Page 16 - Gi flipbook April 2019

THE HYDROGEN ROADMAP

DNV GL’s Dr Sarah Kimpton explains the work of IGEM’s the PE pipes in the distribution networks
Gas Quality Working Group and presents the case for are safe for transporting hydrogen.
blending hydrogen in gas Not all gas networks or users will
be able to convert to 100 per cent
hydrogen and there will inevitably be
atural gas has a low carbon the Directory of UK Energy Statistics a mix and match of local solutions.
content compared to other (DUKES), natural gas demand in the UK For industrial gas consumers using
fossil fuels. It burns cleanly and during 2017 was 875,319GWh, which is natural gas as a feedstock, conversion
efficiently using well-established about 5.67 x 1010kg of gas. to hydrogen is clearly not possible.
N technology and infrastructure, A blend of 2mol% hydrogen with Energy intensive users are likely to
and it is globally plentiful. However, natural gas to give the same amount prefer to continue to use gas, in the
natural gas is a fossil fuel and its use in of energy as delivered in 2017 would form of hydrogen or hydrogen blend,
the long term will need to be curtailed contain 1.45 x 108kg of hydrogen. This rather than convert to electricity.
or managed if carbon dioxide emissions reduction in carbon intensity would So, why start with two per cent
are to be returned to pre-industrial be equivalent to removing more than hydrogen?
levels as required by the Paris Climate 500,000 cars from the roads. It burns like natural gas and
Change Agreement. We anticipate that 2mol% hydrogen domestic consumers will not notice
Adding hydrogen is an effective way is likely to be safe across the whole the difference
to decarbonise heat and energy. While gas network, including the national Only minor, if any, changes to
two mole per cent (mol%) hydrogen transmission system. A blend of 15- combustion systems for most
does not sound a lot, it is the first step 20mol% hydrogen is likely to be safe industrial and commercial users will
to much deeper decarbonisation. The for domestic consumers without any be required
gas networks jointly have an industry changes to their appliances. 100mol% A few users, such as gas turbines
roadmap for the addition of increasing hydrogen will require customer for power generation, may need to
amounts of hydrogen. According to appliances to be converted, although introduce additional combustion
controls, but this is technically possible
We can use surplus wind energy
to electrolyse water to produce
hydrogen, which can be injected into
the gas network; this is an easier way
to store green energy compared with
storing electricity in batteries
Adding hydrogen that has been

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