Austria

Based on technical environmental economic and social facts and recent findings the feasibility of the transition from our current fossil age to the new green age is analyzed in detail at both global and local level. To avert the threats of health problems environmental pollution and climate change to our quality and standard of life a twofold radical paradigm shift is outlined: Green Energy Revolution means the complete change from fossil-based to green prim Read More

Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) are an efficient technology for the production of green hydrogen that has great potential to contribute to the energy transition and decarbonization of industry. To date however time- and resource-intensive experimental campaigns slow down the development and market penetration of the technology. In order to speed-up the evaluation of SOEC performance and durability accelerated testing protocols are required. Read More

Fuel storage systems for vehicles require a fail-safe design strategy. In case of system failures or accidents the control electronics have to switch the system into a safe operation mode. Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) or Failure Tree Analysis (FTA) are performed already in the early design phase in order to minimize the risk of design failures in the fuel storage system. Currently the specifications of requirements for pressurized and liquid hydrogen fue Read More

Chemical looping water splitting or chemical looping hydrogen is a very promising technology for the production of hydrogen. In recent years extensive research has enabled remarkable leaps towards a successful integration of the chemical looping technology into a future hydrogen infrastructure. Progress has been reported with iron based oxygen carriers for stable hydrogen production capacity over consecutive cycles without significant signs of de Read More

A main scientific and technical challenge facing the implementation of new and sustainable energy sources is the development and improvement of materials and components. In order to provide commercial viability of these applications an intensive research in material-hydrogen (H) interaction is required. This work provides an overview of recently developed in-situ and in-operando H-charging methods and their applicability to investigate Read More

Investigating metal-ion solvation—in particular the fundamental binding interactions—enhances the understanding of many processes including hydrogen production via catalysis at metal centers and metal corrosion. Infrared spectra of the hydrated zinc dimer (Zn2+(H2O)n; n = 1–20) were measured in the O–H stretching region using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy. These spectra were then compared with those calculated by Read More

In this paper an alternative approach to extended Kalman filtering (EKF) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (FC) systems is proposed. The goal is to obtain robust real-time capable state estimations of a high-order FC model for observer applications mixed with control or fault detection. The introduced formulation resolves dependencies on operating conditions by successive linearization and constraints allowing to run the nonlinear FC model at si Read More

The European Union is aiming at reaching greenhouse gas (GHG) emission neutrality in 2050. Austria’s current greenhouse gas emissions are 80 million t/year. Renewable Energy (REN) contributes 32% to Austria’s total energy consumption. To decarbonize energy consumption a substantial increase in energy generation from renewable energy is required. This increase will add to the seasonality of energy supply and amplifies the seasonality in energy d Read More

Fundamental understanding of H localization in steel is an important step towards theoretical descriptions of hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms at the atomic level. In this paper we investigate the interaction between atomic H and defects in ferromagnetic body-centered cubic (bcc) iron using density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Hydrogen trapping profiles in the bulk lattice at vacancies dislocations and grain boundaries (GBs) are calcula Read More

This paper investigates the optimal planning of microgrids including the hydrogen energy system through mixed-integer linear programming model. A real case study is analyzed by extending the only microgrid lab facility in Austria. The case study considers the hydrogen production via electrolysis seasonal storage and fuelling station for meeting the hydrogen fuel demand of fuel cell vehicles busses and trucks. The optimization is performed relative t Read More

A new testing device for cyclic loading of specimens with a novel shape design is presented. The device was applied for investigations of fatigue of metallic specimens under pressurized hydrogen up to 300 bar at temperatures up to 200 °C. Main advantage of the specimen design is the very small amount of medium here hydrogen used for testing. This allows experiments with hazardous substances at lower safety level. Additionally no gasket for the lo Read More

The EU aims for complete decarbonisation. Therefore renewable generation must be massively expanded and the energy and exergy efficiency of the entire system must be significantly increased. To increase exergy efficiency a holistic consideration of the energy system is necessary. This work analyses the optimal technology mix to maximise exergy efficiency in a fully decarbonised energy system. An exergy-based optimisation model is presented an Read More

The 30 integrated steel plants operating in the European Union (EU) are among the largest single-point CO2 emitters in the region. The deployment of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (bio-CCS) could significantly reduce their emission intensities. In detail the results demonstrate that CO2 emission reduction targets of up to 20% can be met entirely by biomass deployment. A slow CCS technology introduction on top of biomass deployment is e Read More

The study focuses on the aspect of using the structure of gasars i.e. materials with directed open porosity as a potential hydrogen storage. The structure of the tested gasar is composed of a large number of thin open tubular pores running through the entire longitudinal section of the sample. This allows hydrogen to easily penetrate into the entire sample volume. The analysis of pore distribution showed that the longest diffusion path needed for full Read More

In order to mitigate the degradation and prolong the lifetime of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells advanced model-based control strategies are becoming indispensable. Thereby the availability of accurate yet computationally efficient fuel cell models is of crucial importance. Associated with this is the need to efficiently parameterize a given model to a concise and cost-effective experimental data set. A challenging task due to the large number Read More

The single-phase multi-principal-component CoFeMnTiVZr alloy was obtained by rapid solidification and examined by a combination of electrochemical methods and gas–solid reactions. X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy analyses reveal a hexagonal Laves-phase structure (type C14). Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigations in the hydrogen absorption/desorption region give insi Read More

Climate change is one of the most serious threats to the human habitat. The required structural change to limit anthropogenic forcing is expected to fundamentally change daily social and economic life. The production of iron and steel is a special case of economic activities since it is not only associated with combustion but particularly with process emissions of greenhouse gases which have to be dealt with likewise. Traditional mitigation options of Read More

Decentralisation and sector coupling are becoming increasingly crucial for the decarbonisation of the energy system. Resources such as waste and water have high energy recovery potential and are required as inputs for various conversion technologies; however waste and water have not yet been considered in sector coupling approaches but only in separate examinations. In this work an open-source sector coupling optimisation model considering all o Read More

In situ electrochemical microcantilever bending tests were conducted in this study to investigate the role of grain boundaries (GBs) in hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of Alloy 725. Specimens were prepared under three different heat treatment conditions and denoted as solution-annealed (SA) aged (AG) and over-aged (OA) samples. For single-crystal beams in an H-containing environment all three heat-treated samples exhibited crack formation an Read More

Hydrogen-based energy carriers including hydrogen ammonia and synthetic hydrocarbons are expected to help reduce residual carbon dioxide emissions in the context of the Paris Agreement goals although their potential has not yet been fully clarified in light of their competitiveness and complementarity with other mitigation options such as electricity biofuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS). This study aimed to explore the role of hydrogen in the Read More

A stable energy supply will require balancing the fluctuations of renewable energy generation due to the transition to renewable energy sources. Intraday and seasonal storage systems are often limited to local geographical or infrastructural circumstances. This study experimentally verifies the application of inexpensive and abundant natural iron ores for energy storage with combined hydrogen and heat release. The incorporated iron oxides are reduc Read More

Due to the increasing greenhouse gas emissions as well as due to the rapidly increasing use of renewable energy sources in the electricity generation over the last years interest in hydrogen is rising again. Hydrogen can be used as a storage for renewable energy balancing the whole energy systems and contributing to the decarbonization of the energy system especially of the industry and the transport sector. The major objective of this paper is to Read More

Current railway track work machinery is mainly operated with diesel fuel. As a result track maintenance of Austrian Federal Railways (OeBB) amounts to nearly 9000 t CO2 equivalent per year according to calculations from Graz University of Technology. OeBB’s total length of railway lines only accounts for 0.56% of the world’s length of lines. This indicates huge potential for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions considering the need for track mainten Read More

The European steel industry aims at a CO2 reduction of 80–95% by 2050 ensuring that Europe will meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement. As the reduction potentials of the current steelmaking routes are low the transfer toward breakthrough-technologies is essential to reach these goals. Hydrogen-based steelmaking is one approach to realize CO2-lean steelmaking. Therefore the natural gas (NG)-based direct reduction (DR) acts as a basis fo Read More

Hydrogen storage might be key to the success of the hydrogen economy and hence the energy transition in Germany. One option for cost-effective storage of large quantities of hydrogen is the geological subsurface. However previous experience with underground hydrogen storage is restricted to salt caverns which are limited in size and space. In contrast pore storage facilities in aquifers -and/or depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs- could play a vital role in Read More

HyResponder is a European Hydrogen Train the Trainer programme for responders. This paper describes the key outputs of the project and the steps taken to develop and implement a long-term sustainable train the trainer programme in hydrogen safety for responders across Europe and beyond. This FCH2 JU (now Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking) funded project has built on the successful outcomes of the previous HyResponse project. HyResponder ha Read More

In light of the growing interest in hydrogen as an energy carrier and reducing agent various industries including the iron and steel sector are considering the increased adoption of hydrogen. To meet the rising demand in energy-intensive industries the production of hydrogen must be significantly expanded and further developed. However current hydrogen production heavily relies on fossil-fuel-based methods resulting in a considerable environmental bur Read More

To achieve the shift to renewable energies efficient energy storage is of the upmost importance. Hydrogen as a chemical energy storage represents a promising technology due to its high gravimetric energy density. However the most efficient form of hydrogen storage still remains an open question. Absorption-based storage of hydrogen in metal hydrides offers high volumetric energy densities as well as safety advantages. In this work technic Read More

Immediate and widespread changes in energy generation and use are critical to safeguard our future on this planet. However while the necessity of renewable electricity generation is clear the aviation transport and mobility chemical and material sectors are challenging to fully electrify. The age-old Fischer-Tropsch process and natural gas industry could be the bridging solution needed to accelerate the energy revolution in these sectors – temp Read More

Chemical looping with iron-based oxygen carriers enables the production of hydrogen from various fossil and biogenic primary energy sources. In applications with real producer gases such as biogas or gasified biomass hydrogen sulfide represents one of the most challenging contaminants. The impact of H2S on the reactivity of a Fe2O3/Al2O3 oxygen carrier material in chemical looping hydrogen production was investigated in the present work. Read More

Globally reducing CO2 emissions is an urgent priority. The hydrogen economy is a system that offers long-term solutions for a secure energy future and the CO2 crisis. From hydrogen production to consumption storing systems are the foundation of a viable hydrogen economy. Each step has been the topic of intense research for decades; however the development of a viable safe and efficient strategy for the storage of hydrogen remains the most chall Read More

Hydrogen storage in depleted gas fields is a promising option for the large-scale storage of excess renewable energy. In the framework of the hydrogen storage assessment for the “Underground Sun Storage” project we conduct a multi-step geochemical modelling approach to study fluid–rock interactions by means of equilibrium and kinetic batch simulations. With the equilibrium approach we estimate the long-term consequences of hydrogen storage Read More

Optimal energy management of microgrids enables efficient integration of renewable energies by considering all system flexibilities. For systems with significant seasonal imbalance between energy production and demand it may be necessary to integrate seasonal storage in order to achieve fully decarbonized operation. This paper develops a novel model predictive control strategy for a renewable microgrid with seasonal hydrogen storage. Read More

The regional parliament of Tyrol in Austria adopted the climate energy and resources strategy “Tyrol 2050 energy autonomous” in 2014 with the aim to become climate neutral and energy autonomous. “Use of own resources before others do or have to do” is the main principle within this long-term strategic approach in which the “power on demand” process is a main building block and the “power-to-hydrogen” process covers the intrinsic lack of a lon Read More

This review focuses on the reduction of iron oxides using hydrogen as a reducing agent. Due to increasing requirements from environmental issues a change of process concepts in the iron and steel industry is necessary within the next few years. Currently crude steel production is mainly based on fossil fuels and emitting of the climate-relevant gas carbon dioxide is integral. One opportunity to avoid or reduce greenhouse gas emissions is substituting hydro Read More

Pursued climate goals require reduced greenhouse gas emissions by substituting fossil fuels with energy from renewable sources in all energy-consuming processes. On a large-scale this can mainly be achieved through electricity from wind and sun which are subject to intermittency. To efficiently integrate this variable energy a coupling of the power sector to the residential transport industry and commercial/trade sector is often promoted called sector c Read More

The utilization of hydrogen as an energy carrier and reduction agent in important industrial sectors is considered a key parameter on the way to a sustainable future. Steam reforming of methane is currently the most industrially used process to produce hydrogen. One major drawback of this method is the simultaneous generation of carbon dioxide. Methane pyrolysis represents a viable alternative as the basic reaction produces no CO2 but solid carb Read More

To limit global temperature increase below +2°C societies need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions radically within the next few decades. Amongst other mitigation measures this requires transforming process-emission intensive industries towards emission neutrality. One way to this end is the renewables-based electrification of industries. We present results of a recent coproduction process which brought together stakeholders from industry policy a Read More

The most challenging aspect of developing a green hydrogen economy is long-distance oceanic transportation. Hydrogen liquefaction is a transportation alternative. However the cost and energy consumption for liquefaction is currently prohibitively high creating a major barrier to hydrogen supply chains. This paper proposes using solid nitrogen or oxygen as a medium for recycling cold energy across the hydrogen liquefaction supply chain. When a liquid Read More

This article investigates the potential of renewable and low-carbon fuel production for the maritime shipping sector using Sweden as a case in focus. Techno-economic modelling and socio-technical transition studies are combined to explore the conditions opportunities and barriers to decarbonising the maritime shipping industry. A set of scenarios have been developed considering demand assumptions and potential instruments such as carbon price energ Read More

The transport of hydrogen in used natural gas pipelines is a strategic key element of a pan-European hydrogen infrastructure. At the same time accurate knowledge of the hydrogen quality is essential in order to be able to address a wide application range. Therefore an experimental investigation was carried out to find out which contaminants enter into the hydrogen from the used natural gas pipelines. Pipeline elements from the high pressure gas grid Read More

In this study we employ an optimization model to optimally design a self-sufficient independent of any imports and exports hydrogen infrastructure for Austria by 2030. Our approach integrates key hydrogen technologies within a detailed spatial investment and operation model – coupled with a European scale electricity market model. We focus on optimizing diverse infrastructure componentsincluding trailers pipelines electrolyzers and storages to meet Read More

Japan has formulated a net-zero emissions target by 2050. Existing scenarios consistent with this target generally depend on carbon dioxide removal (CDR). In addition to domestic mitigation actions the import of low-carbon energy carriers such as hydrogen and synfuels and negative emissions credits are alternative options for achieving net-zero emissions in Japan. Although the potential and costs of these actions depend on global energy system tr Read More

Research on proton exchange membrane water electrolysis for renewable hydrogen production is rapidly advancing worldwide driven by the imperative to reduce costs and enhance efficiency through development of novel materials. However to effectively evaluate and validate these advancements standardized testing methods are essential extending beyond single-cell analysis to encompass stack-level characterization. This paper proposes c Read More

Integrated steelworks off-gases are generally exploited to produce heat and electricity. However further valorization can be achieved by using them as feedstock for the synthesis of valuable products such as methane and methanol with the addition of renewable hydrogen. This was the aim of the recently concluded project entitled “Intelligent and integrated upgrade of carbon sources in steel industries through hydrogen intensified synthesis process Read More

Hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines are a promising CO2-free and zero-impact emission alternative to battery or fuel cell electric powertrains. Advantages include long service life robustness against fuel impurities and a strong infrastructural base with existing production lines and workshop stations. In order to make hydrogen engines harmless in terms of pollutant emissions as well NOX emissions at the tailpipe must be reduced as low as the z Read More

The chances of a global hydrogen economy becoming a reality have increased significantly since the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine and for net zero carbon emissions. However intercontinental hydrogen transport is still a major issue. This study suggests transporting hydrogen as a gas at atmospheric pressure in balloons using the natural flow of wind to carry the balloon to its destination. We investigate the average wind speeds atmospheric pre Read More

Photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy generation result in low greenhouse gas footprints and can supply electricity to the grid or generate hydrogen for various applications including seasonal energy storage. Designing integrated wind–PV–electrolyzer underground hydrogen storage (UHS) projects is complex due to the interactions between components. Additionally the capacities of PV and wind relative to the electrolyzer capacity and fluctuating electricity pri Read More

Green hydrogen has recently gained importance as a key element in the transition to a low-carbon energy future sparking a boom in possible production regions. This article aims at situating incipient hydrogen production in the Argentine province of Río Negro within a global production network (GPN). The early configuration of the hydrogen-GPN includes several stakeholders and is contested in many ways. To explore the possible materialization of th Read More

The impact of the HyResponder project on the training of responders in 10 European countries is described. An overview is presented of training activities undertaken within the project in Austria Belgium Czech Republic France Germany Italy Norway Spain Switzerland and the United Kingdom. National leads with training expertise are given and the longer-term plans in each region are mentioned. Responders from each region took part in a specially tailored Read More