Applications & Pathways

One of the many barriers to decarbonization and decentralization of the energy sector in developing countries is the economic uncertainty. As such this study scrutinizes economics of three grid-independent hybrid renewable-based systems proposed to co-generate electricity and heat for a small-scale load. Accordingly the under-study systems are simulated and optimized with the aid of HOMER Pro software. Here a 20-year average value of discount and inflation rates is deemed a benchmark case. The techno-economic-environmental and reliability results suggest a standalone solar/wind/electrolyzer/hydrogen-based fuel cell integrated with a hydrogen-based boiler system is the best alternative. Moreover to ascertain the impact of economic uncertainty on optimal unit sizing of the nominated model the fluctuations of the nominal discount rate and inflation respectively constitute within the range of 15–20% and 10–26%. The findings of economic uncertainty analysis imply that total net present cost (TNPC) fluctuates around the benchmark value symmetrically between $478704 and $814905. Levelized energy cost varies from an amount 69% less than the benchmark value up to two-fold of that. Furthermore photovoltaic (PV) optimal size starts from a value 23% less than the benchmark case and rises up to 55% more. The corresponding figures for wind turbine (WT) are respectively 21% and 29%. Eventually several practical policies are introduced to cope with economic uncertainty.

In the context of carbon neutrality and carbon peaking in order to achieve low carbon emissions and promote the efficient utilization of wind energy hydrogen energy as an important energy carrier is proposed to mix hydrogen and natural gas to form hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (HCNG). It is also injected into the natural gas pipeline network to achieve the transmission and utilization of hydrogen energy. At the same time the participation of demand response is considered the load’s peak and trough periods are adjusted and the large-scale consumption of renewable energy and the reduction in carbon emissions are achieved. First of all a fine model of hydrogen production and hydrogen use equipment is established to analyze the impact of adding hydrogen mixing on the economy and the low-carbon property of the system. With green certificates and demand response the utilization rate of hydrogen energy is improved to further explore the energy utilization rate and emission reduction capacity of the system. Secondly on the basis of modeling the optimal scheduling strategy is proposed with the sum of energy purchase cost equipment operation cost carbon emission cost wind curtailment cost and green certificate income as the lowest objective function. Considering the constraints such as hydrogen blending ratio and flexible load ratio of the pipeline network a low-carbon economic scheduling model of hydrogen mixed natural gas was established. The model was linearized and solved by using MATLAB 2021a and CPLEX solver. By comparing different scenarios the superiority of the model and the effectiveness of the strategy are verified.

Urban population and the trend towards online commerce leads to an increase in delivery solution in cities. The growth of the transport sector is very harmful to the environment being responsible for approximately 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union. The problem is aggravated when transporting perishable foodstuffs as the vehicle propulsion engine (VPE) must power not only the vehicle but also the refrigeration unit. This means that the VPE must be running continuously both on the road and stationary (during delivery) as the cold chain must be preserved. The result is costly (high fuel consumption) and harmful to the environment. At present refrigerated transport does not support full-electric solutions due to the high energy consumption required which motivates the work presented in this article. It presents a turnkey solution of a hydrogen-powered refrigeration system (HPRS) to be integrated into standard light trucks and vans for short-distance food transport and delivery. The proposed solution combines an air-cooled polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) a lithium-ion battery and low-weight pressurised hydrogen cylinders to minimise cost and increase autonomy and energy density. In addition for its implementation and integration all the acquisition power and control electronics necessary for its correct management have been developed. Similarly an energy management system (EMS) has been developed to ensure continuity and safety in the operation of the electrical system during the working day while maximizing both the available output power and lifetime of the PEMFC. Experimental results on a real refrigerated light truck provide more than 4 h of autonomy in intensive intercity driving profiles which can be increased if necessary by simply increasing the pressure of the stored hydrogen from the current 200 bar to whatever is required. The correct operation of the entire HPRS has been experimentally validated in terms of functionality autonomy and safety; with fuel savings of more than 10% and more than 3650 kg of CO2/ year avoided.

This paper explores the effect of having a nuclear baseload in a 100% carbon-free electricity system The study analyses numerous 8 scenarios based on different penetrations of conventional nuclear wind and solar PV power different levels of overgeneration 9 and different combinations between medium and long duration energy stores (hydrogen and compressed air respectively) to 10 determine the configuration that achieves the lowest total cost of electricity (TCoE). 11 At their current cost new baseload nuclear power plants are too expensive. Results indicate the TCoE is minimised when demand 12 is supplied entirely by renewables with no contribution from conventional nuclear. 13 However small modular reactors may achieve costs of ~£60/MWh (1.5x current wind cost) in the future. With such costs 14 supplying ~80% of the country’s electricity demand with nuclear power could minimise the TCoE. In this scenario wind provides 15 the remaining 20% plus a small percentage of overgeneration (~2.5%). Hydrogen in underground caverns provides ~30.5 TWh (81 16 days) of long-duration energy storage while CAES systems provide 2.8 TWh (~8 days) of medium-duration storage. This 17 configuration achieves costs of ~65.8 £/MWh. Batteries (required for short duration imbalances) are not included in the figure. 18 The TCoE achieved will be higher once short duration storage is accounted for.

In the modern world zero-carbon society has become a new buzzword of the era. Many projects have been initiated to develop alternatives not only to the environmental crisis but also to the shortage of fossil fuels. With successful projects in automobile technology hydrogen fuel is now being tested and utilized as a sustainable green fuel in the aviation sector which will lead to zero carbon emission in the future. From the mid-20th century to the early 21st numerous countries and companies have funded multimillion projects to develop hydrogen-fueled aircraft. Empirical data show positive results for various projects. Consequently large companies are investing in various innovations undertaken by researchers under their supervision. Over time the efficiency of hydrogen-fueled aircraft has improved but the lack of refueling stations large production cost and consolidated carbon market share have impeded the path of hydrogen fuel being commercialized. In addition the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is another important element of the Aviation industry Hydrogen started to be commonly used as an alternative fuel for heavy-duty drones using fuel cell technology. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the chronological development of hydrogen-powered aircraft technology and potential aviation applications for hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Furthermore the major barriers to widespread adoption of hydrogen technology in aviation are identified as are future research opportunities.

Molecular hydrogen (H2 ) is a low-molecular-weight non-polar and electrochemically neutral substance that acts as an effective antioxidant and cytoprotective agent with research into the effects of H2 incorporation into the food chain at various stages rapidly gaining momentum. H2 can be delivered throughout the food growth production delivery and storage systems in numerous ways including as a gas as hydrogen-rich water (HRW) or with hydrogen-donating food supplements such as calcium (Ca) or magnesium (Mg). In plants H2 can be exploited as a seedpriming agent during seed germination and planting during the latter stages of plant development and reproduction as a post-harvest treatment and as a food additive. Adding H2 during plant growth and developmental stages is noted to improve the yield and quality of plant produce through modulating antioxidant pathways and stimulating tolerance to such environmental stress factors as drought stress enhanced tolerance to herbicides (paraquat) and increased salinity and metal toxicity. The benefits of pre- and post-harvest application of H2 include reductions in natural senescence and microbial spoilage which contribute to extending the shelf-life of animal products fruits grains and vegetables. This review collates empirical findings pertaining to the use of H2 in the agri-food industry and evaluates the potential impact of this emerging technology.

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of the selected properties of HCNG fuel calculations and a literature review of the other fuels that allow the storage of ecologically produced hydrogen. Hydrogen has the most significant CO2 reduction potential of all known fuels. However its transmission in pure form is still problematic and its use as a component of fuels modified by it has now become an issue of interest for researchers. Many types of hydrogen-enriched fuels have been invented. However this article will describe the reasons why HCNG may be the hydrogen-enriched fuel of the future and why internal combustion (IC) piston engines working on two types of fuel could be the future method of using it. CO2 emissions are currently a serious problem in protecting the Earth’s natural climate. However secondarily power grid stabilization with a large share of electricity production from renewable energy sources must be stabilized with very flexible sources—as flexible as multi-fuel IC engines. Their use is becoming an essential element of the electricity power systems of Western countries and there is a chance to use fuels with zero or close to zero CO2 emissions like e-fuels and HCNG. Dual-fuel engines have become an effective way of using these types of fuels efficiently; therefore in this article the parameters of hydrogen-enriched fuel selected in terms of relevance to the use of IC engines are considered. Inaccuracies found in the literature analysis are discussed and the essential properties of HCNG and its advantages over other hydrogen-rich fuels are summarized in terms of its use in dual-fuel (DF) IC engines.

The central aim of this paper is to provide an up-to-date snapshot of hybrid and hydrogen technology-related developments and activities in the North American heavy haul railway setting placed in the context of the transportation industry more broadly. An overview of relevant alternative propulsion technologies is provided including a discussion of applicability to the transportation sector in general and heavy haul freight rail specifically. This is followed by a discussion of current developments and research in alternative and blended fuels discussed again in both general and specific settings. Key factors and technical considerations for heavy haul applications are reviewed followed by a discussion of non-technical and human factors that motivate a move toward clean energy in North American Heavy Haul systems. Finally current project activities are described to provide a clear understanding of both the status and trajectory of hybrid and hydrogen technologies in the established context.

During the last few years electric and hydrogen vehicles have become an alternative to cars that use internal combustion engines. The number of electric and hydrogen vehicles sold has increased due to support from local governments and because car manufacturers will stop the production of internal combustion engines in the near future. The emissions of these vehicles while being driven are zero but they still have an impact on the environment due to their fuel. In this article an analysis of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions for two types of vehicles: battery electric vehicles (BEVs) powered by electricity and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) powered by hydrogen is presented. The analysis considers different values for the mix of power generation and hydrogen production options in comparison to other studies. The CO2 emissions were calculated and compared for the two types of vehicles. The results show that the CO2 emissions of BEVs are lower when compared to FCEVs if the hydrogen is obtained from pollutant sources and is higher if the hydrogen is obtained from nuclear power and renewable energy sources. When compared to conventional combustion engine vehicles BEVs have lower CO2 emissions while the emissions of FCEVs are dependent on the hydrogen production method.

Human activities have exacerbated global greenhouse effects resulting in extreme climate changes that have caused disasters and food and water shortages in recent years. Transport activities are the one of the main causes of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore policy makers must develop some strategies to reduce GHG emissions. One of the Taiwan’s transportation policies intended to reduce CO2 emissions is to replace all traditional diesel fuel urban buses with alternative energy buses. This paper uses a case study of bus route NO. 2 in Tainan City and follows the international standard ISO/TS 14067 and PAS2050 to measure the carbon footprints of different energy buses. The purpose is to measure the environmental benefits of alternative energy buses. The results of the bus carbon footprints from high to low were LNG buses 63.14g CO2e/pkm; traditional diesel buses 54.6g CO2e/pkm; liquefied petroleum gas buses 47.4g CO2e/pkm; plug-in electric buses 37.82g CO2e/pkm and hydrogen fuel cell bus es 29.17g CO2e/pkm respectively. It was also found that the use of hydrogen fuel cell buses would potentially reduce CO2e emissions in Tainan City by 1244081 tons which at this time is only city bus No. 2. If all the Taiwan city buses were switched to hydrogen fuel cell buses this would potentially reduce CO2e by 227832.39 tons. The effect of the reduction in carbon emissions from the use of hydrogen fuel cells buses in all Taiwanese urban areas is the equivalent of planting 22.78 million trees. It is thus suggested that the government use hydrogen fuel cell buses as the future of the country’s major alternative energy buses since they are the most environmentally friendly alternative to reducing CO2 emissions.