Hydrogen Supply Chain Research Articles

Life cycle optimization for hydrogen supply chain network design

Hydrogen is central to meeting the challenge of climate change. The lack of infrastructure to produce, store, and deliver hydrogen is a significant obstacle to transitioning toward a hydrogen economy. For two decades, researchers have been interested in modeling the hydrogen supply chain network to provide managerial insights for decision-makers. We contribute to this research domain by introducing the life cycle optimization (LCO) modeling framework into the hydrogen supply chain network design (HSCND). Specifically, the life cycle costing (LCC) methodology and the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach are integrated through a bi-objective optimization. The two objectives are levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) and global warming potential (GWP) intensity. The problem is solved by implementing an ε-constraint method. The developed LCO framework is applied to a case study in Franche-Comté, France. Results obtained suggest that the introduction of LCC has a major impact on capital costs. The LCA, especially the life cycle inventory (LCI) approach, enables the LCO model to estimate emissions reasonably. The Pareto front obtained by solving the bi-objective model provides a holistic view of turning points. It is concluded that the modeling framework proposed in the paper can provide decision-makers with (i) comprehensive reflection of hydrogen supply network costs; (ii) a detailed description of hydrogen supply chain network-related emissions; and (iii) the quantification and visualization of the trade-off between costs and emissions.

Hydrogen Production and Its Applications to Mobility.

Hydrogen has been identified as one of the key elements to bolster longer-term climate neutrality and strategic autonomy for several major countries. Multiple road maps emphasize the need to accelerate deployment across its supply chain and utilization. Being one of the major contributors to global CO2 emissions, the transportation sector finds in hydrogen an appealing alternative to reach sustainable development through either its direct use in fuel cells or further transformation to sustainable fuels. This review summarizes the latest developments in hydrogen use across the major energy-consuming transportation sectors. Rooted in a systems engineering perspective, we present an analysis of the entire hydrogen supply chain across its economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Providing an outlook on the sector, we discuss the challenges hydrogen faces in penetrating the different transportation markets.

Modeling Hydrogen Supply Chain in Renewable Electric Energy System Planning

High penetration of renewable energy brings seasonal electricity imbalance in the power system and results in considerable energy curtailment. Such large scale curtailed electricity could be used to produce hydrogen via Power-to-Hydrogen (P2H) technology. The introduction of P2H would largely affect the configuration of both power grid and the hydrogen supply chain (HSC). This paper proposes a coordinated planning model of power system generation and transmission (GT) as well as HSC with transportable seasonal hydrogen storage. A co-planning model is put forward to investigate the optimal configuration of infrastructures in the GT-HSC and their coupling during operation. The model is formulated as LP model so that the year-round energy balance of seasonal hydrogen storage with daily resolution could be considered. Case studies on 5-bus PJM system and Northwest China HRP-38 system demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model. Results of the case study also illustrate the benefits of incorporating GT with HSC to reduce the renewable energy curtailment and bring down the energy supply cost.

Guest Editorial: Special Issue on Advanced Technology and Application for Hydrogen-Integrated Transportation and Power Systems

Hydrogen has been advocated as a promising energy carrier to achieve a low-carbon integration of transportation and power systems. Due to the advantage of zero-carbon and a wide industry application, hydrogen supply chain is developing into an important nexus, closely linking transportation and energy networks. Green hydrogen can be generated from surplus renewable energy via water electrolysis, and the hydrogen can be stored for future combined heating and power or be transported to refueling stations for fuel cell vehicles.

Hydrogen enrichment by CO2 anti-sublimation integrated with triple mixed refrigerant-based liquid hydrogen production process

Hydrogen has attracted significant global attention as a source of clean energy. With the increasing focus on utilizing hydrogen as a clean fuel, large-scale storage and transportation have emerged as essential parts of the hydrogen supply chain. Liquid hydrogen (LH2) is the most suitable alternative in this regard; additionally, LH2 ensures the purest form of hydrogen. Since hydrogen is primarily produced from fossil-based fuels, its purification is a critical step during LH2 production. Conventionally, pressure swing adsorption is adopted as a purification technique for this purpose. In contrast, cryogenic techniques have the limitations of low purity and recovery. In this study, a unique cryogenic approach with dual advantages, viz. hydrogen enrichment through CO2 solidification and precooling of hydrogen, is adopted. This is the first simulation study conducted on the removal of CO2 from a mixture of H2 and CO2 using anti-sublimation. The proposed process was simulated using Aspen Hysys® V11. The anti-sublimation process was performed in a specially designed chamber equipped with a refrigeration cycle. The anti-sublimation conditions were verified based on the phase behaviors of the H2/CO2 mixture and pure CO2. The purified and precooled hydrogen was liquified using three refrigeration cycles. The overall specific energy consumption of the proposed process is 9.62 kWh/kg, which is lower than those of commercial LH2 production processes. Moreover, the high exergy efficiency (31.5%) favors this unique approach of hydrogen enrichment and liquefaction. The economic analysis of the proposed process revealed a total acquisition cost (TAC) of 52.8 mil $/y. The results of this study will assist engineers to develop a sustainable green economy by enhancing the competitiveness of large-scale hydrogen storage and transportation.

Environmental and economic assessment of hydrogen compression with the metal hydride technology

A critical step in the hydrogen supply chains is the compression phase, which is often associated with high energy consumption and environmental impacts. An environmental and cost analysis of a metal hydride (MH) compressor and competing technologies (an air booster and a commercial hydrogen compressor), is performed for an application to fuel cell driven forklifts. The MH compressor shows limited environmental impacts only when a source of waste heat is available for hydrogen desorption. In these case, impacts would be similar to a generic compressor, but larger than those generated by an air booster. The equivalent economic cost is 6 € per kg of compressed hydrogen for the MH compressor, which is much higher than for the air booster, but lower than for a generic hydrogen compressor. Technical aspects to be improved for large-scale applications of MH compressors are identified. • Environmental and costs analysis of a metal hydride compressor have been established. • Environmental and costs comparison of different H 2 compression solution. • Metal hydride compressors show limited impact only under specific working conditions. • The alloys, used for the hydrogen sorption, show limited environmental impacts.

Multi-Objective Optimal Design of a Hydrogen Supply Chain Powered with Agro-Industrial Wastes from the Sugarcane Industry: A Mexican Case Study

This paper presents an optimization modeling approach to support strategic planning for designing hydrogen supply chain (HSC) networks. The energy source for hydrogen production is proposed to be electricity generated at Mexican sugar factories. This study considers the utilization of existing infrastructure in strategic areas of the country, which brings several advantages in terms of possible solutions. This study aims to evaluate the economic and environmental implications of using biomass wastes for energy generation, and its integration to the national energy grid, where the problem is addressed as a mixed-integer linear program (MILP), adopting maximization of annual profit, and minimization of greenhouse gas emissions as optimization criteria. Input data is provided by sugar companies and the national transport and energy information platform, and were represented by probability distributions to consider variability in key parameters. Independent solutions show similarities in terms of resource utilization, while also significant differences regarding economic and environmental indicators. Multi-objective optimization was performed by a genetic algorithm (GA). The optimal HSC network configuration is selected using a multi-criteria decision technique, i.e., TOPSIS. An uncertainty analysis is performed, and main economic indicators are estimated by investment assessment. Main results show the trade-off interactions between the HSC elements and optimization criteria. The average internal rate of return (IRR) is estimated to be 21.5% and average payback period is 5.02 years.

Research on the Concept of Hydrogen Supply Chains and Power Grids Powered by Renewable Energy Sources: A Scoping Review with the Use of Text Mining

The key direction of political actions in the field of sustainable development of the energy sector and economy is the process of energy transformation (decarbonization) and increasing the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in the supply of primary energy. Regardless of the indisputable advantages, RES are referred to as unstable energy sources. A possible solution might be the development of the concept of hydrogen supply chains, especially the so-called green hydrogen obtained in the process of electrolysis from electricity produced from RES. The aim of the research undertaken in the article is to identify the scope of research carried out in the area of hydrogen supply chains and to link this research with the issues of the operation of electricity distribution networks powered by RES. As a result of the scoping review, and the application of the text-mining method using the IRaMuTeQ tool, which includes the analysis of the content of 12 review articles presenting the current research achievements in this field over the last three years (2016–2020), it was established that the issues related to hydrogen supply chains, including green hydrogen, are still not significantly associated with the problem of the operation of power grids. The results of the conducted research allow formulating recommendations for further research areas.

Structural Model of Power Grid Stabilization in the Green Hydrogen Supply Chain System—Conceptual Assumptions

The paper presents the conceptual assumptions of research concerning the design of a theoretical multi-criteria model of a system architecture to stabilize the operation of power distribution networks based on a hydrogen energy buffer, taking into account the utility application of hydrogen. The basis of the research process was a systematic literature review using the technique of in-depth analysis of full-text articles and expert consultations. The structural model concept was described in two dimensions in which the identified variables were embedded. The first dimension includes the supply chain phases: procurement and production with warehousing and distribution. The second dimension takes into account a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach and includes the following factors: technical, economic–logistical, locational, and formal–legal.

Multi-period optimization of hydrogen supply chain utilizing natural gas pipelines and byproduct hydrogen

Establishing hydrogen infrastructure is essential for achieving a hydrogen economy in the future. However, the levelized cost of hydrogen is expensive in the early market due to the absence of infrastructure. In the present study, our aim was to minimize the capital and operating costs of the hydrogen supply chain (HSC) using multi-period mixed-integer linear programming. The proposed HSC includes existing infrastructure for byproduct hydrogen and natural gas (NG) pipelines. We determined the economic benefits of utilizing NG pipelines and byproduct hydrogen and how existing infrastructure outperformed other technologies for the optimization of the HSC. Compared to the non-utilization scenario, the average levelized costs of hydrogen decreased by 0.93, 1.40, and 2.03 $/kg–H2 if byproduct hydrogen, NG pipelines, or both were available, respectively, in the HSC. The optimal HSC networks indicate that NG pipelines and byproduct hydrogen have synergetic effects on reducing the total costs owing to the decentralization of production facilities.

Progress of the brown coal derived hydrogen supply chain demonstration project

The world has changed its direction widely towards the realization of the CO2-free society by the Paris Agreement issued in 2015. In Japan, prior to the Paris Agreement, the usage of large amount of hydrogen was proposed by the several sectors through the hydrogen and fuel cell strategy road map issued in June, 2014. Also, the Prime Minister Suga declared the realization of carbon neutral by 2050 at the time of his policy speech in October, 2020 and demonstration of CO2-free hydrogen supply chain became urgent need. Under those situations, CO2-free Hydrogen Energy Supply-chain Technology Research Association has been established by the four companies comprises Iwatani Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Shell Japan Limited and Electric Power Development Co., Ltd. in 2016 towards the realization of commercial hydrogen supply chain in 2030. At the moment, research and development（R&D） has been carried out for the demonstration in 2021 through the adoption of Demonstration Project for Establishment of Mass Hydrogen Marine Transportation Supply Chain Derived from unused Brown Coal funded by the subject setting type industrial technical development subsidy of NEDO.

Co-Planning of Regional Wind Resources-based Ammonia Industry and the Electric Network: A Case Study of Inner Mongolia

Converting wind energy into ammonia (WtA) has been recognized as a promising pathway to produce “green” ammonia compared with traditional coal-based technologies. As the key part of WtA, Power-to-Ammonia (PtA) has great potential to facilitate the usage of wind generation. This paper proposes a co-planning approach for regional wind resources-based ammonia industry and the electric network (EN). To this end, PtA is first modeled as a flexible power load of power systems with spatial and temporal constraints on hydrogen supply chains (HSC). Then a novel co-planning model of WtA and EN is established to optimize the WtA configuration and the EN expansion. An alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) based algorithm is introduced to effectively solve this model. Real data of Inner Mongolia Province in China is adopted to verify the effectiveness and significance of the proposed approach. It is shown that the siting and operation flexibility of PtA with HSC can reduce the expansion burden of EN. The co-planning of WtA and EN can significantly enhance wind power utilization and reduce total investment costs. Furthermore, feasibility analysis on WtA in comparison with coal-to-ammonia (CtA) and ultra-high voltage transmission (UHV) provides helpful guidelines for the realization of WtA.

Benefits of the multi-modality formulation in hydrogen supply chain modelling

Hydrogen is recognized as a key element of future low-carbon energy systems. For proper integration, an adequate delivery infrastructure will be required, to be deployed in parallel to the electric grid and the gas network. This work adopts an optimization model to support the design of a future hydrogen delivery infrastructure, considering production, storage, and transport up to demand points. The model includes two production technologies, i.e., steam reforming with carbon capture and PV-fed electrolysis systems, and three transport modalities, i.e., pipelines, compressed hydrogen trucks, and liquid hydrogen trucks. This study compares a multi-modality formulation, in which the different transport technologies are simultaneously employed and their selection is optimized, with a mono-modality formulation, in which a single transport technology is considered. The assessment looks at the regional case study of Lombardy in Italy, considering a long-term scenario in which an extensive hydrogen supply chain is developed to supply hydrogen for clean mobility. Results show that the multi-modality infrastructure provides significant cost benefits, yielding an average cost of hydrogen that is up to 11% lower than a mono-modality configuration.

Plan of hydrogen supply chain in Hakodate using offshore wind power in southern Hokkaido

Plan of hydrogen supply chain in Hakodate using offshore wind power in southern Hokkaido

Large scale liquid hydrogen tank that supports hydrogen supply chain system

Large scale liquid hydrogen tank that supports hydrogen supply chain system

Speed of Innovation Diffusion of Water Electrolysis Technologies

Green hydrogen will help the European Green Deal achieve “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Green hydrogen is created through water electrolysis; however, a lack of infrastructure, investments, and a complex supply chain have made it more expensive than its fossil fuel competitors. This paper focuses on the challenge of diffusing novel electrolysis technologies through the green hydrogen supply chain. 16 case studies are examined using innovation ecosystem principles to estimate how fast these technologies will reach market saturation. Results are then compared to 12 case studies on the green hydrogen supply chain to provide a holistic view.

Outline of CN Workshop: Demonstrations and Developments of International Hydrogen Supply Chain and Hydrogen Combustion Technology

Outline of CN Workshop: Demonstrations and Developments of International Hydrogen Supply Chain and Hydrogen Combustion Technology

Hydrogen supply chain and production technology

Hydrogen is forecasted as an energy solution for the future thanks to its advantages of cleanliness, abundance and high energy conversion efficiency. The paper briefly introduces the hydrogen supply chain, hydrogen production technologies prevailing or expected in the future, as well as challenges that need to be addressed for a successful transition to a hydrogen-based economy.

Technoeconomic and environmental assessment of HyForce, a hydrogen-fuelled harbour tug

The call for concerted global action against the climate change impact is well heard. 191 countries would communicate their progressive plans through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as signatories to the Paris Agreement. Harbour crafts as part of the larger maritime ecosystem, can significantly contribute to reduced emissions. In this paper, HyForce, the next generation 2 MW hydrogen powered virtual tugboat was designed for a feasibility assessment for her techno-economic and environmental footprint to replace existing diesel-powered tugboats. The study compares the use of hydrogen fuel cells and an internal combustion engine to perform the same dynamic load profile for a typical tugboat mission. The results from the study show that a signpost for commercial competitiveness of HyForce is influenced primarily by the projected liquid hydrogen cost of 5.10 USD per kg in 2040 with a 2,000 USD/kW capital cost for the fuel cells.Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from a “well-to-wake” analysis for fossil-based hydrogen and renewable hydrogen supply chains were conducted, and the results show 26.9% and 75.6% reduction, respectively, compared to similar tug running on diesel fuel.

EU Carbon Diplomacy: Assessing Hydrogen Security and Policy Impact in Australia and Germany

Hydrogen is fast becoming a new international “super fuel” to accelerate global climate change ambitions. This paper has two inter-weaving themes. Contextually, it focuses on the potential impact of the EU’s new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on fossil fuel-generated as opposed to green hydrogen imports. The CBAM, as a transnational carbon adjustment mechanism, has the potential to impact international trade in energy. It seeks both a level playing field between imports and EU internal markets (subject to ambitious EU climate change policies), and to encourage emissions reduction laggards through its “carbon diplomacy”. Countries without a price on carbon will be charged for embodied carbon in their supply chains when they export to the EU. Empirically, we focus on two hydrogen export/import case studies: Australia as a non-EU state with ambitions to export hydrogen, and Germany as an EU Member State reliant on energy imports. Energy security is central to energy trade debates but needs to be conceptualized beyond supply and demand economics to include geopolitics, just transitions and the impacts of border carbon taxes and EU carbon diplomacy. Accordingly, we apply and further develop a seven-dimension energy security-justice framework to the examples of brown, blue and green hydrogen export/import hydrogen operations, with varying carbon-intensity supply chains, in Australia and Germany. Applying the framework, we identify potential impact—risks and opportunities—associated with identified brown, blue and green hydrogen export/import projects in the two countries. This research contributes to the emerging fields of international hydrogen trade, supply chains, and international carbon diplomacy and develops a potentially useful seven-dimension energy security-justice framework for energy researchers and policy analysts.