Making fuel at "home"

 

Hydrogen fuel station with its own electrolyser, Canberra, Australia

Wether it be solar panels, batteries, wind turbines, pumped hydro, geothermal power, biofuels or green hydrogen, this renewable energy can be in your own country and some in your own community or home. What this does is reduce the extraction and transport of oil and gas from a few energy rich countries and makes your home/community/country more energy secure and independent.

Renewable electricity supply can now be made at home, can come from microgrids in remote locations, can be portable to natural disaster locations, can be large scale and can be stored thus making a country, community or home independent of imported fuel. An electric vehicle can be powered from a standard power point and a variety of local or remote chargers.

Green hydrogen can be produced from electrolysers which use water (and soon seawater) and renewable electricity. This can be large scale or small scale. Hydrogen can be used in a number of industries from transport fuel, heating and cooking fuel to large industries such as aluminium and steel making. By making its own hydrogen, a country can reduce the importation of fossil fuels.

In the example above, the public hydrogen fuel station makes its own hydrogen on site with a small electrolyser, water and renewable electricity. Canberra sources all its electricity from renewable energy and here it makes its own hydrogen. This reduces the sometimes dangerous transport of petrol, diesel or gas to Canberra. 

Further Reading:  

• Microgrids could help communities weather the next disaster.
• Stand-alone solar and battery systems now seen as the "new normal" in regions.
• Solar, battery and hydrogen microgrid to power Daintree Rainforest
• Sweden could take global lead in green steel production - report
• Australia's Fortescue sets sights on becoming world's first supplier of green iron ore
• Frequently Asked Questions - American Hydrogen Association
• Renewable hydrogen could reduce emissions in alumina refining.
• Northern Territory to trial off-grid system making hydrogen from 'water from air'
• Novel catalyst produces green hydrogen from seawater via solar

Japan releases plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050

 

Source: RenewEconomy

Recently Japan released its plan for reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The government is to give tax incentives and other support for investment in green technologies and predicts that this will boost its economy. The plan is to include at least these developments:

 - To have all new cars to be electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell driven by 2035 with a ban on the sale of fossil fuel driven cars. 

- To research into reducing the cost of batteries.

- To increase offshore wind power to 45 gigawatts by 2040.

- To bring renewable power to 60% by 2050.

- To be less reliant on nuclear power and have it more stable.

- To have thermal power plants with carbon capture technology related to carbon cycling and not storage underground. That is by using captured CO2 to produce synthetic fibres or to fortify concrete.

- To have nuclear and thermal power at a reduced 30-40% of the nation's electricity demand.

- To have all new buildings and houses built with zero emissions technology by 2030.

- To use green hydrogen and ammonia as fuels for gas turbine power generators and for fuel cells to power heavy vehicles and all sea-going vessels by 2050. (Japan has already launched its first hydrogen-carrying ship which is importing hydrogen from Australia.)

References: 

- Japan sees electric cars, offshore wind as keys to net zero economy. CleanTechnica, December 26, 2020. 

- Japan's plan to go carbon-neutral by 2050. The Globe and Mail, December ~28, 2020. 

- Japan unveils green growth plan for 2050 carbon neutral goal. YahooNews!, December 25, 2020.  

- Mitsubishi Group project on CO2 injection into concrete approved for grant by NEDO. GlobalCement, August 5, 2020. 

- Japan adopts green growth plan to go carbon free by 2050. SeattlePI, December 25, 2020.

A remote West Australian town to test a renewable hydrogen microgrid

Source: One Step off the Grid

A remote coastal town in Western Australia (WA) called Denham is now powered by four old wind turbines and a diesel generator. The community pays a high price for having the diesel trucked in and the turbines are at least 20 years old.

To generate most of their own power, the plan is to have a 704kW solar system, a 348kW hydrogen electrolyser, a compressor for hydrogen storage and a 100kW fuel cell to make electricity from the stored hydrogen when needed. There will be enough power for 100 homes but the new items will be connected to the existing system which will act as a backup. The hydrogen electrolyser, powered by solar energy, will split water to make green hydrogen. A Hydro Harvester could be used if water is scarce. 

The project is getting funding assistance from ARENA (Australian Renewable Energy Agency) which will use it as a test case for use in other remote Australian communities. "The potential for these communities to generate, store and use their own renewable energy could simultaneously reduce costs and reduce emissions without sacrificing the reliability of energy supply." said ARENA CEO Darren Miller.

Read more: Australia's first remote, renewable hydrogen microgrid wins ARENA backing. One Step off the Grid, November 27, 2020. 

Australian green hydrogen refuelling stations and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles

Source: The Driven

In Port Kembla, NSW, a company named H2X plans to build a range of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles from cars to heavy duty trucks and even trains. It hopes to re-boot Australia's car industry with vehicles powered by green hydrogen and in doing so create many jobs.

The development of renewable hydrogen made by the electrolysis of water with power from renewable electricity has been funded by the Australian Clean Energy Finance Corporation. This will be a good move for Australia as it can make its own green fuel and export it as well. Australia imports its oil and only has a month to six weeks supply at any one time.

H2X has joined forces with Elvin Group which invests in Australia's Hydrostar's green hydrogen electrolyser technology. The Elvin Group will put small scale hydrogen electrolysers at service stations. They will be 500kW to 1MW containers for hydrogen production and hydrogen refuelling onsite for vehicles. The Queensland and ACT governments already have small fleets of hydrogen fuel cell cars and these Elvin Group systems are being trialled in the ACT (Australian Capital Territory).

Larger-scale electrolysers will be available for larger industries. The systems can be located at existing service stations or at business-based locations such as vehicle fleet depots, work sites, farms and distribution centres.

Read more: 

- H2X hopes to reboot Australia car industry with launch of hydrogen SUV. The Driven, June 12, 2020. 

- CEFC to kick-start Australia's hydrogen industry with new $300m investment fund. RenewEconomy, May 4, 2020. 

- H2X teams with Elvin Group to develop green hydrogen refuelling stations in Australia. The Driven, June 26, 2020.

First liquid hydrogen carrier ship launched in Japan paves the way for a clean hydrogen export industry for Australia

Liquid Hydrogen carrier ship (Source: Nikkei Asian Review)

With Australia having lots of potential for solar and wind electricity it is looking to a future of making renewable/clean hydrogen (H₂) from the electrolysis of water (H₂O). Hydrogen is a powerful energy source that can be stored, transported and used for electric cars, heavy transport, industry and even steelmaking. It will also be possible to repurpose natural gas power stations to burn clean hydrogen to make electricity (Dr Alan Finkel, Australian Chief Scientist, National Press Club Address).

The technology is now here for the safe storage of liquid hydrogen and the ability to ship it around the globe. So much so, the first liquid hydrogen carrier ship has been launched in Japan and will be used to take hydrogen from Victoria, Australia, to Japan starting in 2021. The hydrogen will be cooled to –253^oC, to reduce volume, and stored it in a vacuum-insulated, double-shelled tank. This ship is powered by diesel, but it is hoped that ships in the future will be driven by fuel cells powered by clean hydrogen. 

Although the first shipments will be carrying hydrogen made by heating water by burning coal (and capturing and storing the carbon dioxide), this ship will pave the way for more ships to carry renewable hydrogen from Australia to Japan, South Korea and possibly Europe. Other Australian businesses are looking to make hydrogen from renewable electricity, particularly solar. It is predicted that there will be near a $2 trillion market for clean hydrogen by 2050 (Dr Alan Finkel, Australian Chief Scientist, National Press Club Address).

Post script: Export of blue hydrogen project starts in Victoria. It makes hydrogen from coal and plans to capture the CO2 in empty natural gas caverns in Bass Strait. The project will not be commercialised if the carbon capture is not feasible. Hydrogen project fuels Latrobe Valley job hopes as coal plants close. The Sydney Morning Herald, March 12, 2021.

References: 

- Kawasaki Heavy launches world’s first liquid hydrogen ship in quest to establish greensupply chain. The Japan Times, December 13, 2019. 

– Launching the world’s first liquid hydrogen carrier ship. Premier of Victoria, December 12, 2019. 

– Nordic steel giant to use renewable hydrogen to produce fossil-free steel by 2026. Renew Economy, January 30, 2020. 

– Hydrogen fuel cell vessels destined for France and Norway. The Maritime Executive, February 25, 2020. 

– National Press Club Address: The orderly transition to the electric planet. Dr Alan Finkel, Australia’s Chief Scientist, Australian Government. February 12, 2020.

“Hyundai unveils hydrogen-powered Neptune heavy duty truck”

Hyundai hydrogen FCEV truck + HT Nitro ThermoTech trailer. (The Driven)

It is thought that hydrogen-powered vehicles could be an optional extra of an electric vehicle for heavy work such as towing but where they really come into force is as a heavy duty electric vehicle. Using an electric motor driven by a fuel cell powered by renewable hydrogen will be greenhouse emissions free. Refuelling is quick, the range is large but most importantly hydrogen provides a powerful fuel for heavy duty trucks, trains, planes, ships and rockets (where it is already used).

At the North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) Show, Hyundai unveiled two concepts, including the HDC-6 NEPTUNE Concept, a hydrogen-powered Class 8 heavy duty truck, and the Hyundai Translead (HT) – a leading trailer manufacturer – also announced the launch of its new clean energy refrigerated concept trailer, the HT Nitro ThermoTech.

Billed as “optimal” for transporting cold chain products, the HT Nitro ThermoTech is able to reduce temperatures faster than traditional refrigeration units and maintain precise temperature without being affected by outside temperatures. It reduces pollutants and emissions while providing reliable and effective cold chain food transportation without affecting the truck’s power supply.

Hyundai is hoping that the dual announcements of truck and trailer in the US provide a glimpse into the future of transportation in the United States, and around the world.

Read more:
- Hyundai unveils hydrogen-powered Neptune heavy duty truck. The Driven, November 1, 2019.
- Hyundai Media Centre: https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/2889

World’s first hydrogen trains have started service in Germany

The world's first (and second) hydrogen-powered trains have entered service in northern Germany. Two Coradia iLint trains, made by Alstom, have begun working a line just west of Hamburg. Until now, the nearly 100 km-long line has been serviced by diesel trains, but will now play host to near-silent engines.

The hydrogen tank feeds a fuel cell that generates energy, which is then pushed to an electric drivetrain. A very small battery helps maintain power continuity, as well as storing energy saved from regenerative braking.

Railways need a clean energy revolution and electrification is the obvious choice, but the costs are prohibitive, especially on regional lines that may not have the passenger volumes. Batteries have their own issues, with their heavy weight and high cost making it difficult, right now, to make them cost effective for heavy trains.

Hydrogen's strong energy density and relative ease of generation and transportation makes it ideal for heavy loads. And while its currently not a clean material in Germany the plan is to make H2 (via the electrolysis of water) from 100% renewable electricity in the future.

Australia with its ample potential for solar and wind energy could export renewable hydrogen to Europe (and other countries with less scope for renewable electricity) as CSIRO has come up with a strategy for the long-distance, bulk transport of hydrogen (see below).

Read more:
- World’s first hydrogen train takes to rails in Germany. The Driven, September 27, 2018.
- The world’s first hydrogen train is now in service. Engadget, September 18, 2018.
- Don’t write off hydrogen as a storage of renewable energy for transport. Using Renewables, October 24, 2017.
- CSIRO cracks barrier to export hydrogen fuel to power cars [and other transport]. RenewEconomy, August 8, 2018.

Don't write off hydrogen as a storage of renewable energy for transport

Hydrogen Fuel cell electric car, Copenhagen (photo: Julie May) 

A number of car makers and industries are looking to use hydrogen as a renewable energy source but one of the challenges is transporting it over long distances. According to ABC News renewable hydrogen could fuel Australia's next export boom after a CSIRO breakthrough.

How renewable hydrogen is produced (From ABC News)

The Australian CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) has come up with a way to transport renewable hydrogen that has been converted to liquid ammonia (NH3) by ‘cracking’ the conversion of ammonia back to pure hydrogen at the destination making it ready to be used for transport.

There have been many improvements made in handling hydrogen as a 'fuel' such that it is no longer dangerous. For example, it is not burned as a fuel in a vehicle but used in a fuel cell to make electricity to drive an electric motor. Fuel cells use an electrochemical process to convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity and water. They have no moving parts and no open flames. See the simple illustrations in Team Macquarie: Hydrogen Myth Busters. Some advantages of hydrogen include a much faster time to refuel vehicles, a longer range between recharging and it is more applicable to larger forms of transport.

Some car companies are looking at hydrogen fuel cell vehicles such as General Motors, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes and possibly others. A good argument for fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) vs battery electric vehicles (BEVs): Why the automotive future will be dominated by fuel cells. Of course there are arguments against FCEVs in favour of BEVs. It will be interesting to see what happens. All I know is that the battery in my plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) will not last that long and will need to be replaced after a few years!