Project Summary
SIF Innovation Challenge
This project looks to address the challenge of preparing for net zero power systems using novel ways to reliably support low stability systems. Green hydrogen production is a low stability system in that the production is reliant on the weather (wind/solar) and/or constraints in the electricity network. This makes it very hard to predict the alignment of production and demand of hydrogen.
Storage of hydrogen and release within relevant timescales is going to be vital to ensuring a consistent energy source and improved resilience. Compressed gas storage is a method utilized today to support green hydrogen production, however, the space requirements and safety of these systems are limited. Alternative technologies such as solid state or liquid hydrogen storage provide benefits in storage density and safety but have challenges in the release rates of the hydrogen. It is believed that a hybrid storage system of solid and gaseous storage managed by an artificially intelligent management network HyAI could provide safe and reliable opportunity.
Energy network innovation
Hydrogen is proposed to be transported within the gas networks to decarbonise the UK; the transportation of hydrogen requires ancillary systems such as compression systems that run on gas or electrical sources. Removing emissions from these ancillary systems is vital to realise a decarbonised energy system. The use of network hydrogen could be limited due to blend restrictions and in the early transitional stages, availability. Application of production and storage on local sites without restrictions due to COMAH is a game changer for the energy transition.
Partner experience and capability
GT&M and WWU are considering this opportunity for use on their operational sites, whilst UKPN are looking to understand how the electricity networks may interact with hydrogen production. Each of these networks is key to understanding the technologies application across multiple use cases in the UK.
H2GO are experts in solid state and liquid state storage systems and a private company looking to commercialise these systems and associated digital analytical systems. MTC are experts in ensuring manufacturability and reliability of systems. UoN have been researching hydrogen storage for many years and have identified novel solutions for solid state storage which could assist in the efficiency of output.
Potential users and needs
The solutions developed in this project could be utilised across the UK in both users applications and at production sites to improve resilience against the instability of green hydrogen production.
Innovation Justification
Problem
Storage is required to manage the intermittency of hydrogen production and resolve constraints in electricity energy storage. The deployment of storage systems on operational sites has limitations in space, safety and efficiency. Solid state storage has opportunities over liquid and gaseous storage solutions utilised today but are limited in their release of hydrogen. A recent modelling activity identified that a hybrid storage system of solid and gaseous storage would enable optimisation of storage both in cost and efficiency.
Innovation
This project is innovative in its approach by hybridising solid and gaseous storage to resolve the limitations of the different hydrogen storage systems. The proposed solid state hydrogen storage technology stores hydrogen more efficiently, safely and at a lower cost than compressed gas. The system includes an innovative machine learning platform (HyAI) using reliable algorithms which predict energy generation/storage /demand to optimise operations across the value chain.
Whilst the solid-state storage system provides benefits over other storage systems, the release rate for high flow applications needs focus. This project will consider the opportunity to expand the scale of the solid-state system and utilise novel methods to improve release rates alongside the use of gaseous storage. Academic research in this space has been undertaken but focussed on aerospace and automotive applications which are limited by space and weight.
Knowledge gaps
Prior work has not considered how the system would be designed and the different elements work together. This project focusses on concluding the system design, optimisation and providing insight into cost and output. Combining solid-state storage and compressed gas storage can minimise the scale of compressed gas storage but enable fast release of hydrogen when required. This system will need close management using data analytics to determine the optimum storage method at any one point in time, determination of how this system will work across the hybrid storage elements will be concluded in this phase of the project.
Economic and sustainability value
The use of the proven, ground-breaking solid-state modular reactors, linked to high flow storage systems and innovative AI systems that manage generation, storage and demand will provide value to the UK energy system in providing energy storage at a cheaper more efficient rate.
Funding options
The development of the system through other funding mechanisms has been considered but SIF funding is being progressed due to level of risk remaining in developing the system and the scale of demonstration required.
Project Benefits
In order to quantify the Financial benefits of a hybrid storage system the baseline of a compressed gas storage system will be compared against the novel design. Consideration for the gas turbine emissions reduction when utilising hydrogen will also be considered and will drive the storage requirements.
The following elements will be developed to enable calculation of the benefits:
Define the blend utilised by the gas turbine to determine the amount of hydrogen required. (Multiple blend scenarios will be considered in the model)
Annual profile of demand to be created
Define the demand requirements for other use cases as appropriate
Identify the reduction in emissions in utilising this blend in the gas turbine and CO2 equivalent per year (Environmental - direct carbon reduction)
Convert the CO2 saving to an annual net saving, utilising a base carbon cost
Consider the electrolyser size required for the use-case and associated capital cost / running cost
Annual profile for production to be created
Identify demand and production profile alignment over the year and potential deficits
Consider the renewable energy (wind farm) capacity for the use-case and associated capital cost / running cost
Identify hydrogen storage size required both as compressed and hybrid across an annual period
Determine storage capital cost and any running costs
Determine any other site upgrades and costs associated (COMAH requirements)
Financial
Baseline - costs to deploy compressed gas storage
Method - costs to deploy hybrid storage system
Benefits - Baseline - Method
Other benefits include safety by not storing large quantities of compressed gas on an operational site and impact on the consumer by removing our compression based emissions and the cost this will incur in the future. Quantification of these benefits is difficult to define and qualitive assessment may be required. Benefits could be seen during the beta phase, once the demonstration is operational, however most benefits will occur once the system has been deployed across multiple operational sites. We believe this could be through the Project Union timeline of between 2026 and the early 2030s for the gas transmission network.
