Renewable hydrogen as an energy storage solution

M.A. Sayegh,M. Kutyłowska,K. Piekarska,Barbara Widera,B. Kaźmierczak,H. Jouhara,J. Danielewicz

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/201911600097

Abstract

The paper will discuss the potential of renewable hydrogen as an energy storage medium for the decarbonisation of multiple sectors and for the energy system security. The author will particularly focus on the applications related to the building industry with perspectives to be further developed. The paper will cover the most up-to-date initiatives addressing the combination of hydrogen production based on water electrolysis and solar energy methods with the possibility of hydrogen implementations for energy storage, transportation and stationary applications such as combined heat and power (CHP) plants or fuel cell electric generators. The opportunity to reach improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness in the energy transition will be presented on the example of the two selected case studies: the world’s first full-scale wind power and hydrogen plant and the most up-to-date on-going project chosen by Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. They will be analysed in purpose to draw the conclusions regarding the options and limitations of the actual renewable hydrogen based energy storage systems tested in the real life situation. The second aim of the paper is to formulate the recommendations for the further action in this field, including the reduction of some non-technological barriers.

Highlights

The development of sustainable energy technologies is a necessary part of tackling climate change action aimed at holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as stated in the Paris Agreement [1]
In terms of greenhouse gas emissions the biomass based methods generate significant emission levels when compared to water electrolysis and only the hydrogen production using the solar energy offers similar GHG reduction potential to the water electrolysis [3]
The analysis of the two case studies presented above allows to conclude that the use of renewable hydrogen produced in efficient proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers, powered by the wind and tidal energy, as an energy storage medium represents substantial environmental and economic advantages

Summary

Introduction

The development of sustainable energy technologies is a necessary part of tackling climate change action aimed at holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as stated in the Paris Agreement [1]. When taking water electrolysis as a benchmark, the cost of hydrogen production using the biomass-based methods as well as water splitting and photo-catalysis are similar. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions the biomass based methods generate significant emission levels when compared to water electrolysis and only the hydrogen production using the solar energy offers similar GHG reduction potential to the water electrolysis [3]. The sites that offer the opportunity to combine the hydrogen production using electrolysis and solar energy methods with the possibility of hydrogen implementations for energy storage, transportation and stationary applications, such as combined heat and power (CHP) plants or fuel cell electric generators, are promising and should be selected for the pilot projects. The most promising integrated model of hydrogen production, storage, transportation and utilisation for low carbon heat, power and transport has been further explored within the paper

Analysis of pilot case studies

The world’s first full-scale combined wind power and hydrogen plant

Lessons from the Utsira project

Findings

Conclusions