Hydrogen Energy Source Research Articles

The determinants of renewable energy sources for the fueling of green and sustainable economy

This study seeks to evaluate potential solutions to Pakistan's energy shortages based on a renewable green hydrogen source provided by geothermal, wind, biomass, and solar energy. To this end, the application of multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and the Fuzzy-analytical hierarchical process was tested on four primary criteria: social acceptance, economic, commercialization, and environmental. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to analyze the development of hydrogen energy using existing renewable sources under the set parameters. Based on results from the fuzzy-led DEA study, the efficiency of wind energy sources is best adapted to produce hydrogen energy for all four criteria in Pakistan. The DEA-led analysis also deems wind energy to be Pakistan's effective source of hydrogen energy. In other words, to produce hydrogen energy, the findings revealed the best optimal rank 1.00 for wind energy, second highest score 0.97 for biomass, third rank for solar energy with a score of 0.75, and geothermal ranked at last position with a score of 0.662. The findings emphasize that the development of wind energy projects will help to fulfill local energy requirements and minimize fossil energy usage. This study can assist policymakers design fact-based initiatives in their particular regions of hydrogen energy.

Cu‐In intermetallic compounds as highly active catalysts for CH 3 OH formation from CO 2 hydrogenation

Converting CO2 into methanol, utilizing a reproducible hydrogen energy source, is one of the most prospective ways in solving the greenhouse effect and energy shortage. The main challenge is to develop highly efficient catalysts capable of achieving high catalytic activity and stability. Herein, we prepare bimetallic catalysts that can effectively catalytic methanol formation from CO2 hydrogenation with better performance compared to monometallic catalysts, which gives a selectivity close to 90% to methanol. The phase of Cu-In intermetallic catalysts changes significantly with the Cu:In molar ratio, but only two Cu11In9 and Cu7In3 intermetallic compounds emerge. The Cu-In intermetallic compounds and oxygen vacancies existed on In2O3 surface are the two active sites with different roles, and their synergistic catalysis results in the adsorption, activation, and further conversion of CO2 and H2. When the Cu:In molar ratio equals 1:2, a Cu11In9-In2O3 intermetallic catalyst is obtained by CuO-In2O3 reduction. Moreover, this catalyst possesses the highest Cu specific surface area (the highest Cu dispersion), the highest surface oxygen vacancy concentration (the highest CO2 adsorption capacity), and the optimal synergistic effect between Cu-In intermetallic compound and In2O3. It, therefore, displays the maximum catalytic performance. 10.3% CO2 conversion, 86.2% CH3OH selectivity, and 5.95 /h/g CH3OH space-time yield are obtained at 260°C, 3.0 MPa, and 7500 mL/gcat/h. CuIn(1:2) owns a good potential as a catalyst for CH3OH synthesis. Novelty Statement Controlled synthesis and catalytic properties of Cu-In intermetallic catalysts. Cu-In intermetallic compounds and In2O3 are the two different active sites. The optimal synergistic effect between Cu11In9 and In2O3 exists in Cu:In(1:2), and Cu:In(1:2) owns an extremely large potential as a catalyst for CH3OH formation from CO2 hydrogenation.

Economic analysis of hydrogen-powered data center

The data center needs more and more electricity due to the explosive growth of IT servers and it could cause electricity power shortage and huge carbon emission. It is an attractive and promising solution to power the data center with hydrogen energy source. The present work aims to conduct an economic analysis on the hydrogen-powered data center. Configurations of hydrogen-powered and traditional data centers are compared and the differences focus on backup power system, converter/inverter, fuel cell subsystem, carbon emission, hydrogen and electricity consumptions. Economic analysis is conducted to evaluate the feasibility to power the data center with hydrogen energy source. Results show that electricity price increasing rate and hydrogen cost are the main factors to influence economic feasibility of hydrogen-powered data center. When the electricity price keeps constant in the coming two decades, the critical hydrogen price is about 2.8 U.S. dollar per kilogram. If the electricity price could increase 5% annually due to explosive growth of electric vehicles and economy, critical hydrogen price will become 6.4 U.S. dollar per kilogram. Hydrogen sources and transportation determine the hydrogen price together. Hydrogen production cost varies greatly with hydrogen sources and production technologies. Hydrogen transport cost is greatly influenced by distances and H2 consumptions to consumers. It could be summarized that the hydrogen-powered data center is economic if hydrogen could be produced from natural gas or H2-rich industrial waste streams in chemical plant and data center could not be built too far away from hydrogen sources. In addition, large-scale hydrogen-powered data center is more likely to be economic. Solar hydrogen powered data center has entered into a critical stage in the economic feasibility. Solar hydrogen production cost has restrained the H2 utilization in data center power systems now, since it could be competitive only when more strict carbon emission regulation is employed, hydrogen production cost reduces greatly and electricity price is increasing greatly in the future. However, it could be expected solar hydrogen-powered system will be adopted as the power source of data centers in the next few years.

Application of hydrogen energy in low carbon cities

Hydrogen energy, as a new clean energy, has attracted wide attention all over the world because of its own advantages, and China is also one of the hydrogen energy plans in some countries. But most of the investment and energy of hydrogen energy are in other fields, such as transportation. Low carbon cities are the development model to deal with environmental deterioration and climate change in recent years. They introduce low carbon clean energy, introduce low carbon energy in small towns and construction life cycle, and establish low carbon operation system. For hydrogen valley or hydrogen energy town model to provide reference. Through the analysis and comparison of the initial utilization of hydrogen energy and other energy sources at home and abroad and the literature of energy towns, and according to the development experience at home and abroad, the feasibility and operation mode of hydrogen energy in low carbon towns are summarized.

Future Power Train Solutions for Long-Haul Trucks

Achieving the CO2 reduction targets for 2050 requires extensive measures being undertaken in all sectors. In contrast to energy generation, the transport sector has not yet been able to achieve a substantive reduction in CO2 emissions. Measures for the ever more pressing reduction in CO2 emissions from transportation include the increased use of electric vehicles powered by batteries or fuel cells. The use of fuel cells requires the production of hydrogen and the establishment of a corresponding hydrogen production system and associated infrastructure. Synthetic fuels made using carbon dioxide and sustainably-produced hydrogen can be used in the existing infrastructure and will reach the extant vehicle fleet in the medium term. All three options require a major expansion of the generation capacities for renewable electricity. Moreover, various options for road freight transport with light duty vehicles (LDVs) and heavy duty vehicles (HDVs) are analyzed and compared. In addition to efficiency throughout the entire value chain, well-to-wheel efficiency and also other aspects play an important role in this comparison. These include: (a) the possibility of large-scale energy storage in the sense of so-called ‘sector coupling’, which is offered only by hydrogen and synthetic energy sources; (b) the use of the existing fueling station infrastructure and the applicability of the new technology on the existing fleet; (c) fulfilling the power and range requirements of the long-distance road transport.

Balancing the Slovak Energy Market After the Adoption of “Fit for 55 Package”

Research background: Slovak energy sector is based on older strategic documents setting national interests within energy policy and energy security (before 2014). “Fit for 55 package” proposed by European Commission in July 2021 is one of the most politically ambitious projects after WW2 and brings crucial changes for EU27 energy systems, especially for CEE countries. Purpose of the article: To analyze the potential impact of the “Fit for 55 package” objectives and consequences on the energy system of the Slovak Republic in terms of fossil fuels substitutes. Methods: Authors use Energy Balance Sheet (EBS) to outline the unprecedented impact of the EU policy on the Slovak energy system and alternative scenarios for its development. Simulating the impact of CO2 emissions cuts via Gretl software, the authors outline crucial changes in the energy system and subsequent energy shortages within the Slovak energy market, which have to be replaced (in electricity generation, natural gas, and transportation fuels). Findings & Value added: According to the authors´ findings, possible substitutes (hydrogen or renewable energy sources) will not fully cover the future demand, and authors suggest possible solutions. Secondly, the impact on transportation capacities and energy transportation corridors are outlined. Finally, the authors stress that political efforts oversize economic and energy reality, especially in Slovakia, and policymakers should better consider the specifics of the CEE energy systems and allocate financial grants for the upgrade of transport corridors

Self-Supported Nickel-Iron Layered Double Hydroxide and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Composite as a Bifunctional Catalyst for Highly Efficient Overall Water Splitting

Due to fossil fuel consumption, the development of green and clean hydrogen energy sources is crucial. In this paper, a composite bifunctional catalyst comprised of Ni–Fe layered double hydroxide and multi-walled carbon nanotubes on nickel foam (LDHCN) were synthesized through a one-step hydrothermal method. The catalyst displayed excellent catalytic activity in both the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. The composition and morphology of LDHCN were determined. Electrochemical testing was performed by building a parallel two-electrode electrolyzer (LDHCN‖LDHCN) that required a voltage of only 1.542[Formula: see text]V to drive 10 mA/cm2. LDHCN‖LDHCN also maintained 100[Formula: see text]mA/cm2 for at least 30 hours, indicating its excellent stability and activity. These results show that the material is viable for the highly efficient conversion and transport of hydrogen energy.

Real-time cost-minimization power-allocating strategy via model predictive control for fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles

Fuel cell electric vehicles are widely deemed as the promising technology in sustainable transportation field, yet the high ownership cost makes them far from competitive in contemporary auto market. To maximize the economic potential of fuel cell/battery-based hybrid electric vehicles, this paper proposes a real-time cost-minimization energy management strategy to mitigate the vehicle’s operating cost. Specifically, the proposed strategy is realized via model predictive control, wherein both hydrogen consumption and energy source degradations are incorporated in the multi-objective cost function. Assisted by the forecasted speed, dynamic programming is leveraged to derive the optimal power-splitting decision over each receding horizon. Thereafter, the performance discrepancy of the proposed strategy is analyzed under different affecting factors, including battery state-of-charge regulation coefficient, discrete resolution of optimization solver, speed prediction approaches and length of prediction horizon. Lastly, a comparative study is conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy, where the proposed strategy can respectively reduce the operating cost and prolong the fuel cell lifetime by 14.17% and 8.48% in average versus a rule-based benchmark. Moreover, the online computation time per step of the proposed strategy is averaged at 266.26 ms, less than the sampling time interval 1 s, thereby verifying its real-time practicality.

Catalytic decomposition of methane to produce hydrogen: A review

Catalytic decomposition of methane (CDM) is an attractive technology for environmentally friendly hydrogen production without CO 2 emissions. • The source and application status of hydrogen energy are described. • Different pathways of catalytic decomposition of methane (CDM) are compared. • History and development of the CDM catalysts are summarized. • Metal-/carbon-based and unconventional catalysts for CDM are discussed. • Liquid-phase reaction interface helps to realize the commercialization of CDM. The increasing demands of hydrogen and the recent discovery of large reserves of methane have prompted the conversion of methane to hydrogen. The challenges raised by intensive CO 2 emission from the traditional conversion of methane have provoked emission-free hydrogen production from methane. The catalytic decomposition of methane (CDM) to produce hydrogen and advanced carbon hence comes into consideration due to the short process and environmental benignity. Although many researchers have made considerable progress in CDM research on the laboratory scale, CDM is still in its infancy in industrialization. The history of its development, fundamental mechanisms, and recent research progress in catalysts and catalytic systems are herein highlighted. The problems of catalytic interface degradation are reviewed, focusing on deactivation from coke deposition in the CDM process. The introduction of a liquid phase interface which can in-situ remove carbon products provides a new strategy for this process. Furthermore, the challenges and prospects for future research into novel CDM catalysts or catalyst systems are included.

Nanostructured β−NiS Catalyst for Enhanced and Stable Electro−oxidation of Urea

Urea oxidation reaction (UOR) has received a high level of recent interest since electrochemical oxidation of urea can remediate harmful nitrogen compounds in wastewater and accomplish hydrogen fuel production simultaneously. Thus, urea is considered to be potential hydrogen energy source that is inherently safe for fuel cell applications. However, the catalytic reaction suffers from slow kinetics due to six electron transfer in UOR. In this work, β phase NiS is successfully prepared through facile hydrothermal reaction, in which diethanolamine (DEA) was added as chelating agent leading to 3D nanoflower morphology. The crystal structure, surface morphology, and chemical bonding of the β−NiS were characterized by X–ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and X−ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The UOR performance of NiS was evaluated by means of linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), Tafel analysis, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), chronoamperometry, and chronopotentiometry in 1 M KOH electrolyte containing 0.33 M urea. Compared to the Ni(OH)2 counterpart, NiS exhibits lower onset potential, increased current responses, faster kinetics of urea oxidation, lower charge transfer resistance, and higher urea diffusion coefficient, leading to the enhanced catalytic performance toward UOR. Moreover, the developed NiS catalyst exhibits superior stability and tolerance towards urea electro−oxidation in 10,000 s test.

Managerial policy and economic analysis of wind-generated renewable hydrogen for light-duty vehicles: Green solution of energy crises.

The unconventional energy sources like hydrogen energy have tremendouspotential of filling the gap between economic growth and clean energy consumption. A little intention has been made in this regard in the developing economies like Pakistan. This study develops a fusibility analysis to highlight the potential of hydrogen energy source in Pakistan. For this purpose, this study used a hybrid mathematical model that combines the range of wind speed with the log law to push wind power's potential to generate wind hydrogen in Pakistan. The study results indicate that Pakistan has an excellent source to generate hydrogen energy through wind power stations. According to the outcomes, Nooriabad can produce 303.66 million RE/kWh per year through wind energy sources. According to the results, the rest of the seven wind generation sites also can generate enough hydrogen energy. This study also concluded that hydrogen energy has enough sources to meet the demand for light-duty vehicles in Pakistan.

A generalized analytical model for hydrocarbon production using multi-fractured horizontal well with non-uniform permeability distributions

The multi-fractured horizontal well (MFHW) has significantly facilitated the exploitation of unconventional hydrogen-carbon compound reservoirs, which is an abundant source of fossil hydrogen energy. The composite linear flow models were frequently adopted to analytically evaluate the hydrocarbon production using MFHW. Most of the existing composite linear flow models assume uniform permeability in the primary fractures and the Stimulated Reservoir Volume (SRV) region. However, due to the non-uniform proppant distribution in the primary fractures and the heterogeneity in the density of the secondary fractures in SRV region, the permeability field in both regions are non-uniform. For the first time, a generalized analytical model incorporating continuous permeability heterogeneity in both the primary fractures and SRV region is proposed for the hydrocarbon production of MFHW. Any arbitrary permeability distribution functions can be treated as inputs to the proposed model. The mathematical model is solved using the perturbation technique and the Laplace transform method.The good match with the numerical solution verifies the accuracy of the proposed analytical model. Subsequently, the proposed solution is assigned with different modes of permeability heterogeneity to investigate their impacts on well production performances, i.e., cumulative hydrocarbon production and transient bottom-hole pressure (BHP). The results reveal that the incorporation of permeability heterogeneity will enhance the production rate and lower the BHP drawdown compared to the homogeneous case with the same average permeability. Besides, a field case is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model.

Surface excited MoO2 to master full water splitting

Electrocatalytic water splitting, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), is an ideal method to produce hydrogen energy source. Stable electrocatalysts with good electrolytic activity are crucial for long-term water splitting. In this work, we show that MoO2 nanosheets can be grown directly on nickel foam substrate with oxygen vacancies decorated on the surface, acting as an excellent electrocatalyst for practical water splitting. In comparison to the pristine sample, the optimized MoO2, treated by 2% N2H4 solution for 20 min, exhibits a relatively low onset potential of −60 mV vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) for HER and a cell voltage of about 1.6 V vs. RHE to achieve a current density of 85 mA cm−2 for OER, which are attributed to the enhanced conductivity and improved surface active sites facilitated by oxygen vacancies. With the accelerated hydrogen generation process and activated water oxidation reaction, MoO2 is demonstrated to be a suitable and stable bifunctional electrode for full water splitting, and the post-treatment process for oxygen vacancies also provides an effective strategy for improving electrocatalysis.

Development Concept of Integrated Energy Network and Hydrogen Energy Industry Based on Hydrogen Production Using Surplus Hydropower

The development of hydropower industry is progressing rapidly in China, and the installed capacity and power generation are increasing year by year. However, due to factors such as transmission channels and power grid peaking capacity, hydropower consumption in some areas is facing greater pressure. As an excellent medium for energy interconnection, hydrogen energy can play an important role in promoting hydropower consumption. This paper introduces the current status and trends of hydrogen energy development in major developed countries and China, and analyzes the current status of China’s hydropower abandoned water. Based on the production of hydrogen using surplus hydropower in the Dadu River Basin in Sichuan, an integrated energy network research plan including hydropower, electrolytic hydrogen production, storage and transportation, hydrogen refueling, and hydrogen-powered vehicles is proposed. At the same time, the development concept of hydrogen energy industry including hydrogen energy source economy, hydrogen energy industry ecosphere and hydrogen energy sky road in western Sichuan is also proposed.

Comparison between hydrogen production by alkaline water electrolysis and hydrogen production by PEM electrolysis

Hydrogen is an ideal clean energy source that can be used as an energy storage medium for renewable energy sources. The water electrolysis hydrogen production technology, which is one of the mainstream hydrogen production methods, can be used to produce high-purity hydrogen and other energy sources can be converted into hydrogen storage by electrolysis. Hydrogen production by alkaline water electrolysis and hydrogen production by PEM electrolysis are all water electrolysis hydrogen production technologies that have been industrially applied. From the application point of view, the paper compares the working principle of the two kinds of electrolyzers, the process flow of hydrogen production equipment, advantages and disadvantages. This article provides a reference for relevant researchers.

Recent advances in water-splitting electrocatalysts based on manganese oxide

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of electrochemical water splitting represents a source of hydrogen (H2) energy. Precious-metal-based RuOx and IrOx are expensive and degrade in the presence of electrolyte; thus, the development of low-cost and eco-friendly OER electrocatalysts is needed. This review summarizes the recent status of the nonprecious manganese metal-oxide-based electrocatalysts with reference to nanostructure, defect engineering, hybrid composite formation, and core–shell formation to achieve efficient OER performance. In particular, we focus on the strategies used to lower the onset potential and the Tafel slope of the water oxidation process. Future prospects for the development of manganese-oxide-based electrocatalysts are discussed.

2D metal-organic frameworks-derived preparation of layered CuS@C as an efficient and stable electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction

Given the energy crisis and environmental pollution, it is urgent to design and construct efficient and stable electrocatalyst for the production of clean hydrogen energy. In this work, 2D Cu-contained metal-organic frameworks (Cu-BDC nanosheets) were firstly synthesized using Cu2O cubes as Cu2+ source precursor by a facile and efficient bottom-up method. Subsequently, layered CuS@C were prepared via a sulfidation of Cu-BDC nanosheets as an efficient electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The effects of catalyst structure and chemical composition on the electrocatalytic activity were discussed in detail. Experiment results shows that the optimized layered CuS@C exhibits high HER catalytic activity, affording the current density of 10 mA cm−2 at low overpotentials of 128 mV and Tafel slopes of 44 mV dec−1. The enhanced HER electrocatalytic activity of layered CuS@C may be attributed to structural advantage of 2D Cu-BDC precursors, which endows derived electrocatalyst with high specific surface area and percentages of exposed active sites. Moreover, due to the protection of carbon matrix, as-obtained catalysts show high electrocatalytic stability in acidic, alkaline and neutral mediums, making it a potential candidate as electrodes for the application of production of clean hydrogen energy source.

Electrochemical Oxidation of Urea on NiCu Alloy Nanoparticles Decorated Carbon Nanofibers

Bimetallic Cu3.8Ni alloy nanoparticles (NPs)-anchored carbon nanofibers (composite NFs) were synthesized using a simple electrospinning machine. XRD, SEM, TEM, and TGA were employed to examine the physiochemical characteristics of these composite NFs. The characterization techniques proved that Cu3.8Ni alloy NPs-anchored carbon NFs were successfully fabricated. Urea oxidation (UO) processes as a source of hydrogen and electrical energy were investigated using the fabricated composite NFs. The corresponding onset potential of UO and the oxidation current density (OCD) were measured via cyclic voltammetry as 380 mV versus Ag/AgCl electrode and 98 mA/cm2, respectively. Kinetic study indicated that the electrochemical oxidation of urea followed the diffusion controlled process and the reaction order is 0.5 with respect to urea concentration. The diffusion coefficient of urea using the introduced electrocatalyst was found to be 6.04 × 10−3 cm2/s. Additionally, the composite NFs showed steady state stability for 900 s using chronoamperometry test.

LPG Cars in a Car Park Environment-How to Make It Safe.

Alternative and innovative fuel types are being introduced to power cars. These include liquified petroleum gas (LPG) gas and hydrogen energy sources. However, they also introduce new hazards, requiring revised thinking with respect to safety within car parking environments. One of the most significant dangers is accidental gas release from a car’s system, especially in underground car parks. Jet fan systems are widely used for ventilation of such enclosures, but currently their design is most often based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) according to computer simulations that may not be relevant for such new fuels. This paper presents the results of full-scale tests which demonstrate the operational factors of jet fan ventilation systems, and assesses the conditions which can occur in a car park when a small volume of LPG is released. On the basis of measurements undertaken, Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) software was validated against the air velocity flows and LPG gas dispersion patterns. Finally, the simulations were used to demonstrate the effectiveness of systems in an actual car park, in the case of an accidental LPG car tank release.

Hydrogen Production Technologies Overview

Hydrogen energy became the most significant energy as the current demand gradually starts to increase. Hydrogen energy is an important key solution to tackle the global temperature rise. The key important factor of hydrogen production is the hydrogen economy. Hydrogen production technologies are commercially available, while some of these technologies are still under development. This paper reviews the hydrogen production technologies from both fossil and non-fossil fuels such as (steam reforming, partial oxidation, auto thermal, pyrolysis, and plasma technology). Additionally, water electrolysis technology was reviewed. Water electrolysis can be combined with the renewable energy to get eco-friendly technology. Currently, the maximum hydrogen fuel productions were registered from the steam reforming, gasification, and partial oxidation technologies using fossil fuels. These technologies have different challenges such as the total energy consumption and carbon emissions to the environment are still too high. A novel non-fossil fuel method [ammonia NH3] for hydrogen production using plasma technology was reviewed. Ammonia decomposition using plasma technology without and with a catalyst to produce pure hydrogen was considered as compared case studies. It was showed that the efficiency of ammonia decomposition using the catalyst was higher than ammonia decomposition without the catalyst. The maximum hydrogen energy efficiency obtained from the developed ammonia decomposition system was 28.3% with a hydrogen purity of 99.99%. The development of ammonia decomposition processes is continues for hydrogen production, and it will likely become commercial and be used as a pure hydrogen energy source.Hydrogen energy became the most significant energy as the current demand gradually starts to increase. Hydrogen energy is an important key solution to tackle the global temperature rise. The key important factor of hydrogen production is the hydrogen economy. Hydrogen production technologies are commercially available, while some of these technologies are still under de-velopment. This paper reviews the hydrogen production technologies from both fossil and non-fossil fuels such as (steam reforming, partial oxidation, auto thermal, pyrolysis, and plasma technology). Additionally, water elec-trolysis technology was reviewed. Water electrolysis can be combined with the renewable energy to get eco-friendly technology. Currently, the maximum hydrogen fuel productions were registered from the steam reforming, gasification, and partial oxidation technologies using fossil fuels. These technologies have different challenges such as the total energy consumption and carbon emissions to the environment are still too high. A novel non-fossil fuel method [ammonia NH3] for hydrogen production using plas-ma technology was reviewed. Ammonia decomposition using plasma tech-nology without and with a catalyst to produce pure hydrogen was considered as compared case studies. It was showed that the efficiency of ammonia decomposition using the catalyst was higher than ammonia decomposition without the catalyst. The maximum hydrogen energy efficiency obtained from the developed ammonia decomposition system was 28.3% with a hy-drogen purity of 99.99%. The development of ammonia decomposition pro-cesses is continues for hydrogen production, and it will likely become com-mercial and be used as a pure hydrogen energy source.