Page 30 - Gi September2020

gearing up for a green gas future

Phase one of the research is due
to report back later this year. This
will be followed by the testing of
operational processes in phase 2
on a gas microgrid in Redcar, where
unoccupied trials will take place in an
unused street scene – a world first.
HyNet is aiming to be the UK’s first
full chain hydrogen and carbon capture
usage and storage project. A concept
originated by Cadent and Progressive
Energy Ltd in 2017, the project will
produce low carbon hydrogen on an
industrial scale, using carbon capture heavy transport is being explored gas network at the optimum lowest
utilisation and storage (CCUS) to by Cadent in conjunction with the pressures to supply customers, via the
store carbon dioxide, produced as a National Physical Laboratory, DNV smart pressure control. This decrease
by-product, in offshore gas fields left GL, Kiwa Gastec and Imperial College, in the pressure creates a ‘gap’, allowing
empty after natural gas extraction. through trail-blazing research into grid- more gas to enter the system. The
Recently described by the hydrogen delivered hydrogen. compressor creates the gap by moving
parliamentary advisory group as “the Hydrogen for vehicle fuel cells needs gas from the lower pressure network
leading hydrogen and CCUS project to be pure, so the research has been to a neighbouring higher pressure
in the UK today”, HyNet has been focusing on contaminants within the network. The project is due to undergo
independently forecast to generate over gas network and commercially viable its first field trial in Cadent’s East
11,000 jobs and nearly a billion pounds technological options for removing them. Midlands network early next year.
for the UK economy. The first stage of the research is due Innovation doesn’t just take the
It presents a credible, least- to report in the autumn, with the second form of technology. Cadent and
cost route to decarbonising heavy stage potentially involving an ambitious Electricity North West recently teamed
industry, a potential supply of commercial-scale demonstration. up in a first-of-its-kind collaboration,
hydrogen for transport and heat, Biomethane, too, will play a key presenting a whole energy systems
the opportunity to convert the first role in helping the UK reach net zero approach to help Greater Manchester
communities in the country, as well and increasing local grid capacity to Combined Authority in its ambition to
as being a route to market for new accommodate more biomethane is be carbon neutral by 2038.
hydrogen producers. Further down driving a joint project between Cadent If the authority can tackle energy
the line, it could become a source of and Wales & West Utilities, called OptiNet. inefficiency, swap fossil gas for
fuel for flexible power generation. “In some areas there is just not the hydrogen via the HyNet project, and
Low carbon hydrogen will be capacity to accept more gas into the use locally-generated green electricity,
produced at Essar Oil UK’s Stanlow it could become an ‘energy transition
refinery in Ellesmere Port and If the authority can tackle lighthouse’ for the rest of the UK.
transported, via a hydrogen pipeline, The gas industry stands ready to
to local energy-hungry industries. In energy inefficiency, swap play its part in supporting the UK’s net
turn, this will make hydrogen available fossil gas for hydrogen via the zero goal. We have carbon-reducing
to provide decarbonised heating for two HyNet project, and use locally- innovations, such as hydrogen
million local homes and for transport. deployment, ready to implement right
Preparation work is already underway generated green electricity, now and others in the pipeline.
on the CCUS infrastructure. it could become an ‘energy Investors are poised to invest
To maximise the effectiveness transition lighthouse’ for the in this technology, but much like
of carbon capture and hydrogen rest of the UK previous green energy technologies,
production, the HyNet team have they need a framework to provide
turned to a new hydrogen production confidence and assurances.
technology; autothermal reforming system. In these cases, customers may As the Committee on Climate
(ATR), developed by British chemicals have to connect to a higher pressure tier Change states, the UK needs a national
company Johnson Matthey as an or another gas pipe further away, making hydrogen strategy and with our
evolution of traditional steam methane the connection more difficult and expertise we are uniquely positioned
reforming (SMR). expensive,” explains Cadent’s Future to support the government in this.
Progressive Energy’s Tommy Isaac Networks Manager Lorna Millington. For example, thinking through green
explains: “ATR production has been “This project is looking at how gas production support frameworks,
designed specifically to work in we can combine two established accelerating decarbonisation of
conjunction with CCUS, unlike SMR. technologies – gas compression and industrial clusters through CCUS, and
ATR delivers both a much higher carbon smart pressure control – for the first being involved in large scale pilots.
capture rate – 97 per cent compared time, to create greater capacity. In the
with 80 per cent through SMR – and past, smart pressure control has been Cadent is the UK’s largest gas
uses less energy to create the hydrogen operated manually by engineers in our distribution network, bringing gas to 11
by having a higher thermal efficiency, control room, but we are working with million homes and businesses throughout
which results in generating low carbon PassivSystems to create software that the North West, West Midlands, East of
hydrogen at only £40/MWh.” will allow it to run automatically.” England and North London. For more
Hydrogen’s potential to decarbonise The project works by running the information, visit www.cadentgas.com

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