Relaxing EU hydrogen criteria: a cost and emission comparison of unrestricted and green electrolytic hydrogen in 2030

Hydrogen and regional energy infrastructure are significant for the European Green Deal and was the focus of the SuperP2G research Project (Synergies Utilising renewable Power Regionally by means of Power to Gas). Five national projects (Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and Italy) cooperated to investigate power-to-gas feasibility. The energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine peaked during the project. The demand for green hydrogen increased as natural gas was reduced. In 2022, the cost of blue hydrogen was 9.5–12.6 €/kg. Higher electricity prices impacted the cost of green hydrogen less. Considering the 2021–22 level of electricity and gas prices, and the potential flexibility of electrolysers, electrolytic hydrogen was on a par with blue hydrogen. On the long term, green hydrogen is assumed to be competitive around 2030. A fast ramping up and favourable electricity cost development could halve the hydrogen production cost until 2040 with investment being the major contributor to a cost reduction. Meanwhile, the smart operation of a wind/electrolyser system might achieve 24% reduction of its operation cost. The following measures are recommended to introduce green hydrogen on a large scale: 1) certification of green and low carbon hydrogen and a uniform CO2 price; 2) ensuring a level playing field across markets; 3) enabling policies to enhance European security of supply by increasing domestic production and diversifying imports; 4) fast ramping of renewable electricity generation; and 5) coordinated planning of hydrogen, methane, and electricity infrastructures.

Critical assessment of the production scale required for fossil parity of green electrolytic hydrogen

Hydrogen from renewables: Is it always green? The Italian scenario

In this paper, we propose to design and simulate a system for converting solar energy into electricity for own consumption, into hydrogen used in the heating system, and to store the surplus in a battery system or super capacitors. During the period when heating is not necessary, the hydrogen is used to prepare domestic hot water and the surplus is accumulated in high-pressure containers for use in the cold season. A cost comparison will be made between the classic version of electricity and methane gas supply and the version with the proposed conversion system, where we will evaluate the cost of implementation and the duration of the investment recovery. A technology known for a long time but little used in the energy field is the electrolysis of water for the production of hydrogen. If the electrolysis is done with renewable electricity, the hydrogen obtained is called green hydrogen and has a very low carbon footprint. National economies must reach climate neutrality not only by improving the energy mix, but also by decarbonizing heavy industry and transport, addressing process differences and facilitating the expansion of production and use of green hydrogen and e-methanol. Reducing costs will require a variety of political decisions, with a predictable and reliable investment climate, a clear and transparent regulatory framework that allows for long-term agreements with partners, financial instruments for risk sharing. Thus, e-methanol and green hydrogen could become more competitive in terms of prices compared to the fluctuating quotations of fossil energy, accelerating the transition to the consumption of green fuels in heavy industry and transport, thus contributing to the creation of a sustainable market of green hydrogen and e-methanol in Romania. Hydrogen can also, mixed with methane gas or alone, be used in residential heating systems. The case study will be done for the Hunedoara Engineering Faculty, part of the Timisoara Polytechnic University, which has five buildings, a canteen and a student dormitory. In addition, the command, tracking and control system will be able to be used as a laboratory for students. A number of sockets for powering electric and hybrid vehicles (plug-in type) will also be provided

The year 2018 saw the emergence of a broad social movement demanding stringent policies for climate change mitigation in Europe and other world regions. Widespread meteorological extreme events consistent with rapid global warming are stoking this movement. Especially in Europe, it has already changed the political landscape in a number of countries as green parties have scored record votes. Therefore, policymakers in many countries are sharpening their emission reduction targets for 2030 and 2050. At the same time, strong interest in an integrated hydrogen economy is emerging, where hydrogen would become a key fuel for transportation, industrial uses and even electricity generation. Countries as diverse as Australia, China, European Union (EU) member states and Japan are embarking on far-reaching strategies for a hydrogen economy, starting with the support of fuel- cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) but reaching beyond the transport sector. Hydrogen production technologies are manifold: feedstocks include fossil fuels and renewable electricity. At present, the costs of ‘green’ hydrogen, which is produced with renewable electricity, are still about five times higher than those of gas or coal-based hydrogen. An expansion of green hydrogen production, however, is likely to close the gap within less than a decade. Especially promising are emerging technologies that allow to use hydrogen as a fuel in existing thermal power plants without major refurbishment. The Gulf region faces a significant risk of oil exports becoming squeezed by a successful hydrogen revolution in the next decades. At the same time, Gulf countries are blessed with abundant solar energy resources that can easily be used for green and low-cost hydrogen production at large scale. Therefore, it is recommended that they proactively participate in this revolution, also given the region’s long experience with pipeline and ship transport of other flammable materials. Early movers are likely to benefit from scale effects and become leaders in the market, especially if there are lock-in effects for hydrogen supply chains – i.e. hydrogen importing countries wanting to continue to procure from suppliers with which they have long-term experience. The UAE is already a leader in the Middle East with the first solar hydrogen electrolysis plant under construction in Dubai and a fledgling FCEV fleet. Given its success in bringing down the cost of solar, the UAE would be in an excellent position to achieve the lowest global cost of green hydrogen production. With both the World Expo hosted by Dubai and the G20 presided by Saudi Arabia in 2020, the UAE could leverage either of these platforms to establish, and host, a high-profile International Hydrogen Economy Initiative (IHEI). This initiative could serve as a policy coordination tool between hydrogen importers and exporters, initially focusing on accelerating interactions between the Gulf region – a potential supplier – and Japan and the EU who both are likely to become key hydrogen importers in the next decade based on their self-defined energy policy targets.

Green hydrogen produced from renewable energy through electrolysis is regarded as complementary to electricity, which could help decarbonize sectors that are hard to electrify. Besides, electrolytic hydrogen can serve as an interface and build synergy between different sectors and energy networks. Recently, many demonstration projects, which are normally composed of power generation units, energy storage units and electrolysers, are in the phase of planning and construction. Optimization of the system configuration and the power supply plan are essential elements to reduce the cost of green hydrogen and increase its economic competitiveness. In this paper, an optimization planning model for on-grid green hydrogen projects embedded with the function of production simulation is presented. Then, two case studies are carried out based on the proposed model. One represents green hydrogen projects in the northwestern area with plentiful renewable resources, relatively lower electricity prices and smaller price differences between peak and valley period. The other represents the ones in the southeastern area with relatively higher electricity prices and bigger peak-valley price differences. In each case study, the system configuration is optimized considering the photovoltaic (short as PV) and wind power output characteristics in the local area. Furthermore, the power supply plan, including when to use self-built power plants and when to use power from the grid is also optimized and analyzed. At last, specific suggestions are summarized and proposed for green hydrogen demonstration projects, which could provide important references for the future planning.

This paper delves into the pivotal role of water electrolysis (WE) in green hydrogen production, a process utilizing renewable energy sources through electrolysis. The term “green hydrogen” signifies its distinction from conventional “grey” or “brown” hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, emphasizing the importance of decarbonization in the hydrogen value chain. WE becomes a linchpin, balancing surplus green energy, stabilizing the grid, and addressing challenges in hard-to-abate sectors like long-haul transport and heavy industries. This paper navigates through electrolysis variants, technological challenges, and the crucial association between electrolytic hydrogen production and renewable energy sources (RESs). Energy consumption aspects are scrutinized, highlighting the need for optimization strategies to enhance efficiency. This paper systematically addresses electrolysis fundamentals, technologies, scaling issues, and the nexus with energy sources. It emphasizes the transformative potential of electrolytic hydrogen in the broader energy landscape, underscoring its role in shaping a sustainable future. Through a systematic analysis, this study bridges the gap between detailed technological insights and the larger energy system context, offering a holistic perspective. This paper concludes by summarizing key findings, showcasing the prospects, challenges, and opportunities associated with hydrogen production via water electrolysis for the energy transition.

The article presents the application of the metalog family of probability distributions to predict the energy production of photovoltaic systems for the purpose of generating small amounts of green hydrogen in distributed systems. It can be used for transport purposes as well as to generate energy and heat for housing purposes. The monthly and daily amounts of energy produced by a photovoltaic system with a peak power of 6.15 kWp were analyzed using traditional statistical methods and the metalog probability distribution family. On this basis, it is possible to calculate daily and monthly amounts of hydrogen produced with accuracy from the probability distribution. Probabilistic analysis of the instantaneous power generated by the photovoltaic system was used to determine the nominal power of the hydrogen electrolyzer. In order to use all the energy produced by the photovoltaic system to produce green hydrogen, the use of a stationary energy storage device was proposed and its energy capacity was determined. The calculations contained in the article can be used to design home green hydrogen production systems and support the climate and energy transformation of small companies with a hydrogen demand of up to ¾ kg/day.

Green hydrogen electrolyzer and hydrogen-methane CCGT power plant in NEOM City

Power management and system optimization for high efficiency self-powered electrolytic hydrogen and formic acid production

Comparative life cycle assessment of power-to-gas generation of hydrogen with a dynamic emissions factor for fuel cell vehicles

Developments for two key options for long duration energy storage in The Netherlands are explored, including green hydrogen and sustainable heat. The Netherlands faces significant challenges in meeting its ambitious target of 8 GW hydrogen electrolysis capacity by 2032. Domestic production is hindered by supply chain issues, increased costs, and high grid tariffs, making Dutch green hydrogen expensive compared to foreign alternatives. Meanwhile, direct electrification has become more attractive due to falling costs for renewables and batteries. Blue hydrogen emerges as a cost-efficient alternative, with extensive CO2 storage capacity available in depleted North Sea gas fields and major projects like Porth’s and Aramis underway. The 8 GW target could be split, reverting to the Climate Agreement’s 3-4 GW goal for green hydrogen while formulating a separate objective for sustainable heat supply and storage. Thermal energy storage, both short-term and long-term, offers promising solutions for system flexibility and seasonal demand. High-temperature thermal storage in deep aquifers (HT-ATES) is particularly promising, with costs below €15 per GJ for large systems. A target for sustainable heat supply and storage should be supported by a coherent policy framework considering all societal benefits, including CO2 reduction and system flexibility

Relaxing EU Hydrogen Criteria: A Cost and Emission Comparison of Unrestricted and Green Electrolytic Hydrogen in 2030

Facing the fossil energy crisis and environmental issues, developing renewable energy is urgent, with green hydrogen being crucial in energy transition but electrolytic water hydrogen production has high costs needing solutions, such as replacing oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with organic oxidation reactions. Here, Co-doped amorphous nickel phosphate materials (Co-NiPxOy/NF) are synthesized via electrodeposition and applied as catalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). The 10% Co-doped material demonstrates remarkable efficacy in catalyzing MOR. When compared to the OER, it reduced the applied potential required to reach a current density of 200 mA cm⁻2 by 227 mV. During constant-current electrolysis at current densities ranging from 20 to 250 mA cm⁻2, the Faraday efficiencies (FE) of the formate products consistently exceeded 90%, and the catalysts maintained stable electrolysis for 120 h. into and discussed the action mechanism of Co-NiPxOy/NF is delved, proposing a dual-mechanism model involving hydrogen vacancy oxygen and electrophilic OH* species. These findings provide a solid theoretical foundation for the rational design and modification of catalysts, thereby paving the way for the development of a more efficient and cost-effective electrolytic water-based hydrogen production technology.

Hydrogen electrolyser loads pose to add tremendous demand to the Australian National Electricity Market (NEM) given the accelerating energy transition and opportunity for widespread decarbonisation. Accordingly, a consideration for flexible integration of future electrolyser loads is paramount while ensuring the energy consumed is considered ‘green’. This paper adopts a linear optimisation model to counterfactually investigate flexible participation strategies of these loads considering power purchase agreement (PPA) structures and the large-scale generation certificate (LGC) scheme in a case study utilising historical NEM data. It demonstrates both challenges and opportunities for flexible load operation given the ability to harness price lulls, but similarly be exposed through unmatched hedges given variable volume PPAs. Since the ability to maximise hydrogen production is limited in this study to the traded green-certificates under an assumed bundled PPA structure, this paper reveals benefit in pursuing dual PPAs with both solar and wind generators. Finally, the study yields a key question as to the certification of green-hydrogen and further need for methods to quantify temporal matching of generation and consumption.