Extensive QnA on Green Hydrogen and Green Fuels – The Future of Energy

Not too long ago, BIS Analysis performed an in depth webinar on ‘Inexperienced Hydrogen and Inexperienced Fuels – The Way forward for Vitality’ that witnessed a number of brilliant minds from the trade come collectively to debate the way forward for inexperienced hydrogen and its impression on the general gas market. 

The panel within the webinar consisted of:

•    Ómar Sigurbjörnsson, director of gross sales and advertising at Carbon Recycling Worldwide•    Dr. Christopher Papile, OEM and EPC lead at Catalyte •    Sydney Lobo, freelance marketing consultant at Catalyte•    Kaustubh Kamble, Sr. Analysis Analyst at BIS Analysis

A variety of insightful dialogue occurred throughout your complete session which generated a variety of curiosity among the many attendees. On this article, we’ve got coated all of the crucial questions that have been raised by the webinar attendees and the responses offered by the panelists. 

Q1) Within the development tools trade, there’s a lack of a hydrogen refueling community and potential competitors from electrical machines (excavators). Will it harm the long-term prospects of the worldwide hydrogen gas cell machine market? 

Reply: BIS Analysis doesn’t assume that the potential competitors from electrical machines (excavators) will harm the worldwide hydrogen gas cell market’s long-term prospects, particularly for the development and heavy tools trade. The important thing purpose is that a number of structural points restrict makes an attempt to extend battery capability when hydrogen gas cells are in comparison with lithium battery applied sciences. However, hydrogen gas cells are simpler to increase, making them a logical resolution for excavators. Additional a number of excavator producers, reminiscent of JCB, SANY, and Hyundai Building Gear, are already testing or planning to put money into hydrogen-powered development equipment.

Q2) Since applied sciences reminiscent of anion-exchange membrane (AEM) and strong oxide electrolyzer are at present getting used at a smaller scale for producing inexperienced hydrogen, what can be the important thing enchancment areas for these applied sciences for his or her adoption charges to extend?

Reply: AEM and strong oxide electrolyzer are toddler applied sciences in comparison with alkaline electrolyzer and proton trade membrane electrolyzer, leaving ample house for additional analysis and improvement.

A very powerful a part of the AEM electrolyzer is the AEM stack, the place the water-splitting response takes place. The only cell is separated into two half elements by anion trade membrane. Every half-part consists of a gasoline diffusion layer (GDL), electrode, and bipolar plate. Just like the standard alkaline electrolyzer, the primary a part of the AEM electrolyzer permits hydrogen and oxygen to be produced below 35 bar and 1 bar strain ranges. The opposite half a part of the cell prevents produced oxygen from passing over the high-pressure half half. Thus, AEM should effectively enable hydroxide anions emigrate from the cathode to the anode and make sure that high-purity hydrogen is produced. In different phrases, AEM separates the 2 compartments and prevents the crossover of merchandise and reagents. Therefore, AEM have to be: (i) mechanically steady; (ii) thermally steady; (iii) chemically steady; (iv) ionically conductive; (v) electrochemically steady, and to make it extra helpful for at present’s functions, it additionally must be low value, simple to course of and produced by sustainable processes.

A number of expertise suppliers and analysis establishments are engaged in creating superior AEM expertise to boost the effectivity of the general course of. For example, in September 2022, the Korean Institute of Supplies Science (KIMS) succeeded in creating non-precious metal-based high-efficiency and sturdy anion trade membrane water electrolysis expertise. Additional, Honeywell Worldwide Inc. additionally developed a brand new catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) expertise in March 2022 for the manufacturing of inexperienced hydrogen. Honeywell is specializing in CCM expertise for use within the anion trade membrane and proton trade membrane (PEM).

An space the place a strong oxide electrolyzer is often thought to want additional enchancment is its vulnerability to degradation from excessive working temperatures. The comparatively excessive value and complex fabrication are additionally substantial points that have to be thought-about.

Q3) What financial components could make a location possible for processing the involved applied sciences? We see that in Iceland, for instance, there’s a strategic state of affairs that enhances the manufacturing of methanol with hydrogen produced utilizing renewable electrical energy, as electrical energy prices are significantly decrease.

Reply: Electrical energy value is the important thing consideration to make the method possible, and therefore Iceland is an effective alternative. Nonetheless, the benefit of manufacturing methanol from inexperienced hydrogen is that it’s a globally traded commodity with a well-established world distribution community. This enables for finding the manufacturing amenities the place the price of making inexperienced hydrogen is most economical; typically, that is in areas far-off from principal markets. With the declining value of electrical energy manufacturing from renewable vitality sources reminiscent of wind and photo voltaic, it’s possible to provide e-methanol not solely in Iceland but additionally in lots of locations worldwide. 

This autumn) What corporations would undertake strategic actions or developments to lower the prices of inexperienced hydrogen within the upcoming decade? 

Reply: In at present’s state of affairs, the absolute best resolution for corporations to reduce the price of inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing will likely be commercializing inexperienced hydrogen. Rushing up each potential commercialization challenge will assist producers to scale back working prices. Additional, the developments in manufacturing applied sciences are anticipated to decrease the price burden in upcoming years. 

Q5) At present, inexperienced methanol is majorly getting used as a gas; what can be the rising utility areas of inexperienced methanol within the upcoming years?

Reply: Inexperienced methanol can be utilized as a supply of feedstock to fabricate a wide range of chemical substances, reminiscent of formaldehyde and acetic acid, that are additional utilized in foams, adhesives, solvents, plywood subfloors, washer fluid, windshields, and so forth. In recent times, it has additionally been more and more utilized in ethylene and propylene.Inexperienced methanol is more and more utilized in rising trade sectors, together with development, electronics, paints, and others. Inexperienced methanol is used to fabricate development supplies reminiscent of adhesives, paint, and plywood for the constructing and development trade.

Direct methanol gas cells (DMFCs) are helpful attributable to their low temperature and atmospheric strain operations, which permit them to be miniaturized to an distinctive diploma. Mixed with the comparatively simple and protected storage and dealing with of methanol, DMFCs could open the opportunity of gas cell-powered digital units reminiscent of laptops, computer systems, and cellphones.

Q6) In some elements of the world, water is scarce. As inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing is estimated to extend, what applied sciences other than desalination will likely be out there to maintain this demand? 

Reply: BIS Analysis analyzed that to provide a kilogram of hydrogen, 9 kg of water is consumed. This can be a concern with respect to the usage of water and the shortage of freshwater. Producing round 2.3 Gt of hydrogen requires about 20.5 Gt or 20.5 billion cubic meters of freshwater per 12 months. That is only one.5 ppm of freshwater out there on Earth. In lots of functions, hydrogen have to be combusted by gas cells, which convert hydrogen gasoline into water and electrical energy. As a lot of the water will likely be recovered, it won’t typically return to the unique water our bodies and be handled as consumed. Moreover, within the coming years, most inexperienced hydrogen will likely be produced primarily based on renewable vitality sources reminiscent of wind and photo voltaic. 

Q7) Whenever you talked about that Rolls Royce just lately examined hydrogen-based plane, is it liquid or gaseous? 

Reply: The aviation trade is wanting towards using a number of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) to reduce the carbon footprint. Not too long ago Rolls Royce and easyJet carried out a floor check for inexperienced hydrogen within the aero engine. Nonetheless, this can be a pilot challenge, and Rolls Royce has not but shared this info, however liquid hydrogen remains to be not utilized in airports.

Q8) Liquified and gaseous types of inexperienced H2 and coproduct storage and transportation are nonetheless probably the most distinguished challenges because of the lack of devoted infrastructure since they incur enormous prices, which is essential for export markets reminiscent of Japan, South Korea, the Center East, and Europe. How can this have an effect on the worth of inexperienced H2 ($/kg), and the way can the LCoH/LCoX value be lower down by the top of this decade? 

Reply: We agree that storage and transportation are key challenges within the inexperienced H2 financial system. There are particular choices that the trade is taking a look at, that are listed as follows –

1)    Pipeline: The development of recent devoted hydrogen pipelines and the repurposing of present pure gasoline pipelines are two choices that can be utilized. Nonetheless, repurposing pipelines is taken into account an efficient hydrogen transport various.

2)    Delivery: For very long-distance (round 3,000 km), the price of transportation by transport is economical. At present, potential expertise for hydrogen transport isn’t out there; thereby, hydrogen will be transferred with the conversion of hydrogen into its derivatives, reminiscent of ammonia, together with different choices, reminiscent of liquid hydrogen and liquid natural hydrogen carriers (LOHCs). In liquid hydrogen, there will likely be extra vitality losses attributable to robust cooling and compression necessities. A LOHC has a low conversion value; nonetheless, transporting this through transport consumes extra gas. Ammonia is already traded internationally, however its conversion again to nitrogen and hydrogen isn’t environment friendly, and likewise, it has not been examined for industrial scale.

3)    Vans: For last-mile supply, trucking is a viable resolution, owing to the provision of established infrastructure. Hydrogen will be transported both in compressed gasoline containers or within the type of LCoH.

The levelized value of hydrogen (LCoH) and levelized value of finish product (LCoX) for hydrogen are primarily based on numerous parameters, reminiscent of distance of transportation, diameter of pipes, and compression value. Transportation prices will be diminished by repurposing present pure gasoline pipelines, geopolitical feasibility, and technological developments, amongst others.

Q9) Which electrolyzer expertise is healthier and extra economical, whether or not PEM or alkaline? Do you assume builders want some subsidy or production-based incentive for inexperienced H2 and associated functions, specifically, inexperienced ammonia/metal/methanol/fertilizer/cement, such because the one launched by the U.S. by the Inflation Discount Act (IRA) that provides a manufacturing tax credit score of as much as $3/kg for matching the parity with different various fuels?

Reply: At present, there are completely different applied sciences available in the market; as an example, PEM and alkaline applied sciences. Alkaline expertise is healthier for mega initiatives. The principle good thing about this expertise is its liquid electrocatalyst. It negates the requirement for expensive metallic supplies. Both manner, we are able to look into the inducement for inexperienced H2 and associated functions; subsidiaries can promote the manufacturing until a sure interval. Adopting and commercializing all these various fuels are required to decrease prices. For all this, the one options are dashing up the commercialization of merchandise and technological developments and the implementation of insurance policies, together with encouraging the top customers to undertake modern applied sciences.

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