Transmission, Distribution & Storage

The effective storage of hydrogen is a critical challenge that needs to be overcome for it to become a widely used and clean energy source. Various methods exist for storing hydrogen including compression at high pressures liquefaction through extreme cooling (i.e. -253 °C) and storage with chemical compounds. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. MAST3RBoost (Maturing the Production Standards of Ultraporous Structures for High Density Hydrogen Storage Bank Operating on Swinging Temperatures and Low Compression) is a European funded Project aiming to establish a reliable benchmark for cold-adsorbed H2 storage (CAH2) at low compression levels (100 bar or below). This is achieved through the development of advanced ultraporous materials suitable for mobility applications such as hydrogen-powered vehicles used in road railway air and water transportation. The MAST3RBoost Project utilizes cutting-edge materials including Activated Carbons (ACs) and high-density MOFs (Metalorganic Frameworks) which are enhanced by Machine Learning techniques. By harnessing these materials the project seeks to create a groundbreaking path towards meeting industry goals. The project aims to develop the world's first adsorption-based demonstrator at a significant kg-scale. To support the design of the storage tank the project employs Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software which allows for numerical investigations. In this paper a preliminary analysis of the tank refilling process is presented with a focus on the impact of the effect of the tank and hydrogen temperatures on quantity of hydrogen adsorbed.

To cope with climate change emerging fuels- hydrogen ammonia and methanol- have been proposed as promising energy carriers that will replace part of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) in future maritime scenarios. Energy efficiency is an important indicator for evaluating the system but the maritime supply system for emerging fuels has yet to be revealed. In this study the energy efficiency of the maritime supply chain of hydrogen ammonia methanol and natural gas is investigated considering processes including production storage loading transport and unloading. A sensitivity analysis of parameters such as ambient temperature storage time pipeline length and sailing time is also carried out. The results show that hydrogen (2.366%) has the highest daily boil-off gas (BOG) rate and wastes more energy than LNG (0.413%) with ammonia and methanol both being lower than LNG. The recycling of BOG is of great importance to the hydrogen supply chain. When produced from renewable energy sources methanol (98.02%) is the most energy efficient followed by ammonia with hydrogen being the least (89.10%). This assessment shows from an energy efficiency perspective that ammonia and methanol have the potential to replace LNG as the energy carrier of the future and that hydrogen requires efficient BOG handling systems to increase competitiveness. This study provides some inspirations for the design of global maritime supply systems for emerging fuels.

This article analyzes the processes of compressing hydrogen in the gaseous state an aspect considered important due to its contribution to the greater diffusion of hydrogen in both the civil and industrial sectors. This article begins by providing a concise overview and comparison of diverse hydrogen-storage methodologies laying the groundwork with an in-depth analysis of hydrogen’s thermophysical properties. It scrutinizes plausible configurations for hydrogen compression aiming to strike a delicate balance between energy consumption derived from the fuel itself and the requisite number of compression stages. Notably to render hydrogen storage competitive in terms of volume pressures of at least 350 bar are deemed essential albeit at an energy cost amounting to approximately 10% of the fuel’s calorific value. Multi-stage compression emerges as a crucial strategy not solely for energy efficiency but also to curtail temperature rises with an upper limit set at 200 ◦C. This nuanced approach is underlined by the exploration of compression levels commonly cited in the literature particularly 350 bar and 700 bar. The study advocates for a three-stage compression system as a pragmatic compromise capable of achieving high-pressure solutions while keeping compression work below 10 MJ/kg a threshold indicative of sustainable energy utilization.

Using high-resolution micro-CT imaging at 2.98 μm/voxel we compared the percolation of hydrogen in gas injection with gas expansion for a hydrogen-brine system in Bentheimer sandstone at 1 MPa and 20 ◦C representing hydrogen storage in an aquifer. We introduced dimensionless numbers to quantify the contribution of advection and expansion to displacement. We analysed the 3D spatial distribution of gas and its displacement in both cases and demonstrated that in gas injection hydrogen can only advance from a connected cluster in an invasion-percolation type process while in gas expansion hydrogen can access more of the pore space even from disconnected clusters. The average gas saturation in the sample increased from 30% to 50% by gas expansion and we estimated that 10% of the expanded volume is attributed to hydrogen exsolution from the brine. This work emphasises the importance of studying the combined effects of pressure decline and gas withdrawal in hydrogen storage to assess the influence of gas expansion on remobilising trapped gases.

High-pressure hydrogen tanks which are composed of an aluminum alloy liner and a carbon fiber wound layer are currently the most popular means to store hydrogen on vehicles. Nevertheless the aluminum alloy is easily affected by high-pressure hydrogen which leads to the appearance of hydrogen embrittlement (HE). Serious HE of hydrogen tank represents a huge dangers to the safety of vehicles and passengers. It is critical and timely to outline the mainstream approach and point out potential avenues for further investigation of HE. An analysis including the mechanism (including hydrogen-enhanced local plasticity model hydrogen-enhanced decohesion mechanism and hydrogen pressure theory) the detection (including slow strain rate test linearly increasing stress test and so on) and methods for the prevention of HE on aluminum alloys of hydrogen vehicles (such as coating) are systematically presented in this work. Moreover the entire experimental detection procedures for HE are expounded. Ultimately the prevention measures are discussed in detail. It is believed that further prevention measures will rely on the integration of multiple prevention methods. Successfully solving this problem is of great significance to reduce the risk of failure of hydrogen storage tanks and improve the reliability of aluminum alloys for engineering applications in various industries including automotive and aerospace.

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is a broadly recognized phenomenon in metallic materials. If not well understood and managed HE may lead to catastrophic environmental failures in vessels containing hydrogen such as pipelines and storage tanks. HE can affect the mechanical properties of materials such as ductility toughness and strength mainly through the interaction between metal defects and hydrogen. Various phenomena such as hydrogen adsorption hydrogen diffusion and hydrogen interactions with intrinsic trapping sites like dislocations voids grain boundaries and oxide/matrix interfaces are involved in this process. It is important to understand HE mechanisms to develop effective hydrogen resistant strategies. Tensile double cantilever beam bent beam and fatigue tests are among the most common techniques employed to study HE. This article reviews hydrogen diffusion behavior mechanisms and characterization techniques.

In the advancing landscape of sustainable energy the development of efficient and reversible hydrogen storage materials operable under ambient conditions remains a critical challenge for material scientists and the broader research community. Hydrogen owing to its exceptionally high energy density is regarded as a leading candidate for facilitating the transition from conventional fossil fuels to cleaner renewable energy systems. However alongside its production the safe and efficient storage of hydrogen presents a significant bottleneck due to its low volumetric density and associated safety concerns.<br/>Conventional storage techniques such as high-pressure compression and cryogenic liquefaction though widely used demand complex infrastructure and carry substantial safety risks. These limitations have steered growing interest toward solid-state hydrogen storage systems that rely on physisorption or chemisorption mechanisms preferably operating near ambient conditions. Consequently the pursuit of materials with favourable thermodynamics and kinetics for reversible hydrogen uptake and release has become imperative. Among the emerging candidates MXenes a class of two-dimensional (2D) materials comprising transition metal carbides nitrides or carbonitrides have garnered significant attention due to their high surface area tuneable surface chemistry and excellent conductivity.<br/>Despite the growing body of literature on hydrogen storage using MXenes a comprehensive evaluation that bridges the gap between theoretical predictions and experimental realities remains limited. This review addresses that gap by critically examining current strategies for solid-state hydrogen storage with a particular emphasis on MXene-based materials. It highlights the influence of synthesis techniques on structural properties discusses the mechanisms of hydrogen interaction with MXene surfaces and evaluates their practical implications in real-world applications. While the potential of MXenes in hydrogen storage is considerable it is not yet fully realized. This article provides an in-depth assessment of the current advancements challenges and future directions for MXene-based materials in the context of hydrogen storage offering valuable insights for both fundamental research and applied energy systems.

This narrative document sets out the main rationale for hydrogen storage development at scale in the UK: - To meet net zero the UK will need considerable energy storage - Hydrogen storage will be a major and essential part of this - Physical hydrogen storage is needed in the UK - Only geological hydrogen storage can deliver at the scale needed within the timescales for net zero - Geological hydrogen storage should be supported through a viable business model now to ensure it comes online in the 2030s.

: The global demand for energy and the need to mitigate climate change require a shift from traditional fossil fuels to sustainable and renewable energy alternatives. Hydrogen is recognized as a significant component for achieving a carbon-neutral economy. This comprehensive review examines the underground hydrogen storage and particularly laboratory-scale studies related to rock– hydrogen interaction exploring current knowledge. Using bibliometric analysis of data from the Scopus and Web of Science databases this study reveals an exponential increase in scientific publications post-2015 which accounts for approximately 85.26% of total research output in this field and the relevance of laboratory experiments to understand the physicochemical interactions of hydrogen with geological formations. Processes in underground hydrogen storage are controlled by a set of multi-scale parameters including solid properties (permeability porosity composition and geomechanical properties) and fluid properties (liquid and gas density viscosity etc.) together with fluid–fluid and solid–fluid interactions (controlled by solubility wettability chemical reactions etc.). Laboratory experiments aim to characterize these parameters and their evolution simulating real-world storage conditions to enhance the reliability and applicability of findings. The review emphasizes the need to expand research efforts globally to comprehensively address the currently existing issues and knowledge gaps.

Hydrogen globally recognized as the most efficient and clean energy carrier holds the potential to transform future energy systems through its use as a fuel and chemical resource. Although progress has been made in reversible hydrogen adsorption and release challenges in storage continue to impede widespread adoption. This review explores recent advancements in hydrogen storage materials and synthesis methods emphasizing the role of nanotechnology and innovative synthesis techniques in enhancing storage performance and addressing these challenges to drive progress in the field. The review provides a comprehensive overview of various material classes including metal hydrides complex hydrides carbon materials metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and porous materials. Over 60 % of reviewed studies focused on metal hydrides and alloys for hydrogen storage. Additionally the impact of nanotechnology on storage performance and the importance of optimizing synthesis parameters to tailor material properties for specific applications are summarized. Various synthesis methods are evaluated with a special emphasis on the role of nanotechnology in improving storage performance. Mechanical milling emerges as a commonly used and cost-effective method for fabricating intermetallic hydrides capable of adjusting hydrogen storage properties. The review also explores hydrogen storage tank embrittlement mechanisms particularly subcritical crack growth and examines the advantages and limitations of different materials for various applications supported by case studies showcasing real-world implementations. The challenges underscore current limitations in hydrogen storage materials highlighting the need for improved storage capacity and kinetics. The review also explores prospects for developing materials with enhanced performance and safety providing a roadmap for ongoing advancements in the field. Key findings and directions for future research in hydrogen storage materials emphasize their critical role in shaping future energy systems.