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| Reference Number | NIA_WWU_02_202 | |
| Title | Green Hydrogen Production Impacts on Water Usage | |
| Status | Completed | |
| Energy Categories | Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research (Energy system analysis) 100%; | |
| Research Types | Applied Research and Development 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (Geography and Environmental Studies) 10%; SOCIAL SCIENCES (Economics and Econometrics) 10%; SOCIAL SCIENCES (Town and Country Planning) 10%; SOCIAL SCIENCES (Business and Management Studies) 10%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 60%; |
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| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Other Systems Analysis) 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Project Contact No email address given Wales and West Utilities |
|
| Award Type | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Funding Source | Ofgem | |
| Start Date | 01 March 2024 | |
| End Date | 30 September 2024 | |
| Duration | ENA months | |
| Total Grant Value | £64,827 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Energy | |
| Region | Wales | |
| Programme | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Project Contact , Wales and West Utilities (100.000%) |
| Industrial Collaborator | Project Contact , Wales and West Utilities (0.000%) |
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| Web Site | https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_WWU_02_202 |
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| Objectives | The delivery of this project necessitates a holistic approach, considering not only the current state and influencing factors of water consumptions, but also the newly emerging demands external to hydrogen which are likely to grow in the future and technologies to reduce wastage across the network. This can then be matched to hydrogen demand increases, which considers the different electrolysis technologies.HydroStar will deliver three key outputs across eight work packages, detailed below:Data collection of current and forecasted water consumptions.This will begin with engaging key stakeholders with data which is essential for the project, such as water utilities and local authorities for current water consumption and wastage data, then additional organisations such as Met Office, Natural Resources Wales and NGED for both the future potential climate change effects on hydrogen production and also the availability of other vectors, such as electricity. With data collected, analysis and calculations will be undertaken into future reasonable predictions and unknown effects. Comparisons of actual to predicted data will consider the effect of extreme events to identify times at which there may be constraints in availability of water for green hydrogen production, specifically droughts.Identify the relationship between water consumption and green hydrogen production.The theoretical direct consumption of water per kilogram of hydrogen produced is 9 litres, by using the molar masses of the hydrogen within the H2O molecule. However, it is essential to consider the full production lifecycle instead of the water used directly within the electrolyser when considering the relationship between water consumption and hydrogen production. Arguably the most important factor to consider within hydrogen production is the purity of the water that is needed by an electrolyser, since this can differ largely between electrolysis technologies. Likewise, water consumption of the balance of plant supporting electrolysers is also important, with different methods for cooling representing a factor for consideration. The final stage is to apply the calculated water consumptions to different hydrogen uptake scenarios, particularly with regards to industrial hydrogen usage, blending and transport, since this will dictate the total amount of potential water demand. This can then be integrated with the other water demands experienced by the water network and the potential reductions in supply due to climate change.Determine the relationship between all energy vectors (water, electricity, green hydrogen) when modelling future energy scenarios that are suitable to be integrated into WWU"s "Pathfinder" model.HydroStar has extensive experience in the modelling and mapping of different energy vectors for green hydrogen production, having worked on a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) project which developed a techno-economic model for hydrogen production from fluctuating renewables which was verified by the National Physical Laboratory. HydroStar is also working on multiple projects developing Next Generation technologies such as low cost, high efficiency electrolysers and metal hydride technologies, which provide the company with unique knowledge of the vectors which influence hydrogen production. This will then enable a comparison to be made between the key vectors. The comparison can also be visualised in multiple ways; geographically, in a timeline fashion or using a number of different dashboards. The same calculations can be applied to integrating with the Pathfinder model to compare the different vectors in any manner required, such as per kWh of hydrogen produced.The project is rated low in the common assessment framework detailed in the ENIP document after assessing the total project value, the progression through the TRL levels, the number of project delivery partners and the high level of data assumptions. No additional peer review is required for this project.The Data Quality and Data Measurement Statement are attached as separate appendices. HydroStar will deliver three key outputs across eight work packages, detailed below:Data collection of current and forecasted water consumptions.This will begin with engaging key stakeholders with data which is essential for the project, such as water utilities and local authorities for current water consumption and wastage data, then additional organisations such as Met Office, Natural Resources Wales and NGED for both the future potential climate change effects on hydrogen production and also the availability of other vectors, such as electricity. With data collected, analysis and calculations will be undertaken into future reasonable predictions and unknown effects. Comparisons of actual to predicted data will consider the effect of extreme events to identify times at which there may be constraints in availability of water for green hydrogen production, specifically droughts.Identify the relationship between water consumption and green hydrogen production.The theoretical direct consumption of water per kilogram of hydrogen produced is 9 litres, by using the molar masses of the hydrogen within the H2O molecule. However, it is essential to consider the full production lifecycle instead of the water used directly within the electrolyser when considering the relationship between water consumption and hydrogen production. Arguably the most important factor to consider within hydrogen production is the purity of the water that is needed by an electrolyser, since this can differ largely between electrolysis technologies. Likewise, water consumption of the balance of plant supporting electrolysers is also important, with different methods for cooling representing a factor for consideration. The final stage is to apply the calculated water consumptions to different hydrogen uptake scenarios, particularly with regards to industrial hydrogen usage, blending and transport, since this will dictate the total amount of potential water demand. This can then be integrated with the other water demands experienced by the water network and the potential reductions in supply due to climate change.Determine the relationship between all energy vectors (water, electricity, green hydrogen) when modelling future energy scenarios that are suitable to be integrated into WWU"s "Pathfinder" model.HydroStar has extensive experience in the modelling and mapping of different energy vectors for green hydrogen production, having worked on a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) project which developed a techno-economic model for hydrogen production from fluctuating renewables which was verified by the National Physical Laboratory. HydroStar is also working on multiple projects developing Next Generation technologies such as low cost, high efficiency electrolysers and metal hydride technologies, which provide the company with unique knowledge of the vectors which influence hydrogen production. This will then enable a comparison to be made between the key vectors. The comparison can also be visualised in multiple ways; geographically, in a timeline fashion or using a number of different dashboards. The same calculations can be applied to integrating with the Pathfinder model to compare the different vectors in any manner required, such as per kWh of hydrogen produced. The objective of the project is to understand current and future water consumption demands, the relationship between green hydrogen production and water consumption, and the relationships between all energy vectors when modelling future energy scenarios; these findings should be collated in a final report and integrated into WWU"s existing Pathfinder model. | |
| Abstract | The UK has legally binding targets to reach net zero by 2050. It is required for each local authority to produce a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) which will outline several pathways to achieve net zero. As we progress into a net-zero society, the energy system becomes more interdependent than ever before. Therefore, it is critical to consider a model where renewable electricity, hydrogen and water are considered as dependent energy vectors.Current LAEP models consider the electricity required for hydrogen and vis-versa but not the water demand as a third variable. WWU has an existing modelling tool, Pathfinder, that balances supply and demand of the energy system on an hourly basis. This project seeks to further develop the existing Pathfinder model to include the effects of water in the system as part of the wide-scale production of green hydrogen. | |
| 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 | |
