Japan. Focusing on hydrogen’s potentially major role in meeting international energy and climate goals this year’s Review aims to help decision makers fine-tune strategies to attract investment and facilitate deployment of hydrogen technologies while also creating demand for hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels. It compares real-world developments with the stated ambitions of government and industry.
This year’s report includes a special focus on how the global energy crisis sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated the momentum behind hydrogen and on the opportunities that it offers to simultaneously contribute to decarbonisation targets and enhance energy security.
The report can be found on their website.
“Bigger than Government”: Exploring the Social Construction and Contestation of Net-zero Industrial Megaprojects in England
Jan 2023
Publication
Industry is frequently framed as hard-to-decarbonize given its diversity of requirements technologies and supply chains many of which are unique to particular sectors. Net zero commitments since 2019 have begun to challenge the carbon intensity of these various industries but progress has been slow globally. Against this backdrop the United Kingdom has emerged as a leader in industrial decarbonization efforts. Their approach is based on industrial clusters which cut across engineering spatial and socio-political dimensions. Two of the largest of these clusters in England in terms of industrial emissions are the Humber and Merseyside. In this paper drawn from a rich mixed methods original dataset involving expert interviews (N = 46 respondents) site visits (N = 20) a review of project documents and the academic literature we explore ongoing efforts to decarbonize both the Humber and Merseyside through the lens of spatially expansive and technically complex megaprojects. Both have aggressive implementation plans in place for the deployment of net-zero infrastructure with Zero Carbon Humber seeking billions in investment to build the country’s first large-scale bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) plant alongside a carbon transport network and hydrogen production infrastructure and HyNet seeking billions in investment to build green and blue hydrogen facilities along with a carbon storage network near Manchester and Liverpool. We draw from the social construction of technology (SCOT) literature to examine the relevant social groups interpretive flexibility and patterns of closure associated with Zero Carbon Humber and HyNet. We connect our findings to eight interpretive frames surrounding the collective projects and make connections to problems contestation and closure.
Potential for Hydrogen and Power-to-Liquid in a Low-carbon EU Energy System Using Cost Optimization
Oct 2018
Publication
Hydrogen represents a versatile energy carrier with net zero end use emissions. Power-to-Liquid (PtL) includes the combination of hydrogen with CO2 to produce liquid fuels and satisfy mostly transport demand. This study assesses the role of these pathways across scenarios that achieve 80–95% CO2 reduction by 2050 (vs. 1990) using the JRC-EU-TIMES model. The gaps in the literature covered in this study include a broader spatial coverage (EU28+) and hydrogen use in all sectors (beyond transport). The large uncertainty in the possible evolution of the energy system has been tackled with an extensive sensitivity analysis. 15 parameters were varied to produce more than 50 scenarios. Results indicate that parameters with the largest influence are the CO2 target the availability of CO2 underground storage and the biomass potential.
Hydrogen demand increases from 7 mtpa today to 20–120 mtpa (2.4–14.4 EJ/yr) mainly used for PtL (up to 70 mtpa) transport (up to 40 mtpa) and industry (25 mtpa). Only when CO2 storage was not possible due to a political ban or social acceptance issues was electrolysis the main hydrogen production route (90% share) and CO2 use for PtL became attractive. Otherwise hydrogen was produced through gas reforming with CO2 capture and the preferred CO2 sink was underground. Hydrogen and PtL contribute to energy security and independence allowing to reduce energy related import cost from 420 bln€/yr today to 350 or 50 bln€/yr for 95% CO2 reduction with and without CO2 storage. Development of electrolyzers fuel cells and fuel synthesis should continue to ensure these technologies are ready when needed. Results from this study should be complemented with studies with higher spatial and temporal resolution. Scenarios with global trading of hydrogen and potential import to the EU were not included.
Hydrogen demand increases from 7 mtpa today to 20–120 mtpa (2.4–14.4 EJ/yr) mainly used for PtL (up to 70 mtpa) transport (up to 40 mtpa) and industry (25 mtpa). Only when CO2 storage was not possible due to a political ban or social acceptance issues was electrolysis the main hydrogen production route (90% share) and CO2 use for PtL became attractive. Otherwise hydrogen was produced through gas reforming with CO2 capture and the preferred CO2 sink was underground. Hydrogen and PtL contribute to energy security and independence allowing to reduce energy related import cost from 420 bln€/yr today to 350 or 50 bln€/yr for 95% CO2 reduction with and without CO2 storage. Development of electrolyzers fuel cells and fuel synthesis should continue to ensure these technologies are ready when needed. Results from this study should be complemented with studies with higher spatial and temporal resolution. Scenarios with global trading of hydrogen and potential import to the EU were not included.
Public Acceptance for the Implementation of Hydrogen Self-refueling Stations
Sep 2021
Publication
The utilization of hydrogen energy is important for achieving a low-carbon society. Japan has set ambitious goals for hydrogen stations and fuel cell vehicles focusing on the introduction and dissemination of self-refuelling systems. This paper evaluates public trust in the fuel equipment and self-handling technology related to self-refuelling hydrogen stations and compares it with that for widespread gasoline stations. To this end the results of an online survey of 300 people with Japanese driver licenses are reported and analyzed. The results show that trust in the equipment and self-handling is more important for the user than trust in the fuel. In addition to introduce and disseminate new technology such as hydrogen stations users must be made aware of the risk of using the technology until it becomes as familiar as existing gasoline station technology.
Towards a Sustainable Hydrogen Economy: Optimisation-based Framework for Hydrogen Infrastructure Development
Sep 2016
Publication
This work studies the development of a sustainable hydrogen infrastructure that supports the transition towards a low-carbon transport system in the United Kingdom (UK). The future hydrogen demand is forecasted over time using a logistic diffusion model which reaches 50% of the market share by 2070. The problem is solved using an extension of SHIPMod an optimisation-based framework that consists of a multi-period spatially-explicit mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation. The optimisation model combines the infrastructure elements required throughout the different phases of the transition namely economies of scale road and pipeline transportation modes and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in order to minimise the present value of the total infrastructure cost using a discounted cash-flow analysis. The results show that the combination of all these elements in the mathematical formulation renders optimal solutions with the gradual infrastructure investments over time required for the transition towards a sustainable hydrogen economy.
The Role of Advanced Demand-sector Technologies and Energy Demand Reduction in Achieving Ambitious Carbon Budgets
Jan 2019
Publication
Limiting cumulative carbon emissions to keep global temperature increase to well below 2°C (and as low as 1.5°C) is an extremely challenging task requiring rapid reduction in the carbon intensity of all sectors of the economy and with limited leeway for residual emissions. Addressing residual emissions in ‘challenging-to-decarbonise’ sectors such as the industrial and aviation sectors relies on the development and commercialization of innovative advanced technologies currently still in their infancy. The aim of this study was to (a) explore the role of advanced technologies in achieving deep decarbonisation of the energy system and (b) provide technology- specific details of how rapid and deep carbon intensity reductions can be achieved in the energy demand sectors. This was done using TIAM-Grantham – a linear cost optimization model of the global energy system with a detailed representation of demand-side technologies. We find that the inclusion of advanced technologies in the demand sectors together with energy demand reduction through behavioural changes enables the model to achieve the rapid and deep decarbonisation of the energy system associated with limiting global warming to below 2°C whilst at the same time reduces reliance on negative emissions technologies by up to ∼18% compared to the same scenario with a standard set of technologies. Realising such advanced technologies at commercial scales as well as achieving such significant reductions in energy demand represents a major challenge for policy makers businesses and civil society. There is an urgent need for continued R&D efforts in the demand sectors to ensure that advanced technologies become commercially available when we need them and to avoid the gamble of overreliance on negative emissions technologies to offset residual emissions.
Hydrogen Production, Storage and Transport for Renewable Energy and Chemicals: An Environmental Footprint Assessment
Dec 2022
Publication
Hydrogen applications range from an energy carrier to a feedstock producing bulk and other chemicals and as an essential reactant in various industrial applications. However the sustainability of hydrogen production storage and transport are neither unquestionable nor equal. Hydrogen is produced from natural gas biogas aluminium acid gas biomass electrolytic water splitting and others; a total of eleven sources were investigated in this work. The environmental impact of hydrogen production storage and transport is evaluated in terms of greenhouse gas and energy footprints acidification eutrophication human toxicity potential and eco-cost. Different electricity mixes and energy footprint accounting approaches supported by sensitivity analysis are conducted for a comprehensive overview. H2 produced from acid gas is identified as the production route with the highest eco-benefit (− 41188 €/t H2) while the biomass gasification method incurred the highest eco-cost (11259 €/t H2). The water electrolysis method shows a net positive energy footprint (60.32 GJ/t H2) suggesting that more energy is used than produced. Considering the operating footprint of storage and transportation gaseous hydrogen transported via a pipeline is a better alternative from an environmental point of view and with a lower energy footprint (38 %–85%) than the other options. Storage and transport (without construction) could have accounted for around 35.5% of the total GHG footprint of a hydrogen value chain (production storage transportation and losses) if liquefied and transported via road transport instead of a pipeline. The identified results propose which technologies are less burdensome to the environment.
Labour Implications of the Net-zero Transition and Clean Energy Exports in Australia
Mar 2024
Publication
We examine the employment implications of a domestic net-zero transition and establishment of clean energy export systems for an historically significant energy exporting country through a case study of Australia. The labour impacts of a multi-decadal transition are simulated across both the domestic and export energy systems considering a wide range of energy technologies resources and activities with assessment according to occupation lifecycle stage education and skill requirements. Across all net-zero scenario pathways by mid-century the total gross employment created for the domestic and export sectors comprises 210–490 thousand jobs and 350–510 thousand jobs respectively. This represents a significant expansion of energy sector employment from the current total of 120 thousand across domestic and export sectors an increase from less than 1 % of the total Australian workforce in 2020 to 3–4 % by 2060. The need to build out energy system infrastructure at large-scale over a number of decades results in construction jobs continuing over that timeframe and a subsequent need for a large ongoing operations and maintenance workforce for new energy system assets. Those employed in domestic energy markets work primarily in utility solar PV onshore wind batteries and electricity transmission and distribution activities while export market jobs are dominated by clean hydrogen production and shipping supply chains. Crucially these export jobs are unevenly distributed across the country in regions of highest quality solar resource. All states and territories experience net job growth across each decade to 2060. However in a few sub-state regions net job losses occur in the short-term.
Value of Power-to-gas as a Flexibility Option in Integrated Electricity and Hydrogen Markets
Oct 2021
Publication
This paper analyzes the economic potential of Power-to-Gas (PtG) as a source of flexibility in electricity markets with both high shares of renewables and high external demand for hydrogen. The contribution of this paper is that it develops and applies a short-term (hourly) partial equilibrium model of integrated electricity and hydrogen markets including markets for green certificates while using a welfare-economic framework to assess the market outcomes. We find that strongly increasing the share of renewable electricity makes electricity prices much more volatile while the presence of PtG reduces this price volatility. However a large demand for hydrogen from outside the electricity sector reduces the impact of PtG on the volatility of electricity prices. In a scenario with a high external hydrogen demand PtG can deliver positive benefits for some groups as it can provide hydrogen at lower costs than Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) during hours when electricity prices are low but these positive welfare effects are outweighed by the fixed costs of PtG assets plus the costs of replacing a less expensive energy carrier (natural gas) with a more expensive one (hydrogen). Investments in PtG are profitable from a social-welfare perspective when the induced reduction in carbon emissions is valued at 150–750 euro/ton. Hence at lower carbon prices PtG can only become a valuable provider of flexibility when installation costs are significantly reduced and conversion efficiencies of electrolysers increased.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Hydrogen News Roundup and Hydrogen Q&A
Jun 2020
Publication
This week on the show the team take a pause to review the current state of hydrogen and fuel cell affairs globally whilst taking time to go over all the excellent questions that our listeners have kindly shared with us over the last few months. We cover carbon capture the green new deal synthetic fuels hydrogenspiders green hydrogen in Australia and many more themes this week so don’t miss this episode!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Scenario-Based Comparative Analysis for Coupling Electricity and Hydrogen Storage in Clean Oilfield Energy Supply System
Mar 2022
Publication
In response to the objective of fully attaining carbon neutrality by 2060 people from all walks of life are pursuing low-carbon transformation. Due to the high water cut in the middle and late phases of development the oilfield’s energy consumption will be quite high and the rise in energy consumption will lead to an increase in carbon emission at the same time. As a result the traditional energy model is incapable of meeting the energy consumption requirement of high water cut oilfields in their middle and later phases of development. The present wind hydrogen coupling energy system was researched and coupled with the classic dispersed oilfield energy system to produce energy for the oilfields in this study. This study compares four future energy system models to existing ones computes the energy cost and net present value of an oilfield in Northwest China and proposes a set of economic evaluation tools for oilfield energy systems. The study’s findings indicate that scenario four provides the most economic and environmental benefits. This scenario effectively addresses the issue of high energy consumption associated with aging oilfields at this point significantly reduces carbon emissions absorbs renewable energy locally and reduces the burden on the power grid system. Finally sensitivity analysis is utilized to determine the effect of wind speed electricity cost and oilfield gas output on the system’s economic performance. The results indicate that the system developed in this study can be applied to other oilfields.
Achieving Net Zero Electricity Sectors in G7 Members
Oct 2021
Publication
Achieving Net Zero Electricity Sectors in G7 Members is a new report by the International Energy Agency that provides a roadmap to driving down CO2 emissions from electricity generation to net zero by 2035 building on analysis in Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector.
The new report was requested by the United Kingdom under its G7 Presidency and followed the G7 leaders’ commitment in June 2021 to reach “an overwhelmingly decarbonised” power system in the 2030s and net zero emissions across their economies no later than 2050. It is designed to inform policy makers industry investors and citizens in advance of the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow that begins at the end of October 2021.
Starting from recent progress and the current state of play of electricity in the G7 the report analyses the steps needed to achieve net zero emissions from electricity and considers the wider implications for energy security employment and affordability. It identifies key milestones emerging challenges and opportunities for innovation.
The report also underscores how G7 members can foster innovation through international collaboration and as first movers lower the cost of technologies for other countries while maintaining electricity security and placing people at the centre of clean energy transitions.
Link to their website
The new report was requested by the United Kingdom under its G7 Presidency and followed the G7 leaders’ commitment in June 2021 to reach “an overwhelmingly decarbonised” power system in the 2030s and net zero emissions across their economies no later than 2050. It is designed to inform policy makers industry investors and citizens in advance of the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow that begins at the end of October 2021.
Starting from recent progress and the current state of play of electricity in the G7 the report analyses the steps needed to achieve net zero emissions from electricity and considers the wider implications for energy security employment and affordability. It identifies key milestones emerging challenges and opportunities for innovation.
The report also underscores how G7 members can foster innovation through international collaboration and as first movers lower the cost of technologies for other countries while maintaining electricity security and placing people at the centre of clean energy transitions.
Link to their website
Life Cycle Assessment of Hydrogen from Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis in Future Energy Systems
Jan 2019
Publication
This study discusses the potential of H2 production by proton exchange membrane water electrolysis as an effective option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the hydrogen sector. To address this topic a life cycle assessment is conducted to compare proton exchange membrane water electrolysis versus the reference process - steam methane reforming. As a relevant result we show that hydrogen production via proton exchange membrane water electrolysis is a promising technology to reduce CO2 emissions of the hydrogen sector by up to 75% if the electrolysis system runs exclusively on electricity generated from renewable energy sources. In a future (2050) base-load operation mode emissions are comparable to the reference system.
The results for the global warming potential show a strong reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The thoroughly and in-depth modelled components of the electrolyser have negligible influence on impact categories; thus emissions are mainly determined by the electricity mix. With 2017 electricity mix of Germany the global warming potential corresponds to 29.5 kg CO2 eq. for each kg of produced hydrogen. Referring to the electricity mix we received from an energy model emissions can be reduced to 11.5 kg CO2 eq. in base-load operation by the year 2050. Using only the 3000 h of excess power from renewables in a year will allow for the reduction of the global warming potential to 3.3 kg CO2 eq. From this result we see that an environmentally friendly electricity mix is crucial for reducing the global warming impact of electrolytic hydrogen.
The results for the global warming potential show a strong reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The thoroughly and in-depth modelled components of the electrolyser have negligible influence on impact categories; thus emissions are mainly determined by the electricity mix. With 2017 electricity mix of Germany the global warming potential corresponds to 29.5 kg CO2 eq. for each kg of produced hydrogen. Referring to the electricity mix we received from an energy model emissions can be reduced to 11.5 kg CO2 eq. in base-load operation by the year 2050. Using only the 3000 h of excess power from renewables in a year will allow for the reduction of the global warming potential to 3.3 kg CO2 eq. From this result we see that an environmentally friendly electricity mix is crucial for reducing the global warming impact of electrolytic hydrogen.
Analysis of the Existing Barriers for the Market Development of Power to Hydrogen (P2H) in Italy
Sep 2020
Publication
New technological solutions are required to control the impact of the increasing presence of renewable energy sources connected to the electric grid that are characterized by unpredictable production (i.e. wind and solar energy). Energy storage is becoming essential to stabilize the grid when a mismatch between production and demand occurs. Among the available solutions Power to Hydrogen (P2H) is one of the most attractive options. However despite the potential many barriers currently hinder P2H market development. The literature reports general barriers and strategies to overcome them but a specific analysis is fundamental to identifying how these barriers concretely arise in national and regional frameworks since tailored solutions are needed to foster the development of P2H local market. The paper aims to identify and to analyze the existing barriers for P2H market uptake in Italy. The paper shows how several technical regulatory and economic issues are still unsolved resulting in a source of uncertainty for P2H investment. The paper also suggests possible approaches and solutions to address the Italian barriers and to support politics and decision-makers in the definition and implementation of the national hydrogen strategy.
EU Hydrogen Strategy: A Case for Urgent Action Towards Implementation
Jul 2020
Publication
Interest in hydrogen as one route to the decarbonisation of energy systems has risen rapidly over the past few years with the publication of a number of hydrogen strategies from countries across the global energy economy. The momentum in Europe has increased sharply this month with the publication of an EU strategy to incorporate hydrogen into its plans for a net zero emission future. This Comment reviews the key elements of this strategy and provides an initial commentary on the main goals. We highlight the challenges that will be faced in meeting hydrogen production targets in particular via the “green hydrogen” route and analyse the plans for expanding the consumption of hydrogen in Europe. We also assess the infrastructure questions that will need to be answered if and when hydrogen takes on a greater role in the region and note the extensive state support that will be needed in the early years of the implementation of the strategy. Despite this though we applaud the ambition laid out by the EU and look forward to the provision of more detailed plans over the coming months and years.
Link to document on OIES website
Link to document on OIES website
Sustainable Offshore Oil and Gas Fields Development: Techno-economic Feasibility Analysis of Wind–hydrogen–natural Gas Nexus
Jul 2021
Publication
Offshore oil and gas field development consumes quantities of electricity which is usually provided by gas turbines. In order to alleviate the emission reduction pressure and the increasing pressure of energy saving governments of the world have been promoting the reform of oil and gas fields for years. Nowadays environmentally friendly alternatives to provide electricity are hotspots such as the integration of traditional energy and renewable energy. However the determination of system with great environmental and economic benefits is still controversial. This paper proposed a wind– hydrogen–natural gas nexus (WHNGN) system for sustainable offshore oil and gas fields development. Combining the optimization model with the techno-economic evaluation model a comprehensive evaluation framework is established for techno-economic feasibility analysis. In addition to WHNGN system another two systems are designed for comparison including the traditional energy supply (TES) system and wind–natural gas nexus (WNGN) system. An offshore production platforms in Bohai Bay in China is taken as a case and the results indicate that: (i) WNGN and WHNGN systems have significant economic benefits total investment is decreased by 5190 and 5020 million $ respectively and the WHNGN system increases 4174 million $ profit; (ii) WNGN and WHNGN systems have significant environmental benefits annual carbon emission is decreased by 15 and 40.2 million kg respectively; (iii) the system can be ranked by economic benefits as follows: WHNGN >WNGN > TES; and (iV) the WHNGN system is more advantageous in areas with high hydrogen and natural gas sales prices such as China Kazakhstan Turkey India Malaysia and Indonesia.
Progress in Reducing Emissions in Scotland: 2021 Report to Parliament
Dec 2021
Publication
This is the tenth annual Progress Report to the Scottish Parliament as required by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. This year’s report shows that in 2019 Scotland’s greenhouse emissions fell by 2% compared to 2018 and are now 44% below 1990 levels. The reductions were largely driven by the manufacturing and construction and fuel supply sectors with electricity generation remaining the biggest driver of emissions cuts over the past decade (2009-2019). The potential for further emissions savings from electricity generation has however largely run out.
The focus must now shift to ensuring that rapid emissions reductions are delivered with no further delay to allow Scotland to meet its legislated 2030 target.
This report and other reports by the Climate Change Committee can be downloaded on their website.
The focus must now shift to ensuring that rapid emissions reductions are delivered with no further delay to allow Scotland to meet its legislated 2030 target.
This report and other reports by the Climate Change Committee can be downloaded on their website.
Future Electricity Series Part 1 - Power from Fossil Fuels
Apr 2013
Publication
Power from Fossil Fuels analyses the role of coal and gas power generation in the UK's future power generation mix. It is the first of three reports in Carbon Connect's 2013 research inquiry the Future Electricity Series which examines what role fossil fuels renewables and nuclear can play in providing secure sustainable and affordable electricity in the UK. The report finds that significantly decarbonising the power sector by 2030 will prove the most successful strategy on energy sustainability security and affordability grounds and that switching the UK’s reliance on coal to gas generation - while using fossil fuel power stations increasingly for backup purposes - will be the most viable method of achieving this. The independent report chaired by former energy minister Charles Hendry MP and Opposition Energy and Climate Change Spokesperson in the House of Lords Baroness Worthington was compiled between January and April 2013 and received contributions from over 30 experts in academia industry Parliament and Government and was launched in Parliament on the 22nd April 2013. This independent inquiry was sponsored by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers
UK Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard: Guidance on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sustainability Criteria
Apr 2022
Publication
The Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard sets a maximum threshold for the amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed in the production process for hydrogen to be considered ‘low carbon hydrogen’. Compliance with the standard will help ensure new low carbon hydrogen production makes a direct contribution to our carbon reduction targets.
This guidance sets out the methodology for calculating the emissions associated with hydrogen production and the steps producers should take to prove that the hydrogen they produce is compliant with the standard.
It is for use by hydrogen producers seeking support from government schemes and policies that have adopted the standard.
The standard requires hydrogen producers to:
This guidance sets out the methodology for calculating the emissions associated with hydrogen production and the steps producers should take to prove that the hydrogen they produce is compliant with the standard.
It is for use by hydrogen producers seeking support from government schemes and policies that have adopted the standard.
The standard requires hydrogen producers to:
- meet a GHG emissions intensity of 20g CO2e/MJLHV of produced hydrogen or less for the hydrogen to be considered low carbon
- calculate their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions up to the ‘point of production’
- set out a risk mitigation plan for fugitive hydrogen emissions
- meet additional requirements for the use of biogenic inputs where relevant and as appropriate for the feedstock source and classification
Russia’s Policy Transition to a Hydrogen Economy and the Implications of South Korea–Russia Cooperation
Dec 2021
Publication
Leading countries are developing clean energy to replace fossil fuels. In this context Russia is changing its energy policy towards fostering new energy resources such as hydrogen and helium. Hydrogen will not only contribute to Russia’s financial revenue by replacing natural gas but will also provide a basis for it to maintain its dominance over the international energy market by pioneering new energy markets. Russia is aiming to produce more than two million tons of hydrogen fuel for export to Europe and Asia by 2035. However it is facing many challenges including developing hydrogen fuel storage systems acquiring the technology required for exporting hydrogen and building trust in the fuel market. Meanwhile South Korea has a foundation for developing a hydrogen industry as it has the highest capacity in the world to produce fuel cells and the ability to manufacture LNG: (liquefied natural gas) carriers. Therefore South Korea and Russia have sufficient potential to create a new complementary and reciprocal cooperation model in the hydrogen fuel field. This study examines the present and future of Russia’s energy policy in this area as well as discusses South Korea and Russia’s cooperation plans in the hydrogen fuel sector and the related implications.
Is a 100% Renewable European Power System Feasible by 2050?
Nov 2018
Publication
In this study we model seven scenarios for the European power system in 2050 based on 100% renewable energy sources assuming different levels of future demand and technology availability and compare them with a scenario which includes low-carbon non-renewable technologies. We find that a 100% renewable European power system could operate with the same level of system adequacy as today when relying on European resources alone even in the most challenging weather year observed in the period from 1979 to 2015. However based on our scenario results realising such a system by 2050 would require: (i) a 90% increase in generation capacity to at least 1.9 TW (compared with 1 TW installed today) (ii) reliable cross-border transmission capacity at least 140GW higher than current levels (60 GW) (iii) the well-managed integration of heat pumps and electric vehicles into the power system to reduce demand peaks and biogas requirements (iv) the implementation of energy efficiency measures to avoid even larger increases in required biomass demand generation and transmission capacity (v) wind deployment levels of 7.5GWy−1 (currently 10.6GWy−1) to be maintained while solar photovoltaic deployment to increase to at least 15GWy−1 (currently 10.5GWy−1) (vi) large-scale mobilisation of Europe’s biomass resources with power sector biomass consumption reaching at least 8.5 EJ in the most challenging year (compared with 1.9 EJ today) and (vii) increasing solid biomass and biogas capacity deployment to at least 4GWy−1 and 6 GWy−1 respectively. We find that even when wind and solar photovoltaic capacity is installed in optimum locations the total cost of a 100% renewable power system (∼530 €bn y−1) would be approximately 30% higher than a power system which includes other low-carbon technologies such as nuclear or carbon capture and storage (∼410 €bn y−1). Furthermore a 100% renewable system may not deliver the level of emission reductions necessary to achieve Europe’s climate goals by 2050 as negative emissions from biomass with carbon capture and storage may still be required to offset an increase in indirect emissions or to realise more ambitious decarbonisation pathways.
Modelling a Highly Decarbonised North Sea Energy System in 2050: a Multinational Approach
Dec 2021
Publication
The North Sea region located in the Northwest of Europe is expected to be a frontrunner in the European energy transition. This paper aims to analyse different optimal system configurations in order to meet net-zero emission targets in 2050. Overall the paper presents two main contributions: first we develop and introduce the IESA-NS model. The IESA-NS model is an optimization integrated energy system model written as a linear problem. The IESA-NS model optimizes the long-term investment planning and short-term operation of seven North Sea region countries (Belgium Denmark Germany the Netherlands Norway Sweden and the United Kingdom). The model can optimize multiple years simultaneously accounts for all the national GHG emissions and includes a thorough representation of all the sectors of the energy system. Second we run several decarbonisation scenarios with net-zero emission targets in 2050. Relevant parameters varied to produce the scenarios include biomass availability VRE potentials low social acceptance of onshore VRE ban of CCUS or mitigation targets in international transport and industry feedstock. Results show a large use of hydrogen when international transport emissions are considered in the targets (5.6 EJ to 7.3 EJ). Electrolysis is the preferred pathway for hydrogen production (up to 6.4 EJ) far ahead of natural gas reforming (up to 2.2 EJ). Allowing offshore interconnectors (e.g. meshed offshore grid between the Netherlands Germany and the United Kingdom) permits to integrate larger amounts of offshore wind (122 GW to 191 GW of additional capacity compared to reference scenarios) while substantially increasing the cross-border interconnection capacities (up to 120 GW). All the biomass available is used in the scenarios across multiple end uses including biofuel production (up to 3.5 EJ) high temperature heat (up to 2.5 EJ) feedstock for industry (up to 2 EJ) residential heat (up to 600 PJ) and power generation (up to 900 PJ). In general most of the results justify the development of multinational energy system models in which the spatial coverage lays between national and continental models.
The Role of Hydrogen in the Visegrad Group Approach to Energy Transition
Oct 2022
Publication
Hydrogen is an energy carrier in which hopes are placed for an easier achievement of climate neutrality. Together with electrification energy efficiency development and RES hydrogen is expected to enable the ambitious energy goals of the European Green Deal. Hence the aim of the article is to query the development of the hydrogen economy in the Visegrad Group countries (V4). The study considers six diagnostic features: sources of hydrogen production hydrogen legislation financial mechanisms objectives included in the hydrogen strategy environmental impact of H2 and costs of green hydrogen investments. The analysis also allowed to indicate the role that hydrogen will play in the energy transition process of the V4 countries. The analysis shows that the V4 countries have similar approaches to the development of the hydrogen market but the hydrogen strategies published by each of the Visegrad countries are not the same. Each document sets goals based on the hydrogen production to date and the specifics of the domestic energy and transport sectors as there are no solutions that are equally effective for all. Poland’s hydrogen strategy definitely stands out the strongest.
Sufficiency, Sustainability, and Circularity of Critical Materials for Clean Hydrogen
Jan 2022
Publication
Effective global decarbonization will require an array of solutions across a portfolio of low-carbon resources. One such solution is developing clean hydrogen. This unique fuel has the potential to minimize climate change impacts helping decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy industry and global transport while also promoting energy security sustainable growth and job creation. The authors estimate suggest that hydrogen needs to grow seven-fold to support the global energy transition eventually accounting for ten percent of total energy consumption by 2050. A scaleup of this magnitude will increase demand for materials such as aluminum copper iridium nickel platinum vanadium and zinc to support hydrogen technologies - renewable electricity technologies and the electrolyzers for renewable hydrogen carbon storage for low-carbon hydrogen or fuel cells using hydrogen to power transport. This report a joint product of the World Bank and the Hydrogen Council examines these three critical areas. Using new data on the material intensities of key technologies the report estimates the amount of critical minerals needed to scale clean hydrogen. In addition it shows how incorporating sustainable practices and policies for mining and processing materials can help minimize environmental impacts. Key among these approaches is the use of recycled materials innovations in design in order to reduce material intensities and adoption of policies from the Climate Smart Mining (CSM) Framework to reduce impacts to greenhouse gas emissions and water footprint.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Hydrogen on a Global Scale
Aug 2022
Publication
On today’s episode of Everything About Hydrogen we are speaking with Dan Sadler Vice President for UK Low Carbon Solutions at Equinor. Equinor is of course a giant in the global energy sector and is taking a prominent role in the development of the international hydrogen economy with high-profile investments in a number of large-scale production projects in major markets such as the UK. Dan has spent the better part of a decade focused on how to leverage hydrogen’s potential as a fuel for the energy transition and we are excited to have him with us to discuss how Equinor is deploying hydrogen technologies and how he and Equinor expect hydrogen to play a role in a decarbonized energy future.
The podcast can be found on their website.
The podcast can be found on their website.
Quantifying the Potential of Renewable Natural Gas to Support a Reformed Energy Landscape: Estimates for New York State
Jun 2021
Publication
Public attention to climate change challenges our locked-in fossil fuel-dependent energy sector. Natural gas is replacing other fossil fuels in our energy mix. One way to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of fossil natural gas is to replace it with renewable natural gas (RNG). The benefits of utilizing RNG are that it has no climate change impact when combusted and utilized in the same applications as fossil natural gas. RNG can be injected into the gas grid used as a transportation fuel or used for heating and electricity generation. Less common applications include utilizing RNG to produce chemicals such as methanol dimethyl ether and ammonia. The GHG impact should be quantified before committing to RNG. This study quantifies the potential production of biogas (i.e. the precursor to RNG) and RNG from agricultural and waste sources in New York State (NYS). It is unique because it is the first study to provide this analysis. The results showed that only about 10% of the state’s resources are used to generate biogas of which a small fraction is processed to RNG on the only two operational RNG facilities in the state. The impact of incorporating a second renewable substitute for fossil natural gas “green” hydrogen is also analyzed. It revealed that injecting RNG and “green” hydrogen gas into the pipeline system can reduce up to 20% of the state’s carbon emissions resulting from fossil natural gas usage which is a significant GHG reduction. Policy analysis for NYS shows that several state and federal policies support RNG production. However the value of RNG can be increased 10-fold by applying a similar incentive policy to California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS).
Power-to-Gas Hydrogen: Techno-economic Assessment of Processes Towards a Multi-purpose Energy Carrier
Dec 2016
Publication
The present work investigates Power-to-Gas (PtG) options for variable Renewable Electricity storage into hydrogen through low temperature (alkaline and PEM) and high-temperature (SOEC) water electrolysis technologies. The study provides the assessment of the cost of the final product when hydrogen is employed for mobility (on-site refueling stations) electricity generation (by fuel cells in Power-to-Power systems) and grid injection in the natural gas network. Costs estimations are performed for 2013-2030 scenarios. A case study on the impact of variable Renewable Electricity storage by hydrogen generation on the Italian electricity and mobility sectors is presented.
Green Synthetic Fuels: Renewable Routes for the Conversion of Non-Fossil Feedstocks into Gaseous Fuels and Their End Uses
Jan 2020
Publication
Innovative renewable routes are potentially able to sustain the transition to a decarbonized energy economy. Green synthetic fuels including hydrogen and natural gas are considered viable alternatives to fossil fuels. Indeed they play a fundamental role in those sectors that are difficult to electrify (e.g. road mobility or high-heat industrial processes) are capable of mitigating problems related to flexibility and instantaneous balance of the electric grid are suitable for large-size and long-term storage and can be transported through the gas network. This article is an overview of the overall supply chain including production transport storage and end uses. Available fuel conversion technologies use renewable energy for the catalytic conversion of non-fossil feedstocks into hydrogen and syngas. We will show how relevant technologies involve thermochemical electrochemical and photochemical processes. The syngas quality can be improved by catalytic CO and CO2 methanation reactions for the generation of synthetic natural gas. Finally the produced gaseous fuels could follow several pathways for transport and lead to different final uses. Therefore storage alternatives and gas interchangeability requirements for the safe injection of green fuels in the natural gas network and fuel cells are outlined. Nevertheless the effects of gas quality on combustion emissions and safety are considered.
Role of Hydrogen-based Energy Carriers as an Alternative Option to Reduce Residual Emissions Associated with Mid-century Decarbonization Goals
Mar 2022
Publication
Hydrogen-based energy carriers including hydrogen ammonia and synthetic hydrocarbons are expected to help reduce residual carbon dioxide emissions in the context of the Paris Agreement goals although their potential has not yet been fully clarified in light of their competitiveness and complementarity with other mitigation options such as electricity biofuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS). This study aimed to explore the role of hydrogen in the global energy system under various mitigation scenarios and technology portfolios using a detailed energy system model that considers various energy technologies including the conversion and use of hydrogen-based energy carriers. The results indicate that the share of hydrogen-based energy carriers generally remains less than 5% of global final energy demand by 2050 in the 2 ◦C scenarios. Nevertheless such carriers contribute to removal of residual emissions from the industry and transport sectors under specific conditions. Their share increases to 10–15% under stringent mitigation scenarios corresponding to 1.5 ◦C warming and scenarios without CCS. The transport sector is the largest consumer accounting for half or more of hydrogen production followed by the industry and power sectors. In addition to direct usage of hydrogen and ammonia synthetic hydrocarbons converted from hydrogen and carbon captured from biomass or direct air capture are attractive transport fuels growing to half of all hydrogen-based energy carriers. Upscaling of electrification and biofuels is another common cost-effective strategy revealing the importance of holistic policy design rather than heavy reliance on hydrogen.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Venturing into Hydrogen
Apr 2021
Publication
Since 2014 when the firm was founded within Anglo-American AP Ventures has been at the forefront of investment in hydrogen sector technologies. At the time the firm started the concerns around climate change and investment in renewable energy tech was gearing up but interest in hydrogen as part of the path to a decarbonized future was limited. The founders of AP Ventures felt differently and saw significant potential for hydrogen to offer a means for cleaning up highly carbon intensive sectors such as heavy transport industrial manufacturing and mining operations. Today that vision for hydrogen appears rather prescient. We are delighted to have two members from the team at AP Ventures with us on the show today. The team is joined by Kevin Eggers - a founding partner at AP - and Michell Robson - associate on the firm's investment team.
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
The Role of Hydrocarbons in the Global Energy Agenda: The Focus on Liquefied Natural Gas
May 2020
Publication
Presently there is a paradoxical situation in the global energy market related to a gap between the image of hydrocarbon resources (HCR) and their real value for the economy. On the one hand we face an increase in expected HCR production and consumption volumes both in the short and long term. On the other hand we see the formation of the image of HCR and associated technologies as an unacceptable option without enough attention to the differences in fuels and the ways of their usage. Due to this it seems necessary to take a step back to review the vitality of such a political line. This article highlights an alternative point of view with regard to energy development prospects. The purpose of this article is to analyse the consistency of criticism towards HCR based on exploration of scientific literature analytical documents of international corporations and energy companies as well as critical assessment of technologies offered for the HCR substitution. The analysis showed that: (1) it is impossible to substitute the majority of HCR with alternative power resources in the near term (2) it is essential that the criticism of energy companies with regard to their responsibility for climate change should lead not to destruction of the industry but to the search of sustainable means for its development (3) the strategic benchmarks of oil and coal industries should shift towards chemical production but their significance should not be downgraded for the energy sector (4) liquified natural gas (LNG) is an independent industry with the highest expansion potential in global markets in the coming years as compared to alternative energy options and (5) Russia possesses a huge potential for the development of the gas industry and particularly LNG that will be unlocked if timely measures on higher efficiency of the state regulation system are implemented.
Options for Producing Low-carbon Hydrogen at Scale
Feb 2018
Publication
Low-carbon hydrogen has the potential to play a significant role in tackling climate change and poor air quality. This policy briefing considers how hydrogen could be produced at a useful scale to power vehicles heat homes and supply industrial processes.
Four groups of hydrogen production technologies are examined:
Thermochemical Routes to Hydrogen
These methods typically use heat and fossil fuels. Steam methane reforming is the dominant commercial technology and currently produces hydrogen on a large scale but is not currently low carbon. Carbon capture is therefore essential with this process. Innovative technology developments may also help and research is underway. Alternative thermal methods of creating hydrogen indicate biomass gasification has potential. Other techniques at a low technology readiness level include separation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons using microwaves.
Electrolytic Routes to Hydrogen
Electrolytic hydrogen production also known as electrolysis splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity in an electrolysis cell. Electrolysis produces pure hydrogen which is ideal for low temperature fuel cells for example in electric vehicles. Commercial electrolysers are on the market and have been in use for many years. Further technology developments will enable new generation electrolysers to be commercially competitive when used at scale with fluctuating renewable energy sources.
Biological Routes to Hydrogen
Biological routes usually involve the conversion of biomass to hydrogen and other valuable end products using microbial processes. Methods such as anaerobic digestion are feasible now at a laboratory and small pilot scale. This technology may prove to have additional or greater impact and value as route for the production of high value chemicals within a biorefinery concept.
Solar to Fuels Routes to Hydrogen
A number of experimental techniques have been reported the most developed of which is ‘solar to fuels’ - a suite of technologies that typically split water into hydrogen and oxygen using solar energy. These methods have close parallels with the process of photosynthesis and are often referred to as ‘artificial photosynthesis’ processes. The research is promising though views are divided on its ultimate utility. Competition for space will always limit the scale up of solar to fuels.
The briefing concludes that steam methane reforming and electrolysis are the most likely technologies to be deployed to produce low-carbon hydrogen at volume in the near to mid-term providing that the challenges of high levels of carbon capture (for steam methane reforming) and cost reduction and renewable energy sources (for electrolysis) can be overcome.
Four groups of hydrogen production technologies are examined:
Thermochemical Routes to Hydrogen
These methods typically use heat and fossil fuels. Steam methane reforming is the dominant commercial technology and currently produces hydrogen on a large scale but is not currently low carbon. Carbon capture is therefore essential with this process. Innovative technology developments may also help and research is underway. Alternative thermal methods of creating hydrogen indicate biomass gasification has potential. Other techniques at a low technology readiness level include separation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons using microwaves.
Electrolytic Routes to Hydrogen
Electrolytic hydrogen production also known as electrolysis splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity in an electrolysis cell. Electrolysis produces pure hydrogen which is ideal for low temperature fuel cells for example in electric vehicles. Commercial electrolysers are on the market and have been in use for many years. Further technology developments will enable new generation electrolysers to be commercially competitive when used at scale with fluctuating renewable energy sources.
Biological Routes to Hydrogen
Biological routes usually involve the conversion of biomass to hydrogen and other valuable end products using microbial processes. Methods such as anaerobic digestion are feasible now at a laboratory and small pilot scale. This technology may prove to have additional or greater impact and value as route for the production of high value chemicals within a biorefinery concept.
Solar to Fuels Routes to Hydrogen
A number of experimental techniques have been reported the most developed of which is ‘solar to fuels’ - a suite of technologies that typically split water into hydrogen and oxygen using solar energy. These methods have close parallels with the process of photosynthesis and are often referred to as ‘artificial photosynthesis’ processes. The research is promising though views are divided on its ultimate utility. Competition for space will always limit the scale up of solar to fuels.
The briefing concludes that steam methane reforming and electrolysis are the most likely technologies to be deployed to produce low-carbon hydrogen at volume in the near to mid-term providing that the challenges of high levels of carbon capture (for steam methane reforming) and cost reduction and renewable energy sources (for electrolysis) can be overcome.
Gas Goes Green: Tomorrow's Heat, Today's Opportunity
Sep 2021
Publication
Cutting-edge world-leading energy network innovation is vital to ensuring that our economy can continue to access the energy it needs to safeguard jobs and to maintain our international competitiveness as the world goes through decarbonisation. In this report we build on the 2020 Gas Goes Green Zero Carbon Commitment to set out the scale of investment that Britain’s gas networks wish to deliver to hydrogen innovation projects and preparing the gas networks. This work will be focused over the next ten years creating highly-skilled high-tech green jobs through investment and ensuring that the impact of that innovation is felt in communities across the UK.
Challenges Toward Achieving a Successful Hydrogen Economy in the US: Potential End-use and Infrastructure Analysis to the Year 2100
Jul 2022
Publication
Fossil fuels continue to exacerbate climate change due to large carbon emissions resulting from their use across a number of sectors. An energy transition away from fossil fuels seems inevitable and energy sources such as renewables and hydrogen may provide a low carbon alternative for the future energy system particularly in large emitting nations such as the United States. This research quantifies and maps potential hydrogen fuel distribution pathways for the continental US reflecting technological changes barriers to deployment and end-use-cases from 2020 to 2100 clarifying the potential role of hydrogen in the US energy transition. The methodology consists of two parts a linear optimization of the global energy system constrained by carbon reduction targets and system cost followed by a projection of hydrogen infrastructure development. Key findings include the emergence of trade pattern diversification with a greater variety of end-uses associated with imported fuels and greater annual hydrogen consumption over time. Further sensitivity analysis identified the influence of complementary technologies including nuclear power and carbon capture and storage technologies. We conclude that hydrogen penetration into the US energy system is economically viable and can contribute toward achieving Paris Agreement and more aggressive carbon reduction targets in the future.
Impact and Challenges of Reducing Petroleum Consumption for Decarbonization
Apr 2022
Publication
This study aimed to identify the impact of achieving the 1.5 ◦C target on the petroleum supply chain in Japan and discuss the feasibility and challenges of decarbonization. First a national material flow was established for the petroleum supply chain in Japan including processes for crude petroleum refining petroleum product manufacturing plastic resin and product manufacturing and by-product manufacturing. In particular by-product manufacturing processes such as hydrogen gaseous carbon dioxide and sulfur were selected because they are utilized in other industries. Next the outlook for the production of plastic resin hydrogen dry ice produced from carbon dioxide gas and sulfur until 2050 was estimated for reducing petroleum consumption required to achieve the 1.5 ◦C target. As a result national petroleum treatment is expected to reduce from 177048.00 thousand kl in 2019 to 126643.00 thousand kl in 2030 if the reduction in petroleum consumption is established. Along with this decrease plastic resin production is expected to decrease from 10500.00 thousand ton in 2019 to 7511.00 thousand ton by 2030. Conversely the plastic market is expected to grow steadily and the estimated plastic resin production in 2030 is expected to be 20079.00 thousand ton. This result indicates that there is a large output gap between plastic supply and demand. To mitigate this gap strongly promoting the recycling of waste plastics and making the price competitiveness of biomass plastics equal to that of petroleum-derived plastics are necessary
Decarbonising Heat in Buildings: Putting Consumers First
Apr 2021
Publication
From an evaluation of the GB housing stock it is clear that a mosaic of low carbon heating technologies will be needed to reach net zero. While heat pumps are an important component of this mix our analysis shows that it is likely to be impractical to heat many GB homes with heat pumps only. A combination of lack of exterior space and/or the thermal properties of the building fabric mean that a heat pump is not capable of meeting the space heating requirement of 8 to 12m homes (or 37% to 54% of the 22.7m homes assessed in this report) or can do so only through the installation of highly disruptive and intrusive measures such as solid wall insulation. Hybrid heat pumps that are designed to optimise efficiency of the system do not have the same requirements of a heat pump and may be a suitable solution for some of these homes. This is likely to mean that decarbonised gas networks are therefore critical to delivery of net zero. 3 to 4m homes1 (or 14% to 18% of homes assessed in our analysis) could be made suitable for heat pump retrofit through energy efficiency measures such as cavity wall insulation. For 7 to 10m homes there are no limiting factors and they require minimal/no upgrade requirements to be made heat pump-ready. Nevertheless given firstly the levels of disruption to the floors and interiors of homes caused by the installation of heat pumps and secondly the cost and disruption associated with the requirement to significantly upgrade the electricity distribution networks to cope with large numbers of heat pumps operating at peak demand times - combined with the availability of a decarbonised gas network which requires a simple like-for-like boiler replacement - is likely to mean that many of these ‘swing’ properties will be better served through a gas based technology such as hydrogen (particularly when consumer choice is factored in) or a hybrid system. A recent trial run in winter 2018-19 by the Energy System Catapult revealed that all participants were reluctant to make expensive investments to improve the energy efficiency of their homes just to enhance the performance of their heat pump. They were more interested in less costly upgrades and tangible benefits such as lower bills or greater comfort. This means that renewable gases including hydrogen as heating fuels are a crucial component of the journey to net zero and the UK’s hydrogen ambitions should be reflective of this. The analysis presented in this paper focuses on the external fabric of the buildings further analysis should be undertaken to consider the internal system changes that would be required for heat pumps and hydrogen boilers for example BEIS Domestic Heat Distribution Systems: Gathering Report from February 2021 which considers the suitability of radiators for the low carbon transition.
The Upfront Cost of Decarbonising Your Home
Nov 2021
Publication
The objective of this report is to analyse the upfront capital costs facing consumers when considering the installation of new low carbon heating technology solutions for their homes today including the cost of any associated home upgrades that will likely be required. The UK Government have recently published its Heat and Buildings Strategy which sets out plans to significantly cut carbon emissions from the existing housing stock and new homes. Whilst the Strategy points to a future role for a variety of technologies such as heat pumps hydrogen and heat networks the success of this Strategy will largely be determined by the ability to achieve installed cost reductions for heat pumps of at least 25-50% by 2025 with the view to achieving cost parity with a gas boiler by 2030. The purpose of this report is to launch a series which tracks the upfront costs of these respective technologies over time to establish whether the cost reduction targets mooted by government and heat pump stakeholders are being delivered and the implications this has on our ability to decarbonise the UK housing stock.
Global Gas Report 2022
May 2022
Publication
This edition of the Global Gas Report covers two very turbulent years in the global gas industry and the wider global energy markets. The Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns with a brief period of excess supply and low prices gave way to tight energy markets extreme price volatility and a compounding geopolitical challenge to energy security. At the time of writing the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has been affecting the flows of gas and has put Europe on a quest to diversify its energy and gas supply that is now opening a new paradigm in the energy industry. This report comes at a time when the situation for global commodity and gas markets is in a state of rapid change and the strategic path forwards for the gas industry and energy policy-makers is continually developing. One thing is clear this is a critical and decisive moment for the gas industry. How it navigates the way through this crisis and charts a path forward will shape its long-term success and the role that it will play in the energy transition and beyond. This is the moment for the gas industry to demonstrate that gas can deliver a sustainable and secure energy future for all and that natural gas and a portfolio of decarbonized low- and zero-carbon gases are key to an achievable energy transition. This year’s report assesses key gas market trends from 2020 and 2021 including Covid-19 outcomes tightness of supply price volatility investments and the upward reversal in the global emissions trend. It then turns to the main topic on the global energy agenda – security – and considers key variables impacting it from industry and policy perspectives as well as considering possible paths to reinforce it. Finally the report looks at the main decarbonization pathways for gas supply as they progressively develop to make gas itself a low or zero-carbon fuel for the future. This report seeks to deliver insights about the global gas sector and to inform its stakeholders partners and importantly global decision-makers about the state of play today and possibilities for the future. It concludes with key insights on how sustainability security and competitiveness can help to deliver a sustainable future in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Hydrogen Technology: The Engineer's Perspective
Sep 2020
Publication
The team are joined by Dr. Jenifer Baxter of the Institution for Mechanical Engineers (IMECHE). Dr. Baxter is based in the UK and is the Chief Engineer at IMECHE. We often focus heavily on the business cases and development models at the heart of the hydrogen economy here at EAH. On this episode we bring the technical discussion to the forefront and speak with Dr. Baxter about the technical advantages and the challenges that hydrogen presents as an essential part of the path to decarbonizing the future. The team's conversation is a can't miss exploration of a wide range of potential applications for hydrogen technologies that brings a new and essential perspective to the podcast. Don't miss out on EAH's newest episode where we get the engineer's perspective on the future of hydrogen!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Our Green Print: Future Heat for Everyone
Jul 2021
Publication
Green Print - Future Heat for Everyone draws together technical consumer and economic considerations to create a pioneering plan to transition 22 million UK homes to low carbon heat by 2050.<br/>Our Green Print underlines the scale of the challenge ahead acknowledging that a mosaic of low carbon heating solutions will be required to meet the needs of individual communities and setting out 12 key steps that can be taken now in order to get us there<br/>The Climate Change Committee (CCC) estimates an investment spend of £250bn to upgrade insulation and heating in homes as well as provide the infrastructure to deliver the energy.<br/>This is a task of unprecedented scale the equivalent of retro-fitting 67000 homes every month from now until 2050. In this Report Cadent takes the industry lead in addressing the challenge.
Future Hydrogen Markets for Transportation and Industry: The Impact of CO2 Taxes
Dec 2019
Publication
The technological lock-in of the transportation and industrial sector can be largely attributed to the limited availability of alternative fuel infrastructures. Herein a countrywide supply chain analysis of Germany spanning until 2050 is applied to investigate promising infrastructure development pathways and associated hydrogen distribution costs for each analyzed hydrogen market. Analyzed supply chain pathways include seasonal storage to balance fluctuating renewable power generation with necessary purification as well as trailer- and pipeline-based hydrogen delivery. The analysis encompasses green hydrogen feedstock in the chemical industry and fuel cell-based mobility applications such as local buses non-electrified regional trains material handling vehicles and trucks as well as passenger cars. Our results indicate that the utilization of low-cost long-term storage and improved refueling station utilization have the highest impact during the market introduction phase. We find that public transport and captive fleets offer a cost-efficient countrywide renewable hydrogen supply roll-out option. Furthermore we show that at comparable effective carbon tax resulting from the current energy tax rates in Germany hydrogen is cost-competitive in the transportation sector by the year 2025. Moreover we show that sector-specific CO2 taxes are required to provide a cost-competitive green hydrogen supply in both the transportation and industrial sectors.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Geopolitical Factors in Hydrogen Markets
Mar 2022
Publication
The EAH Team takes a break from standard format on this special episode of Everything About Hydrogen to discuss some of the geopolitical factors and considerations driving the evolution of global hydrogen markets.
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Webinar to Launch New Hydrogen Economy - Hope or Hype?
Jun 2019
Publication
On 26 June the World Energy Council held a webinar presenting the results of its latest Innovation Insights Brief on hydrogen engaging three key experts on the topic:
Nigel Brandon Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Imperial College London
Craig Knight Director of Industrial Solutions Horizon Fuel Cell Technology
Dan Sadler H21 Project Manager for Equinor
During the webinar the experts answered a series of policy technical and safety questions from the audience. The webinar started with a poll to get a sense of which sectors attendees saw hydrogen playing a key role in 2040 - 77% chose industrial processes 54% mobility and 31% power generation. The questions ranged from the opportunities and limitations of blending hydrogen with natural gas to safety concerns surrounding hydrogen.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
How much hydrogen can be blended with natural gas depends on the rules and regulation of each country. The general consensus is that blending 10% by volume of hydrogen presents no safety concerns or specific difficulties. This would provide an opportunity to develop low hydrogen markets. Nevertheless blending should not be the end destination. It is not sufficient to meet carbon abatement targets.
Low carbon ammonia has a role to play in the new hydrogen economy. It is a proven and understood technology which is easier to move around the world and could be used directly as ammonia or cracked back into hydrogen.
One of the main focus today should be to replace grey hydrogen with green hydrogen in existing supply chains as there would be no efficiency losses in the process.
In China the push for hydrogen is transport-related. This is driven by air quality and energy independence concerns. In the next 10 years the full life cost of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is expected to be lower than for internal combustion engines. This is due to the fact that FCEVs require less maintenance and that the residual value in the fuel cells is relatively high. At the end of life 95% of the platinum in fuel cells can be repurposed.
FCEVs should not be regarded as competing with battery electric vehicles they sit next to each other on product maps. FCEVs can benefit from the all of the advances in electric drive train systems and electric motors.
To close the webinar attendees were asked whether hydrogen was going through another hype cycle or if it was here to stay. 10% answered hype and 90% here to stay.
Nigel Brandon Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Imperial College London
Craig Knight Director of Industrial Solutions Horizon Fuel Cell Technology
Dan Sadler H21 Project Manager for Equinor
During the webinar the experts answered a series of policy technical and safety questions from the audience. The webinar started with a poll to get a sense of which sectors attendees saw hydrogen playing a key role in 2040 - 77% chose industrial processes 54% mobility and 31% power generation. The questions ranged from the opportunities and limitations of blending hydrogen with natural gas to safety concerns surrounding hydrogen.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
How much hydrogen can be blended with natural gas depends on the rules and regulation of each country. The general consensus is that blending 10% by volume of hydrogen presents no safety concerns or specific difficulties. This would provide an opportunity to develop low hydrogen markets. Nevertheless blending should not be the end destination. It is not sufficient to meet carbon abatement targets.
Low carbon ammonia has a role to play in the new hydrogen economy. It is a proven and understood technology which is easier to move around the world and could be used directly as ammonia or cracked back into hydrogen.
One of the main focus today should be to replace grey hydrogen with green hydrogen in existing supply chains as there would be no efficiency losses in the process.
In China the push for hydrogen is transport-related. This is driven by air quality and energy independence concerns. In the next 10 years the full life cost of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is expected to be lower than for internal combustion engines. This is due to the fact that FCEVs require less maintenance and that the residual value in the fuel cells is relatively high. At the end of life 95% of the platinum in fuel cells can be repurposed.
FCEVs should not be regarded as competing with battery electric vehicles they sit next to each other on product maps. FCEVs can benefit from the all of the advances in electric drive train systems and electric motors.
To close the webinar attendees were asked whether hydrogen was going through another hype cycle or if it was here to stay. 10% answered hype and 90% here to stay.
How Knowledge about or Experience with Hydrogen Fueling Stations Improves Their Public Acceptance
Nov 2019
Publication
Hydrogen which is expected to be a popular type of next-generation energy is drawing attention as a fuel option for the formation of a low-carbon society. Because hydrogen energy is different in nature from existing energy technologies it is necessary to promote sufficient social recognition and acceptability of the technology for its widespread use. In this study we focused on the effect of initiatives to improve awareness of hydrogen energy technology thereby investigating the acceptability of hydrogen energy to those participating in either several hydrogen energy technology introduction events or professional seminars. According to the survey results participants in the technology introduction events tended to have lower levels of hydrogen and hydrogen energy technology knowledge than did participants in the hydrogen-energy-related seminars but confidence in the technology and acceptability of the installation of hydrogen stations near their own residences tended to be higher. It was suggested that knowledge about hydrogen and technology could lead to improved acceptability through improved levels of trust in the technology. On the other hand social benefits such as those for the environment socioeconomics and energy security have little impact on individual levels of acceptance of new technology.
Is Blue Hydrogen a Bridging Technology? - The Limits of a CO2 Price and the Role of State-induced Price Components for Green Hydrogen Production in Germany
Jun 2022
Publication
The European Commission aims to establish green hydrogen produced through electrolysis using renewable electricity and in a transition phase hydrogen produced in a low-carbon process or blue hydrogen. In an extensive cost analysis for Germany up to 2050 based on scenario data and a component-based learning rate approach we find that blue hydrogen is likely to establish itself as the most cost-effective option and not only as a medium-term low-carbon alternative. We find that expected CO2 prices below €480/tCO2 have a limited impact on the economic feasibility of electrolysis and show that substantial increases in excise tax on natural gas could lead blue hydrogen to reach a sufficient cost level for electrolysed hydrogen. Unless alternatives for green hydrogen supply through infrastructure and imports become available at lower cost electrolysed hydrogen may require long-term subsidies. As blue hydrogen comprises fugitive methane emissions and financing needs for green hydrogen support have implications for society and competition in the internal market we suggest that policymakers rely on hydrogen for decarbonising only essential energy applications. We recommend further investigations into the cost of hydrogen infrastructure and import options as well as efficient subsidy frameworks.
Energy Innovation Needs Assessment: Heating Cooling
Nov 2019
Publication
The Energy Innovation Needs Assessment (EINA) aims to identify the key innovation needs across the UK’s energy system to inform the prioritisation of public sector investment in low-carbon innovation. Using an analytical methodology developed by the Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) the EINA takes a systemlevel approach and values innovations in a technology in terms of the system-level benefits a technology innovation provides.1. This whole system modelling in line with BEIS’s EINA methodology was delivered by the Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) using the Energy System Modelling Environment (ESMETM) as the primary modelling tool.
To support the overall prioritisation of innovation activity the EINA process analyses key technologies in more detail. These technologies are grouped together into sub-themes according to the primary role they fulfil in the energy system. For key technologies within a sub-theme innovations and business opportunities are identified. The main findings at the technology level are summarised in sub-theme reports. An overview report will combine the findings from each sub-theme to provide a broad system-level perspective and prioritisation.
This EINA analysis is based on a combination of desk research by a consortium of economic and engineering consultants and stakeholder engagement. The prioritisation of innovation and business opportunities presented is informed by a workshop organised for each sub-theme assembling key stakeholders from the academic community industry and government.
This report was commissioned prior to advice being received from the CCC on meeting a net zero target and reflects priorities to meet the previous 80% target in 2050. The newly legislated net zero target is not expected to change the set of innovation priorities rather it will make them all more valuable overall. Further work is required to assess detailed implications.
To support the overall prioritisation of innovation activity the EINA process analyses key technologies in more detail. These technologies are grouped together into sub-themes according to the primary role they fulfil in the energy system. For key technologies within a sub-theme innovations and business opportunities are identified. The main findings at the technology level are summarised in sub-theme reports. An overview report will combine the findings from each sub-theme to provide a broad system-level perspective and prioritisation.
This EINA analysis is based on a combination of desk research by a consortium of economic and engineering consultants and stakeholder engagement. The prioritisation of innovation and business opportunities presented is informed by a workshop organised for each sub-theme assembling key stakeholders from the academic community industry and government.
This report was commissioned prior to advice being received from the CCC on meeting a net zero target and reflects priorities to meet the previous 80% target in 2050. The newly legislated net zero target is not expected to change the set of innovation priorities rather it will make them all more valuable overall. Further work is required to assess detailed implications.
Investigating the Implications of a New-build Hybrid Power System for Roll-on/Roll-off Cargo Ships from a Sustainability Perspective – A Life Cycle Assessment Case Study
Aug 2016
Publication
Marine transport has been essential for international trade. Concern for its environmental impact was growing among regulators classification societies ship operators ship owners and other stakeholders. By applying life cycle assessment this article aimed to assess the impact of a new-build hybrid system (i.e. an electric power system which incorporated lithium ion batteries photovoltaic systems and cold-ironing) designed for Roll-on/Roll-off cargo ships. The study was carried out based on a bottom-up integrated system approach using the optimised operational profile and background information for manufacturing processes mass breakdown and end of life management plans. Resources such as metallic and non-metallic materials and energy required for manufacture operation maintenance dismantling and scrap handling were estimated. During operation 1.76 x 10^8 kg of marine diesel oil was burned releasing carbon monoxide carbon dioxide particulate matter hydrocarbons nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide which ranged 5–8 orders of magnitude. The operation of diesel gensets was the primary cause of impact categories that were relevant to particulate matter or respiratory inorganic health issues photochemical ozone creation eutrophication acidification global warming and human toxicity. Disposing metallic scrap was accountable for the most significant impact category ecotoxicity potential. The environmental benefits of the hybrid power system in most impact categories were verified in comparison with a conventional power system onboard cargo ships. The estimated results for individual impact categories were verified using scenario analysis. The study concluded that the life cycle of a new-build hybrid power system would result in significant impact on the environment human beings and natural reserves and therefore proper management of such a system was imperative.
Exergy as Criteria for Efficient energy Systems - Maximising Energy Efficiency from Resource to Energy Service, an Austrian Case Study
Sep 2021
Publication
The EU aims for complete decarbonisation. Therefore renewable generation must be massively expanded and the energy and exergy efficiency of the entire system must be significantly increased. To increase exergy efficiency a holistic consideration of the energy system is necessary. This work analyses the optimal technology mix to maximise exergy efficiency in a fully decarbonised energy system. An exergy-based optimisation model is presented and analysed. It considers both the energy supply system and the final energy application. The optimisation is using Austria as a case study with targeted renewable generation capacities of 2030. The results show that despite this massive expansion and the maximum exergy efficiency about half of the primary energy still be imported. Overall exergy efficiency can be raised from today's 34% (Sejkora et al. 2020) to 56%. The major increase in exergy efficiency is achieved in the areas of heat supply (via complete excess heat utilisation and heat pumps) and transport (via electric and fuel cell drives). The investigated exergy optimisation results in an increase of the final electrical energy demand by 44% compared to the current situation. This increase leads to mainly positive residual loads despite a significant expansion of renewable generation. Negative residual loads are used to provide heat and hydrogen.
Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener
Oct 2021
Publication
Last year the Prime Minister set out his 10 point plan for a green industrial revolution laying the foundations for a green economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 with the UK at the forefront of the growing global green economy.
This strategy builds on that approach to keep us on track for UK carbon budgets our 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution and net zero by 2050. It includes:
This strategy builds on that approach to keep us on track for UK carbon budgets our 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution and net zero by 2050. It includes:
- our decarbonisation pathways to net zero by 2050 including illustrative scenarios
- policies and proposals to reduce emissions for each sector
- cross-cutting action to support the transition.
Future Heat Series Part 1 - Pathways for Heat
Nov 2014
Publication
Together the pathways examined in the report paint a picture of the nationwide transformation getting underway in how we heat our homes and buildings. The report identifies that by 2050 gas used to heat buildings could fall by 75-95% electricity increase from a 10% share today to 30-80% and district heat increase from less than 2% to up to a 40% share. At the same time energy efficiency could help to lower bills and offset the expected growth in our heating needs from an expanding population and building stock. Across most pathways examined in the report mass deployment of low carbon heat solutions ramps up in the lead-in to 2030. Carbon Connect’s overarching recommendation is that the next decade should be spent preparing by developing a robust strategy for decarbonising heat in buildings whilst testing and scaling up delivery models. The report calls for the next Government to prioritise these preparations in the same way that preparing for power sector decarbonisation has been the overriding focus of energy policy in the past decade. The Future Heat Series brings together politicians policy and academic experts and industry leaders. Together this coalition of key figures is taking stock of evidence progressing the policy debate in an open and constructive forum and building consensus for prioritising and transforming heat. Pathways for Heat is the first part of the Future Heat Series and presents six recommendations and over twenty findings.
In the Green? Perceptions of Hydrogen Production Methods Among the Norwegian Public
Feb 2023
Publication
This article presents findings from a representative survey fielded through the Norwegian Citizen Panel examining public perceptions of hydrogen fuel and its different production methods. Although several countries including Norway have strategies to increase the production of hydrogen fuel our results indicate that hydrogen as an energy carrier and its different production methods are still unknown to a large part of the public. A common misunderstanding seems to be confusing ‘hydrogen fuel’ in general with environmentally friendly ‘green hydrogen’. Results from a survey experiment (N = 1906) show that production method is important for public acceptance. On a five-point acceptance scale respondents score on average 3.9 for ‘green’ hydrogen which is produced from renewable energy sources. The level of acceptance is significantly lower for ‘blue’ (3.2) and ‘grey’ (2.3) hydrogen when respondents are informed that these are produced from coal oil or natural gas. Public support for hydrogen fuel in general as well as the different production methods is also related to their level of worry about climate change gender and political affiliation. Widespread misunderstandings regarding ‘green’ hydrogen production could potentially fuel public resistance as new ‘blue’ or ‘grey’ projects develop. Our results indicate a need for clearer communication from the government and developers regarding production methods to avoid distrust and potential public backfire.
Renewable Hydrogen Supply Chains: A Planning Matrix and an Agenda for Future Research
Oct 2022
Publication
Worldwide energy systems are experiencing a transition to more sustainable systems. According to the Hydrogen Roadmap Europe (FCH EU 2019) hydrogen will play an important role in future energy systems due to its ability to support sustainability goals and will account for approximately 13% of the total energy mix in the coming future. Correct hydrogen supply chain (HSC) planning is therefore vital to enable a sustainable transition. However due to the operational characteristics of the HSC its planning is complicated. Renewable hydrogen supply can be diverse: Hydrogen can be produced de-centrally with renewables such as wind and solar energy or centrally by using electricity generated from a hydro power plant with a large volume. Similarly demand for hydrogen can also be diverse with many new applications such as fuels for fuel cell electrical vehicles and electricity generation feedstocks in industrial processes and heating for buildings. The HSC consists of various stages (production storage distribution and applications) in different forms with strong interdependencies which further increase HSC complexity. Finally planning of an HSC depends on the status of hydrogen adoption and market development and on how mature technologies are and both factors are characterised by high uncertainties. Directly adapting the traditional approaches of supply chain planning for HSCs is insufficient. Therefore in this study we develop a planning matrix with related planning tasks leveraging a systematic literature review to cope with the characteristics of HSCs. We focus only on renewable hydrogen due to its relevance to the future low-carbon economy. Furthermore we outline an agenda for future research from the supply chain management perspective in order to support HSC development considering the different phases of HSCs adoption and market development.
Nuclear Cogeneration: Civil Nuclear Energy in a Low-carbon Future
Oct 2020
Publication
This policy briefing considers how the use of nuclear energy could be expanded to make the most of the energy produced and also to have the flexibility to complement an energy system with a growing input of intermittent renewable energy.<br/>What is nuclear cogeneration?<br/>Nuclear cogeneration is where the heat generated by a nuclear power station is used not only to generate electricity but to address some of the ‘difficult to decarbonise’ energy demands such as domestic heating and hydrogen production. It also enables a nuclear plant to be used more flexibly by switching between electricity generation and cogeneration applications.<br/>Applications for nuclear cogeneration<br/>Heat generated by civil nuclear reactors can be extracted at two different points for applications requiring either low-temperature or high-temperature heat. Each application differs in many aspects of operation and have different challenges.<br/>Low-temperature cogeneration<br/>Applications for the lower temperature ‘waste’ heat include:<br/>District heating<br/>Seawater desalination<br/>Low-temperature industrial process heating<br/>High-temperature cogeneration<br/>Higher temperature heat can be accessed earlier and used for:<br/>High-temperature industrial process heating<br/>Hydrogen production<br/>Sustainable synthetic fuel production<br/>Direct air capture<br/>Thermal energy storage<br/>Challenges of cogeneration systems<br/>Whilst some nuclear cogeneration applications have been employed in many countries the economic benefit of widescale nuclear cogeneration needs to be determined. However if the construction cost reductions for small modular reactors (SMRs) can be realised and the regulation and licencing processes streamlined then the additional revenue benefits of cogeneration could be material for SMRs and for the future of nuclear generation in the UK.<br/>Other outstanding issues include the ownership of reactors the future demand for hydrogen and other cogeneration products at a regional national and international level and the cost of carbon and dependable power.
Promising Technology Analysis and Patent Roadmap Development in the Hydrogen Supply Chain
Oct 2022
Publication
Hydrogen energy one of the energy sources of the future represents a substantial issue which affects the industries and national technologies that will develop in the future. In order to utilize hydrogen energy a hydrogen supply chain is required so that hydrogen can be processed and transported to vehicles. It is helpful for technology and policy development to analyze technologies necessary to charge the hydrogen energy generated into vehicles through the supply chain to discover technologies with high potential for future development. The purpose of this paper is to identify promising technologies required in storing transporting and charging vehicles generated by the hydrogen fuel supply chain. Afterward the promising technologies identified are expected to help researchers set a direction in researching technologies and developing related policies. Therefore we provide technology information that can be used promisingly in the future so that researchers in the related field can utilize it effectively. In this paper data analysis is performed using related patents and research papers for technical analysis. Promising technologies that will be the core of the hydrogen fuel supply chain in the future were identified using the published patents and research paper database (DB) in Korea the United States Europe China and Japan. A text mining technique was applied to preprocess data and then a generic topographic map (GTM) analysis discovered promising technologies. Then a technology roadmap was identified by analyzing the promising technology derived from patents and research papers in parallel. In this study through the analysis of patents and research papers related to the hydrogen supply chain the development status of hydrogen storage/transport/charging technology was analyzed and promising technologies with high potential for future development were found. The technology roadmap derived from the analysis can help researchers in the field of hydrogen research establish policies and research technologies.
Impacts of Renewable Energy Resources on Effectiveness of Grid-Integrated Systems: Succinct Review of Current Challenges and Potential Solution Strategies
Sep 2020
Publication
This study is aimed at a succinct review of practical impacts of grid integration of renewable energy systems on effectiveness of power networks as well as often employed state-of-the-art solution strategies. The renewable energy resources focused on include solar energy wind energy biomass energy and geothermal energy as well as renewable hydrogen/fuel cells which although not classified purely as renewable resources are a famous energy carrier vital for future energy sustainability. Although several world energy outlooks have suggested that the renewable resources available worldwide are sufficient to satisfy global energy needs in multiples of thousands the different challenges often associated with practical exploitation have made this assertion an illusion to date. Thus more research efforts are required to synthesize the nature of these challenges as well as viable solution strategies hence the need for this review study. First brief overviews are provided for each of the studied renewable energy sources. Next challenges and solution strategies associated with each of them at generation phase are discussed with reference to power grid integration. Thereafter challenges and common solution strategies at the grid/electrical interface are discussed for each of the renewable resources. Finally expert opinions are provided comprising a number of aphorisms deducible from the review study which reveal knowledge gaps in the field and potential roadmap for future research. In particular these opinions include the essential roles that renewable hydrogen will play in future energy systems; the need for multi-sectoral coupling specifically by promoting electric vehicle usage and integration with renewable-based power grids; the need for cheaper energy storage devices attainable possibly by using abandoned electric vehicle batteries for electrical storage and by further development of advanced thermal energy storage systems (overviews of state-of-the-art thermal and electrochemical energy storage are also provided); amongst others.
Research & Innovation for Climate Neutrality 2050: Challenges, Opportunities & the Path Forward
Jan 2024
Publication
Transforming Europe into a climate neutral economy and society by 2050 requires extraordinary efforts and the mobilisation of all sectors and economic actors coupled with all the creative and brain power one can imagine. Each sector has to fundamentally rethink the way it operates to ensure it can be transformed towards this new net-zero paradigm without jeopardising other environmental and societal objectives both within the EU and globally. Given the scale of the transformation ahead our ability to meet climate neutrality targets directly depends on our ability to innovate. In this context Research & Innovation programmes have a key role to play and it is crucial to ensure they are fit for purpose and well equipped to support the next wave of breakthrough innovations that will be required to achieve climate neutrality in the EU and globally by 2050. The objective of this study is to contribute to these strategic planning discussions by not only identifying high-risk and high-impact climate mitigation solutions but most importantly look beyond individual solutions and consider how systemic interactions of climate change mitigation approaches can be integrated in the development of R&I agendas.
Mid-century Net-zero Emissions Pathways for Japan: Potential Roles of Global Mitigation Scenarios in Informing National Decarbonisation Strategies
Jan 2024
Publication
Japan has formulated a net-zero emissions target by 2050. Existing scenarios consistent with this target generally depend on carbon dioxide removal (CDR). In addition to domestic mitigation actions the import of low-carbon energy carriers such as hydrogen and synfuels and negative emissions credits are alternative options for achieving net-zero emissions in Japan. Although the potential and costs of these actions depend on global energy system transition characteristics which can potentially be informed by the global integrated assessment models they are not considered in current national scenario assessments. This study explores diverse options for achieving Japan's net-zero emissions target by 2050 using a national energy system model informed by international energy trade and emission credits costs estimated with a global energy system model. We found that demand-side electrification and approximately 100 Mt-CO2 per year of CDR implementation equivalent to approximately 10% of the current national CO2 emissions are essential across all net-zero emissions scenarios. Upscaling of domestically generated hydrogen-based alternative fuels and energy demand reduction can avoid further reliance on CDR. While imports of hydrogen-based energy carriers and emission credits are effective options annual import costs exceed the current cost of fossil fuel imports. In addition import dependency reaches approximately 50% in the scenario relying on hydrogen imports. This study highlights the importance of considering global trade when developing national net-zero emissions scenarios and describes potential new roles for global models.
Study on Introduction of CO2 Free Energy to Japan with Liquid Hydrogen
Jul 2015
Publication
In Japan both CO2 (Carbon dioxide) emission reduction and energy security are the very important social issues after Fukushima Daiichi accident. On the other hand FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) using hydrogen will be on the market in 2015. Introducing large mass hydrogen energy is being expected as expanding hydrogen applications or solution to energy issues of Japan. And then the Japanese government announced the road map for introducing hydrogen energy supply chain in this June2014. Under these circumstances imported CO2 free hydrogen will be one of the solutions for energy security and CO2 reduction if the hydrogen price is affordable. To achieve this Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (KHI) performed a feasibility study on CO2-free hydrogen energy supply chain from Australian brown coal linked with CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) to Japan. In the study hydrogen production systems utilizing brown coal gasification and LH2 (liquid hydrogen) systems as storing and transporting hydrogen are examined. This paper shows the possibility of realizing the CO2 free hydrogen supply chain the cost breakdown of imported hydrogen cost its cost competitiveness with conventional fossil and LH2 systems as key technologies of the hydrogen energy chain.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Conventional and Alternative Vehicles: Predictions Based on Energy Policy Analysis in South Korea
Mar 2020
Publication
This paper compares the well-to-wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of representative vehicle types–internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV) hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) battery electric vehicle (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV)–in the future (2030) based on a WTW analysis for the present (2017) and an analysis of various energy policies that could affect future emissions. South Korea was selected as the target region because it has detailed energy policies related to alternative vehicles. The WTW analysis for the present was performed based on three sets of subordinate analyses: (1) life cycle analyses of eight base fuels; (2) life cycle analyses of electricity and hydrogen; and (3) analyses of the fuel economies of seven vehicle types. From the WTW analysis for the present the national average WTW GHG emissions of ICEV-gasoline ICEV-diesel ICEV-liquefied petroleum gas HEV PHEV BEV and FCEV were calculated as 225 233 201 159 133 109 and 55 g-CO2-eq./km respectively. For calculating the WTW GHG emissions in the future two policies regarding electricity production and three policies regarding hydrogen production were analysed. Three cases with varying the degrees of improvements in fuel economies were considered. Six future scenarios were constructed and each scenario represented the case in which each energy policy is enacted. In the reference scenario for compact car the WTW GHG emissions of ICEVs-gasoline HEV PHEV BEV-200 mile FCEV were analysed as 161 110 97 86 and 91 g-CO2-eq./km respectively. The differences between ICEV/HEV and BEV were predicted to decrease in the future mainly due to larger improvements of ICEV/HEV in fuel economies compared to that of BEV. The future life cycle GHG emissions of electricity and hydrogen were calculated according to energy policy. Both two policies regarding power generation were confirmed to increase the benefits of utilizing BEVs but current energy policy regarding hydrogen production were confirmed to decrease the benefits of utilizing FCEVs. Based on the comprehensive results of this study a framework was proposed to evaluate the impacts of an energy policy regarding electricity and hydrogen production on the benefits of using BEVs and FCEVs compared to using HEVs and ICEVs. This framework can also be utilized in other countries when they assess and establish their energy policies.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: The year-end Round Up! 2020 in Review
Dec 2020
Publication
2020 has been a year for the history books! Some good most of it not so good; but 2020 has been a boom year for the future of hydrogen technologies. Patrick Chris and Andrew do their level best on this episode to talk about all the stories and the highlights of 2020 in under 50 minutes. Have a listen and let us know if we missed anything in our penultimate episode of 2020!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
The Future of Clean Hydrogen in the United States: Views from Industry, Market Innovators, and Investors
Sep 2021
Publication
This report The Future of Clean Hydrogen in the United States: Views from Industry Market Innovators and Investors sheds light on the rapidly evolving hydrogen market based on 72 exploratory interviews with organizations across the current and emerging hydrogen value chain. This report is part of a series From Kilograms to Gigatons: Pathways for Hydrogen Market Formation in the United States which will build on this study to evaluate policy opportunities for further hydrogen development in the United States. The goal of the interviews was to provide a snapshot of the clean hydrogen investment environment and better understand organizations’ market outlook investment rationale and areas of interest. This interview approach was supported by traditional research methods to contextualize and enrich the qualitative findings. This report should be understood as input to a more extensive EFI analysis of hydrogen market formation in the United States; the directions that companies are pursuing in hydrogen production transport and storage and end use at this early stage of value chain development will inform subsequent analysis in important ways.
Scientific Assessment in Support of the Materials Roadmap enabling Low Carbon Energy Technologies Hydrogen and Fuel Cells
Apr 2014
Publication
A group experts from European research organisations and industry have assessed the state of the art and future needs for materials' R&D for hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The work was performed as input to the European Commission's roadmapping exercise on materials for the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan. The report summarises the results including key targets identified for medium term (2020/2030) and long term (2050) timescales.
Building Efficiency- Reducing Energy Demand in the Commercial Sector
Dec 2013
Publication
The report was formally launched on 2nd December in Parliament at a panel debate chaired by Lord Whitty and Oliver Colvile and featured representatives from Government and Industry. The report outlines the case for investment by businesses in the energy efficiency of their buildings and operations and highlights how this could help neutralise the threat to profitability posed by increasing energy bills energy price volatility and an increasing reliance on electricity in the commercial sector. The report highlights that business in the UK have the opportunity to not only reduce energy bills but increase their competitiveness and improve worker productivity through better designed buildings.
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