Hydrogen energy and large scale hydrogen production with nuclear power plants based on high-temperature reactors

Abstract

At the present moment resource and ecological issues and challenges related to energy supply have become more acute. Key contradiction lies between constantly growing energy consumption and need for CO2 emission reduction. In the search of the solution hydrogen plays significant role as multi-purpose energy source and accumulator for transport, electric power, industry, distributed generation and public utility. It is expected that hydrogen energy development will benefit for the world’s energy system, environment and economy. Hydrogen may be used as pure fuel for transport and independent energy sources based on fuel elements. Global demand for hydrogen is expected to increase due to the growth of its consumption as a chemical agent in oil processing, petrochemical, chemical, metallurgic and other industries. In developed countries more than 80 % of hydrogen is derived from natural gas and petrochemicals. Large-scale hydrogen production is mainly accomplished by steam methane reforming. For natural gas saving and combustion products emission elimination steam methane reforming technology with heating from high-temperature gas cooled reactors (HTGR) is suggested. In 2018 hydrogen energy was declared as high priority area for scientific and technology development of Rosatom State Corporation. This area is integrated to the Comprehensive program project “Technology and scientific research development in nuclear energy of Russian Federation” and aims at design and demonstration of key technological solutions for nuclear hydrogen energy for large scale ecologic hydrogen production with heating from HTGR, hydrogen consumption infrastructure and integration of hydrogen energy into the economy. “Hydrogen energy” program implementation will diversify nuclear power non-electric applications.