Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions and net energy assessment of large-scale hydrogen production via electrolysis and solar PV

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Palmer ◽  
Ashley Roberts ◽  
Andrew Hoadley ◽  
Roger Dargaville ◽  
Damon Honnery
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Water Electrolysis ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Solar Pv ◽  
Solar Photovoltaics ◽  
Energy Assessment ◽  
Production Technologies

Water electrolysis powered by solar photovoltaics (PV) is one of several promising green hydrogen production technologies. It is critical that the life cycle environmental impacts and net energy balance are...

Life-cycle net energy assessment of large-scale hydrogen production via photoelectrochemical water splitting

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 3264-3278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Sathre ◽  
Corinne D. Scown ◽  
William R. Morrow ◽  
John C. Stevens ◽  
Ian D. Sharp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Water Splitting ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Production Facility ◽  
Energy Assessment

This article reports the first prospective life-cycle net energy assessment of a gigawatt-scale photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen production facility.

A systematic review of life cycle assessment of hydrogen for road transport use

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dyah Ika Rinawati ◽  
Alexander Ryota Keeley ◽  
Shutaro Takeda ◽  
Shunsuke Managi
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Road Transport ◽  
Fuel Cell Vehicle ◽  
Intergovernmental Panel ◽  
Hybrid Lca ◽  
Complete Life Cycle

Abstract This study conducted a systematic literature review of the technical aspects and methodological choices in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies of using hydrogen for road transport. More than 70 scientific papers published during 2000–2021 were reviewed, in which more than 350 case studies of use of hydrogen in the automotive sector were found. Only some studies used hybrid LCA and energetic input-output LCA, whereas most studies addressed attributional process-based LCA. A categorization based on the life cycle scope distinguished case studies that addressed the well-to-tank (WTT), well-to-wheel (WTW), and complete life cycle approaches. Furthermore, based on the hydrogen production process, these case studies were classified into four categories: thermochemical, electrochemical, thermal-electrochemical, and biochemical. Moreover, based on the hydrogen production site, the case studies were classified as centralized, on-site, and on-board. The fuel cell vehicle passenger car was the most commonly used vehicle. The functional unit for the WTT studies was mostly mass or energy, and vehicle distance for the WTW and complete life cycle studies. Global warming potential (GWP) and energy consumption were the most influential categories. Apart from the GREET (Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy Use in Transportation) model and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change for assessing the GWP, the Centrum voor Milieukunde Leiden method was most widely used in other impact categories. Most of the articles under review were comparative LCA studies on different hydrogen pathways and powertrains. The findings provide baseline data not only for large-scale applications, but also for improving the efficiency of hydrogen use in road transport.

scholarly journals Development of an operation strategy for hydrogen production using solar PV energy based on fluid dynamic aspects

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernesto Amores ◽  
Jesús Rodríguez ◽  
José Oviedo ◽  
Antonio de Lucas-Consuegra
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Fluid Dynamic ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Water Electrolysis ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Electrolysis Cell ◽  
Operation Strategy ◽  
Solar Pv ◽  
Alkaline Water Electrolysis

AbstractAlkaline water electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources is one of the most promising strategies for environmentally friendly hydrogen production. However, wind and solar energy sources are highly dependent on weather conditions. As a result, power fluctuations affect the electrolyzer and cause several negative effects. Considering these limiting effects which reduce the water electrolysis efficiency, a novel operation strategy is proposed in this study. It is based on pumping the electrolyte according to the current density supplied by a solar PV module, in order to achieve the suitable fluid dynamics conditions in an electrolysis cell. To this aim, a mathematical model including the influence of electrode-membrane distance, temperature and electrolyte flow rate has been developed and used as optimization tool. The obtained results confirm the convenience of the selected strategy, especially when the electrolyzer is powered by renewable energies.

scholarly journals Microalgal Hydrogen Production in Relation to Other Biomass-Based Technologies—A Review

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (19) ◽  
pp. 6025
Author(s):  
Marcin Dębowski ◽  
Magda Dudek ◽  
Marcin Zieliński ◽  
Anna Nowicka ◽  
Joanna Kazimierowicz
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Water Electrolysis ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Biofuel Production ◽  
Production Technologies ◽  
Main Barrier ◽  
Biological Methods ◽  
And Storage

Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly biofuel which, if widely used, could reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions. The main barrier to the widespread use of hydrogen for power generation is the lack of technologically feasible and—more importantly—cost-effective methods of production and storage. So far, hydrogen has been produced using thermochemical methods (such as gasification, pyrolysis or water electrolysis) and biological methods (most of which involve anaerobic digestion and photofermentation), with conventional fuels, waste or dedicated crop biomass used as a feedstock. Microalgae possess very high photosynthetic efficiency, can rapidly build biomass, and possess other beneficial properties, which is why they are considered to be one of the strongest contenders among biohydrogen production technologies. This review gives an account of present knowledge on microalgal hydrogen production and compares it with the other available biofuel production technologies.

scholarly journals Life Cycle Costing Analysis: Tools and Applications for Determining Hydrogen Production Cost for Fuel Cell Vehicle Technology

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 3783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Khzouz ◽  
Evangelos Gkanas ◽  
Jia Shao ◽  
Farooq Sher ◽  
Dmytro Beherskyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Water Electrolysis ◽  
Life Cycle Costing ◽  
Fuel Cell Vehicle ◽  
Methane Reforming ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel Cell ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Costing Analysis

This work investigates life cycle costing analysis as a tool to estimate the cost of hydrogen to be used as fuel for Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles (HFCVs). The method of life cycle costing and economic data are considered to estimate the cost of hydrogen for centralised and decentralised production processes. In the current study, two major hydrogen production methods are considered, methane reforming and water electrolysis. The costing frameworks are defined for hydrogen production, transportation and final application. The results show that hydrogen production via centralised methane reforming is financially viable for future transport applications. The ownership cost of HFCVs shows the highest cost among other costs of life cycle analysis.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Research and Development Portfolio of Hydrogen Production Technologies

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roxanne Garland ◽  
Sara Dillich ◽  
Eric Miller ◽  
Kristine Babick ◽  
Kenneth Weil
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Hydrogen Production ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Water Splitting ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Water Electrolysis ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Production Technologies

The goal of the US Department of Energy (DOE) hydrogen production portfolio is to research and develop low-cost, highly efficient and environmentally friendly production technologies based on diverse, domestic resources. The DOE Hydrogen Program integrates basic and applied research, as well as technology development and demonstration, to adequately address a diverse range of technologies and feedstocks. The program encompasses a broad spectrum of coordinated activities within the DOE Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Nuclear Energy (NE), Fossil Energy (FE), and Science (SC). Hydrogen can be produced in small, medium, and larger scale facilities, with small-scale distributed facilities producing from 100 to 1,500 kilograms (kg) of hydrogen per day at fueling stations, and medium-scale (also known as semi-central or city-gate) facilities producing from 1,500 to 50,000 kg per day on the outskirts of cities. The largest central facilities would produce more than 50,000 kg of hydrogen per day. Specific technologies currently under program development for distributed hydrogen production include bio-derived renewable liquids and water electrolysis. Centralized renewable production pathways under development include water electrolysis integrated with renewable power (e.g., wind, solar, hydroelectric, or geothermal), biomass gasification, solar-driven high-temperature thermochemical water splitting, direct photoelectrochemical water splitting, and biological production methods using algal/bacterial processes. To facilitate commercialization of hydrogen production via these various technology pathways in the near and long terms, a “Hydrogen Production Roadmap” has been developed which identifies the key challenges and high-priority research and development needs associated with each technology. The aim is to foster research that will lead to hydrogen production with near-zero net greenhouse gas emissions, using renewable energy sources, nuclear energy, and/or coal (with carbon capture and storage). This paper describes the research and development needs and activities by various DOE offices to address the key challenges in the portfolio of hydrogen production technologies.

scholarly journals A New Zealand Perspective on Hydrogen as an Export Commodity: Timing of Market Development and an Energy Assessment of Hydrogen Carriers

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (16) ◽  
pp. 4876
Author(s):  
James T. Hinkley
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Liquid Hydrogen ◽  
Export Market ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Energy Assessment ◽  
New Energy

Hydrogen is currently receiving significant attention and investment as a key enabler of defossilised global energy systems. Many believe this will eventually result in the international trade of hydrogen as a commodity from countries with significant renewable energy resources, for example New Zealand and Australia, to net energy importing countries including Japan and Korea. Japan has, since 2014, been actively exploring the components of the necessary supply chains, including the assessment of different hydrogen carriers. Public/private partnerships have invested in demonstration projects to assess the comparative merits of liquid hydrogen, ammonia, and organic carriers. On the supply side, significant projects have been proposed in Australia while the impending closure of New Zealand’s Tiwai Point aluminium smelter at the end of 2024 may provide an opportunity for green hydrogen production. However, it is also evident that the transition to a hydrogen economy will take some years and confidence around the timing of supply and demand capacity is essential for new energy infrastructure investment. This paper reviews the expected development of an export market to Japan and concludes that large scale imports are unlikely before the late 2020s. Comparative evaluation of the energy efficiency of various hydrogen carriers concludes that it is too early to call a winner, but that ammonia has key advantages as a fungible commodity today, while liquid hydrogen has the potential to be a more efficient energy carrier. Ultimately it will be the delivered cost of hydrogen that will determine which carriers are used, and while energy efficiency is a key metric, there are other considerations such as infrastructure availability, and capital and operating costs.

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