Generation, of the energy carrier HYDROGEN In context ... - needs

NyOrka Page 5 12/18/20081 StructureThe goal of this chapter is to shed light on the technology that is currently and foreseen tobe used to produce hydrogen which can become an important energy carrier anddescribes policies and road maps concerning its market penetration. Only an optimisticscenario suggesting maximum expected penetration of hydrogen as an electric buffer andfuel for transport is presented. An LCA description and cost estimates follow for acontemporary hydrogen production system as are trends for the future settings.Reflections are given about the expected development of the components and materialswithin the selected pathway, electrolysis in combination with renewable energy systems,space and energy requirements and cost perspectives including the external costs.1.1 The data sourcesAs of yet, no major investment has been made in a real scale system that is to survivethroughout the timeframe of the NEEDS project: 2005 – 2050. No single technologicalwinner has been selected neither for a final strategy to produce nor to use hydrogen as anenergy carrier in stationary applications. Therefore it is currently impossible to give adetailed Life Cycle Analysis of any future hydrogen equipment. Reports, policy papers,technological previews have been emerging since 2005 and prove to be controversial.Information for the following paper has been collected from European, Asian – Pacific,Canadian and Japanese sources as well as reports that have emerged from theInternational Energy Agency, and the Hydrogen Implementation Agreement. (IEA/HIA)Interviews have been conducted and singular questions sent to developmental managersin strategic positions in industries in Norway, Canada and Germany and weighed againstexperience of running hydrogen systems for transport in Iceland and Germany during theperiod 2003 – 2008. It is hereby acknowledged that the staff at ,,Hydro Electrolysers” andthe project partners in HyFLEET:CUTE have by far, added most value to the presetselection for this report.2 HydrogenHydrogen, H 2, is an energy carrier, not to be found in natural conditions but can beextracted from numerous materials and energy sources; energy will be lost in theproduction phase. Hydrogen is the lightest element on Earth 1 , usually composed of oneproton and one electron and forms a diatomic volatile gas, H 2 , with boiling point at20.4°K. Hydrogen can be liquefied under high pressure and extreme cooling whichdemands energy expenditure. Explosions may occur at a mixture of hydrogen and airbetween 4 and 75% by volume. The same amount of energy bound in 1liter of gasoline isapprox 3Nm 3 under atmospheric pressure 2 but that amount would weigh only 270 grams.The energy contents are 3.00KWh/Nm 3 or 12.75 MJ/Nm 3 or 144MJ/kg. While a gasolinetank on a vehicle may take 50 litres of fuel, a hydrogen tank on a similar vehicles made in2003 would hold less than 2 kg of hydrogen and give roughly a driving range of 150 km.1 www.britannica.com gives a good insight into chemical and physical properties of hydrogen2 Nm3 stands for normal cubic meters because it is measured at 0°C and 1,013bar pressure.