Alternative fuels: hydrogen
A low/no emissions alternative to traditional fossil fuels, hydrogen has diverse applications for transportation, manufacturing, household energy, and other uses.
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Andy Kirchin – Director, Subsurface Low-Carbon Solutions – Energy, explains more about the hydrogen economy and why hydrogen projects are becoming more viable than ever.
In the Government’s Energy Security Strategy 2022, hydrogen was highlighted as playing a pivotal role in the UK’s future energy mix, increasing the power-from-hydrogen target to 10GW by 2030.
With the urgent need to decarbonise our energy supply in particular, the role of hydrogen has been reassessed and positioned at the forefront of net zero solutions. An abundant element and clean fuel source, it can provide greener, flexible energy across power, heat, and transport. And, when produced using renewable energy sources, it’s a zero-emission fuel that can be utilised across various sectors, representing a paradigm shift in current energy usage.
According to Hydrogen UK, the UK-wide hydrogen economy could be worth up to £18 billion and could create over 75,000 jobs by 2035. The ‘fuel of the future’ may be on its way to revolutionising how we produce and consume energy.
The UK’s geography, geology, engineering, and infrastructure expertise make it particularly suited to rapidly developing a low-carbon hydrogen economy. This presents huge potential for the UK to become a global leader in hydrogen investment opportunities.
But with virtually no low-carbon hydrogen produced or used currently, particularly to supply energy, there’s a large amount of scale-up needed.
As set out in the Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution 2022, the UK Government is aiming for 5GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 for use across the economy.
The Ten Point Plan announced:
With the pressure on to meet ambitious carbon reduction targets and transition to sustainable energy sources, hydrogen offers a tangible solution to reduce carbon footprints. As a growing sector, new markets and job opportunities are emerging – from the production and distribution of hydrogen through to the development of fuel cell technologies.
Here are some of the reasons why hydrogen continues to be an attractive option:
Zero CO2 emissions – when reacting with oxygen, hydrogen only generates electricity, water and heat. There are a variety of fuel-cells on the market that operate without the need for combustion and the technology is advancing rapidly in terms of power efficiency and portability creating a genuine opportunity to switch from distributed fossil-fuel combustion where emissions are, practically speaking, impossible to capture and remove from the atmosphere.
High energy per mass - means it has great potential for long-term energy needs but its low ambient temperature results in a low energy density (i.e. per unit volume). This is less of an issue for stationary applications but research continues into compressed gas storage using advanced pressure vessels, utilising fibre reinforced composites capable of reaching 700 bar pressure that could lead to small-scale, truly portable, long-range usage too.
Being versatile and in abundance – hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, mainly in the form of water and fossil fuels, otherwise known as hydrocarbons. However, it is rarely found in free form and is usually combined with other elements which requires input energy to separate it out for use as a standalone fuel. Consequently, the use of hydrogen will inevitably be more expensive than the use of fossil fuels, at least in the near- to medium-term, but that is a cost our climate resilience goals will force us to bear as a society.
Its investment potential – the numbers don’t lie – the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Hydrogen Projects Database shows nearly 1,500 low-carbon projects. Up to 35% of the UK’s energy consumption could be hydrogen by 2050, with 20GW of potential hydrogen projects identified in the UK pipeline (through to 2037). More than £150 million will be spent from the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio on hydrogen innovation, with up to £18 billion in private financial capacity available from UK Infrastructure Bank for the sector.
Its storage capacity – converting renewable energy to hydrogen via electrolysis allows it to be stored and used at a later date with a longevity that is orders of magnitude greater than conventional capacitance-based batteries. This stabilises the input to an energy grid by providing a source of energy, which can be stored for long periods without significant losses.
Just as we’ve seen in solar power, technology continues to evolve. Costs associated with hydrogen production are expected to decrease, making it an increasingly competitive and economically feasible option. The impact of carbon taxes and other emission penalties will only exacerbate this economic advantage.
Used to generate electricity since the 19th century, hydrogen’s longevity and versatility is vast, and given its many practical uses, it will continue to support new technologies and be a vital component in getting the world to net zero emissions. Choosing the right scenarios and applications to utilise hydrogen fuel technology remains both a challenge and an opportunity in terms of integrating with other energy sources, infrastructure and products. However, the potential for a reliable and clean energy supply to bolster the more sporadic energy from Wind and Solar will provide a wealth of investment opportunities with a promise to change the world as we know it.
Understanding commercial viability, designing the right generation solutions, and driving its uptake within the broader energy landscape can be a challenge.
With decades of experience defining, and managing energy, transport, and other complex infrastructure initiatives all over the world, we bring a unique perspective on how alternative fuels like hydrogen can be delivered and integrated for commercial and environmental success.
We offer a range of strategic and technical consultancy services, including:
Integration planning with other energy assets
Best Available Technology assessments
Energy technical services
Policy advice
Environmental permitting and compliance
Communications and stakeholder engagement