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| Reference Number | NIA2_SGN0062 | |
| Title | Electrolyser Horizons: Unveiling the Techno-economic Landscape for Sustainable Hydrogen Production in GB. | |
| Status | Started | |
| Energy Categories | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (Hydrogen, Hydrogen production) 100%; | |
| Research Types | Applied Research and Development 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics) 70%; SOCIAL SCIENCES (Business and Management Studies) 10%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 20%; |
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| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Project Contact No email address given SGN |
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| Award Type | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Funding Source | Ofgem | |
| Start Date | 01 May 2024 | |
| End Date | 28 February 2025 | |
| Duration | ENA months | |
| Total Grant Value | £290,714 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Energy | |
| Region | South East | |
| Programme | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Project Contact , SGN (99.999%) |
| Other Investigator | Project Contact , SGN - Southern England (0.001%) |
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| Industrial Collaborator | Project Contact , SGN (0.000%) |
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| Web Site | https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA2_SGN0062 |
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| Objectives | This project will be undertaken in a collaborative manner between a consortium of academic institutions made up of The University of St Andrews, The University of Surrey, The University of Strathclyde, and the Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC). The project is as a desk-based research project which will encompass modelling and a GIS element. The main focus of the project will be the development and application of a novel techno-economic modelling solution to assess the feasibility and applicability of different electrolyser technologies to support the rollout of hydrogen production facilities to work towards meeting net zero targets.The project encompasses a thorough examination of electrolyser technologies, scales, existing infrastructure, and the geographical nuances of Great Britain to produce fossil fuel-free hydrogen. The project will start with a detailed literature review exploring the historical context and recent advancements in hydrogen production through electrolysis. The strengths and weaknesses of various electrolysis methods will be analysed, with a focus on understanding the characteristics and sources of different inputs essential for sustainable hydrogen production, taking into consideration the existing natural gas and electricity grid infrastructure. Whilst the focus will be on the journey to 2035, the project will briefly address the potential developments to 2050 such as potential emergence of pink (nuclear) hydrogen.The collected data will be systematically analysed against a defined methodology to determine the techno-economic feasibility of diverse electrolyser options and how the recommendations may vary according to advances in available and emerging commercial electrolyser technologies.The project comprises the creation of a GIS database that visually represents the spatial relationship between energy resources, available resources, optimal electrolyser locations, and existing natural gas and electricity grid assets. A final report will form the basis for informed decision-making in the sustainable hydrogen production landscape. Measurement and Data Quality Statement:Data quality assurance will be achieved through internal and external review with the previous agreement of SGN and the partners to protect the confidentiality of the information. Where the project relies on third-party data, e.g. as input to the models to be developed in WP3, the pedigree of the data must be verified before using it for model input. Where possible, the data will be confirmed by two independent sources prior to utilisation. Where there is doubt in the veracity of the data, it will be peer-reviewed by the project team to ensure quality and agree on whether the data should be included.All data generated by the project will be stored on each University"s cloud-like storage system, with the possibility of centralising the storage of reports in one university storage system. The data stored on university servers is protected with multifactor authentication systems, and an online backup is automatically generated. It is, therefore, extremely resilient to disasters and/or hardware faults. Data can be transferred from anywhere with an internet connection. The data is encrypted in transit to ensure a secure connection. All investigators and researchers will be discouraged from storing data on laptop or PC hard drives, external hard drives or portable media (USBs or CD Roms) as these storage media do not offer adequate protection in relation to loss, damage or inappropriate access. No confidential data will be stored on individual machines. University servers with multifactor authentication provide total control over storage location and assurance of protecting confidential data provided to the project. Its use also provides the opportunity for access by external collaborators, investigators, and researchers on the project via a hosting account. The use of a hosting account allows for the storage and retention of long-term shared data. This type of account ensures that "project memory" is maintained in one central location and not in individual accounts or machines.The partners will follow the "data protection principles" outlined in the Data Protection Act (2018) to ensure data is handled with appropriate security. Data related to stakeholder engagement can include personal data. As part of the informed consent process, participants will be asked to provide written consent to allow data to be made openly available. Participants will be allowed to choose not to consent to make personal data openly available, in which case their details will be anonymised using pseudonyms. If the data includes personal details of people other than the participants, an attempt will be made to seek consent from the relevant person. If consent cannot be obtained, the details will be replaced with pseudonyms. The project will be broken down into 8 Work Packages (WP) which will each deliver a specific element of the wider project scope. Within the scope of this study, the economic and technical assessment will be given precedence over other key aspects, setting the foundation for subsequent analyses. WP1 Project Inception:This WP will focus on outlining comprehensive goals and objectives of the project with clear roles and responsibilities defined and how work will be split across the suppliers.WP2 Literature Review and Context:This WP will encompass a comprehensive review of existing online literature to define and outline key considerations for the project. Topics that will be researched include an overview of hydrogen colours and production methods, characterisation of electrolysers for hydrogen production (technical features, commercial availability, costs), overview of sustainable hydrogen production up to 2035 and 2050, uses of hydrogen, predicted demand profiles and global hydrogen production and utilisation strategies.Existing and emerging infrastructure and resources will also be outlined.WP3 Methodology Definition and Model Development:This WP describes the methodology and models to conduct an in-depth analysis to comprehensively assess the economic, social, and environmental impacts of electrolytic hydrogen.The selection and development of the methodology will be guided by defining the requirements for the economic assessment, shedding light on essential considerations that will directly influence the considerations for the selection of the best electrolyser technology. The key steps to define the technical and economic requirements will include the following:· Methodology definition for the technical analysis (hydrogen production efficiency, quality, quantity, operational data)· Model development (key data inputs, revenue, costs, financial metrics, sensitivity analysis)· Sustainability and risk analysis (Rapid evidence analysis, Social Cost Benefit Analysis)The model will be developed using Python and the optimisation modelling framework Pyomo. A rigorous sensitivity analysis will be undertaken to understand the model"s rigour in terms of changing parameters across the 20242035-time horizon.WP4 Data Characterisation and Data Management Plan:This WP will encompass the identification of key data sources and data retrieval according to the methodologies in WP3.Most of the data produced will be technical and quantitative, coming from publicly available sources. However, the project will use and produce raw and processed quantitative data as part of the analysis. The project will also include qualitative data from stakeholder engagement pursued through an external facing workshop to collect feedback and relevant information that will inform the production of actionable recommendations for policymakers, industry, and researchers.WP5 Techno-Economic Analysis for Available and Emerging Commercial Electrolysers:· Analysis of techno-economic data against the defined Methodology in WP3.· Interpret results regarding the feasibility of available electrolyser options.· Interpret results, taking into consideration the feasibility, challenges, and opportunities associated with emerging technologies.WP6 Sustainability Analysis and Risk Assessment:· Conduct Rapid Evidence assessment to inform sustainability and risk assessments.· Sustainability analysis of electrolyser schemes and data coming from WP5, against the defined Methodology in WP3, social cost benefit analysis.· Development of risk assessment of selected case studies.· Presenting risk classes in a risk matrixWP7 GIS visualisation to Map Out the Outputs of the ProjectThis work package assumes that WP5 and WP6 together produce geographic information of where the electrolysers are likely to be sited and their potential sizes which can then be integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) which will map out energy resources, optimal electrolyser locations and existing infrastructural assets.The required data to feed into the GIS will be identified and the required format defined. Python and qGIS will be used to develop the visualisation. The results will be integrated with OpenStreetMap to make the visualisation interactive.Deliverable: GIS database.WP8 Findings, Recommendations and Dissemination This WP will produce the final report which will be the product of an iterative process in which SGN and the partners will discuss the findings and results from all work packages to be tailored into a detailed technical account that describes the works literature review, methods, analysis, and scientific contributions. The results will also be synthesised into a summarised report that includes actionable recommendations for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers based on the project"s outcomes and developed in the previous interim reports.After the integration of the final report, a final workshop will be delivered to present and discuss the findings and contributions with relevant stakeholders, as agreed upon by SGN and the partners.Deliverable: Integral final report comprising all outputs and actionable recommendations. The project will develop a comprehensive assessment method to evaluate the techno-economic feasibility of a sustainable electrolytic hydrogen production industry aligned with our UK Low-Carbon Hydrogen Standards. To do this, the objectives are to:Undertake a detailed literature review exploring the historical context and recent advancements in hydrogen production through electrolysers. Presenting the strengths and weaknesses of various electrolysis methods, focusing on understanding the characteristics and sources of different feeds essential for sustainable hydrogen production, considering the influence and opportunities from existing natural gas and electricity grid infrastructure.Contribute valuable knowledge to the hydrogen production industry, offering insights into strategic decision-making by creating a systematic and comprehensive approach for conducting a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of electrolyser options for hydrogen production in GB. The universities will use this approach to deliver a detailed assessment of potential optimal hydrogen system design, likely investment required, barriers and challenges, important synergies as well as recommendations to facilitate the path to a new hydrogen enabled future.Provide valuable insights into sustainable electrolytic hydrogen production that will guide investments and policy initiatives toward a sustainable and economically viable hydrogen future in GB, addressing key aspects of techno-economic feasibility, scalability, geographic, and sustainability considerations. | |
| Abstract | This project will assess the feasibility, scale, and potential of a robust and sustainable hydrogen production industry across Great Britain as currently there is no detailed analysis that evaluates the potential for electrolytic hydrogen production across the country.This project will develop an evaluation framework that consists of techno-economic analysis, alongside representative case studies with the potential of replication across the UK for various electrolyser options, accounting for diverse inputs and scales and existing infrastructure across GB.The aim is to provide valuable information related to the feasibility, challenges, and unique opportunities for electrolytic hydrogen. The research will also provide valuable insights and recommendations that will contribute to the advancement of the hydrogen sector in alignment with the UK"s Net-Zero goals. | |
| Data | No related datasets |
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| Projects | No related projects |
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| Publications | No related publications |
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| Added to Database | 02/10/24 | |
