The Role of Hydrogen in the Renewable Energy

The Role of Hydrogen in the Renewable Energy Mix Dr. Michael Mann Chemical Engineering University of North Dakota

Presentation Outline n The Hydrogen Economy n The 2005 Energy Policy Act n Sources of Hydrogen n A Case Study: Basin Electric n Summary

Reasons to Change from Fossil Fuel n Political obligation - reduce CO 2 emissions n Worldwide energy dependence n Oil is a scarce commodity n Needs of developing economies

What is the Hydrogen Economy A future economy in which energy, for mobile applications (vehicles, aircraft) and electrical grid load balancing (daily peak demand reserve), is stored as hydrogen (H 2). Hydrogen is not a energy source, it’s an energy carrier like electricity Goals in developing world wide hydrogen infrastructure and technologies: • Security in energy supply • Environmental protection • Promote economic growth of societies

Why Hydrogen? n High mass energy density n 2. 4 x methane; 2. 8 x gasoline, 4 x coal n Absence of emissions: CO 2, NOx, SO 2, PM n But clean as source of production n Eliminate emission from disperse sources - transportation n Allow integration of renewable, intermittent energy sources n n n Uninterrupted electricity Low system efficiency Volumetrically challenged http: //www. hydrogen. gov/why. html

Is hydrogen poised to have a major impact on the energy industry?

Presentation Outline n The Hydrogen Economy n The 2005 Energy Policy Act n Sources of Hydrogen n A Case Study: Basin Electric n Summary

Energy Policy Act and Hydrogen n No preamble to identify goals n Does not coordinate any “national energy policy or strategy” n Budget represents lobby interests – not amount necessary to overcome barriers n Approach ensures no interest group was left out, but prevents headway in any fledging industry n H 2 Funding does not match goals

Goals of Title VIII n Recognized that: n H 2 source of heat and electricity n Storage - transportation or electricity n H 2 can replace petroleum – “decreasing the US dependency of imported oil” n Acts as storage medium for electricity created by intermittent resources “creating a sustainable energy economy” n Wind, biomass, solar – replace coal and oil

Title VIII Development, Demonstration and Commercialization n 2, 500, 000 vehicles by 2020 – 1% of US n Will require major infrastructure changes n Not large enough to cause conversion to fuel cell vehicles n Makes sense for fleet centers n Will not meet goal of “acceptance by consumers” n Target prevents economy of scale

Fuel Diversity vs Fuel Replacement n “to build a mature hydrogen economy that creates fuel diversity in the massive transportation sector” n “mature” suggests formidable technical hurdles will be overcome n “diversity” leaves room for H 2, ethanol, etc n Can US meets both goals Distribution and delivery infrastructure n Engine design n

Is Money in Title VIII Adequate n Goal of putting money into “public investments in industry, higher education, national labs, and research institutions to expand innovation” n Focus on primary developmental needs Isolating, storage distribution, transporting H 2 n Fuel cell technologies n Demonstration projects n Development of safety codes and standards n n Authorized $4. 046 billion through 2010 n 2 x other renewables, $1. 775 b less than ethanol

How should we evaluate new energy technologies? n Must give net energy (energy ratio >1) throughout life cycle n Sustainable in all environmental concerns n All climate changes considered n Must be politically feasible n Don’t under estimate concerns with developing technologies

Sources of H 2 Marban and Valdes-Solis, 2007

Sources of H 2 n CH 4 reforming n $3/MMBtu CH 4 -> $6/MMBtu H 2 n $12/MMBtu CH 4 -> $20/MMBtu H 2 n Releases CO 2 n Does not address energy security n Electrolysis n 3 k. W electricity per 1 k. W H 2 produced n $20/MMBtu H 2 n Thermochemical “cracking” n Solar or nuclear energy sources n Experimental

Wind as Source of Hydrogen n Energy ratio of wind is around 30 n After electrolysis and delivery ~15 n End use conversion drops ratio to 8 to 12 n US oil to gasoline – ratio of 6 to 10 n Corn to ethanol – ratio of 1. 3 to 1. 8 n Other concerns n Delivered energy reduced in half by end use n Substantial money investments n Hydrogen storage

What technologies can produce H 2 to replace transportation needs? Energy source Multiplying factor: 2050 vs 2004 2050 consumption (% max capacity) Years to extinction at 2050 rate PV / e 21, 000 _ _ Wind / e 900 125 _ Nuclear / e 25 34 -38 3 -13 Biomass / ref 2. 1 28 _ Coal / ref 2. 3 1. 4 72 Natural gas / ref 1. 4 2. 0 50 Oil / ICE 1. 3 2. 8 36 Marban and Valdes-Solis, 2007

Storage and Distribution n Distribution methods n Pipeline n Liquid hydrogen n Solid metal hydride n Carrier fuels n Carbon nanotubes n Fueling station infrastructure n $450, 000 per H 2 pump n 10, 000 stations minimum to service US n Mature H 2 economy - $200 billion

Marban and Valdes-Solis, 2007

Presentation Outline n The Hydrogen Economy n The 2005 Energy Policy Act n Sources of Hydrogen n A Case Study: Basin Electric n Summary

An Electric Utility Perspective n A common obstacle to the development of wind energy in many parts of the United States is the difficulty in adding wind-generated electricity onto transmission lines that are already constrained n Transmission constraint limitations on new wind generation can be overcome by dynamically scheduling grid-connected wind energy to power a load (electrolyzer or multiple electrolyzers) within a regional area n Plus – deals with intermittency of renewable resources

Case Study: Basin Electric Minot - Feb 03 - (2) 1. 3 MW Edgeley - Oct 03 - (27) 1. 5 MW Wilton - Dec 05 - (33) 1. 5 MW Electrolyzer at NDSU’s N. Central Research Center near Minot.

1 kg H 2 equivalent to gallon gas e lin er lka lyz A tro lec E r lle hi C Co ntr Pa ol nel 10 Di spe Sta nsin tio g n 30 Nm 3/hr at full capacity (65 kg/day) Depending on the mode $20 – 10 / kg The larger model could result in $3/kg 0 k g. H 2 sto rag e t 0 f x 6 t 0 f pad 3 1

Project Background n Electrolyzer: Hydrogenics Hy. STAT A-30, Output 30 Nm 3/hr (2. 7 kg/hr) at full capacity n Compression/storage: 80 kg of storage in three pairs of cascading cylinders, (six total) at 6000 psi n Dispenser: 5000 psi of dispensing pressure n Hydrogen use: Three Chevy ½-ton internal combustion pickups capable of running on H 2, E-85, and gasoline n Hydrogen use: A genset converted to run on H 2

Project Background Hy. Stat Electrolyzer Storage Dispenser

H 2 End Use Demonstration n Tri-fuel (gasoline–E-85–hydrogen) engine conversion provided by AFVTech on three Chevrolet trucks. n Internal combustion generator converted to operate on H 2 (still negotiating this item).

Dynamic Scheduling n There are four control modes, each representing a different approach for dynamic scheduling n All modes are constrained by the technological limitation of the electrolyzer—the need to maintain a minimum of 7. 5 Nm 3 H 2 production for fast response time n The minimum operating level requirement and parasitic power (heating, lights, etc. ) will be met by grid energy for this research project

Dynamic Scheduling: Mode 1 n Most directly addresses the transmission problem n “x” amount of added wind energy is cancelled by “x” amount of electrolyzer capacity n Least efficient because of underutilization of electrolyzer capacity n Simulated by scaling: 100% wind farm output corresponds to 100% electrolyzer power capacity – directly proportioned down to minimum operating level of electrolyzer

Dynamic Scheduling: Mode 2 n Similar to Mode 1, but with addition of low-cost, off- peak, non-wind electricity to supplement wind energy for full electrolyzer production from 11 p. m. to 7 a. m. daily and all day on weekends n Non-wind electricity is only utilized when wind energy is not sufficient to run electrolyzer at full load n Still an inefficient use of electrolyzer due to underutilization

Dynamic Scheduling: Mode 3 n Assumes that the added MWs of wind energy are greater than the added MWs of electrolyzer-based load n The wind-generated electricity above the full power needed to run electrolyzer is fed to the grid n Improved utilization of the electrolyzer over Modes 1 and 2 makes it more efficient n Requires the grid to utilize energy excess

Dynamic Scheduling: Mode 4 n Similar to Mode 3, but with the addition of low-cost off -peak non-wind electricity to supplement wind energy for full electrolyzer production from 11 p. m. to 7 a. m. daily and all day on weekends n Non-wind electricity is only utilized when wind energy is not sufficient to run electrolyzer at full load during n Most efficient of the modes—approximately 90% utilization of electrolyzer n Requires the grid to utilize energy excess

Presentation Outline n The Hydrogen Economy n The 2005 Energy Policy Act n Sources of Hydrogen n A Case Study: Basin Electric n Summary

Future Expectations n Conditions for societal based H 2 economy n Strong international CO 2 agreements n Reduced cost of H 2 production, distribution, storage, and utilization n IEA most favorable prediction for H 2 / 2050 n 30% of cars powered by H 2 feed n 200 – 300 GW installed FC to cogenerate heat and electricity

What about Hydrogen n Hydrogen will be a part of the solution, but not the single silver bullet n Hydrogen is just an energy carrier, we still need a primary energy source(s) n Hydrogen can be used to firm renewable energy resources. Current conditions need to change to improve economic viability

References & Acknowledgements n Dr. Rhonda Peters – Clipper Energy n Dr. Kevin Harrison – NREL n E. Lockey, “A critical review of the Energy Policy Act of 2005’s treatment of hydrogen”, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 32 (2007) 1673 -1679. n P. Moriatry and D. Honnery, “Intermittent renewable energy: the only future source of hydrogen? ” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 32 (2007) 1616 -1624. n G. Marban and T. Valdes-Solis, “Towards a hydrogen economy? ” International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 32 (2007) 1625 -1637.