Policy & Socio-Economics

The APPG on Hydrogen’s latest report urges the Government to move quickly on hydrogen and set ambitious policies to unlock investment create employment opportunities and support the UK’s net-zero targets.

The APPG on Hydrogen’s report developed as part of its inquiry into ‘How the UK’s hydrogen sector can help support the UK’s economic recovery’ sets out 15 recommendations to support and accelerate the growth of the UK’s hydrogen sector.

These include:

• Developing a cross-departmental hydrogen strategy between Government and industry
• Using regulatory levers to unlock private sector investment required including amending the GSMR and expanding the remit of the Bus Service Operator Grant
• Setting interim targets for low-carbon hydrogen production by 2030 alongside the introduction of a Low Carbon Obligation to enable investment in low carbon forms of heating such as hydrogen
• Mandating hydrogen-ready boilers by 2025
• Creating greater incentives in hydrogen alternatives to support organisations and customers who produce purchase or use hydrogen HGVs buses and trains
• Working with local and regional authorities exploring hydrogen’s potential to support the uptake and commercialisation of existing projects
• Setting more ambitious policies and financial targets on hydrogen to meet net-zero by 2050 ahead of other international competitors
• Ensuring the UK hydrogen industry plays a major role at COP26 allowing the UK to inspire other nations and sell its products and services
• Delivering funding models to create investment and economic jobs directly to the UK
• Implementing measures similar to Offshore Wind such as Contracts for Difference to incentivise industry and scale-up a hydrogen economy.

One of the options to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels is to produce gas with the quality of natural gas but based on renewable energy sources. It can encompass among other biogas generation from various types of biomass and its subsequent upgrading. The main aim of this study is to analyze under a combined technical economic and environmental perspective three of the most representative technologies for the production of biomethane (bio-based natural gas): (i) manure fermentation and its subsequent upgrading by CO₂ removal (ii) manure fermentation and biogas methanation using renewable hydrogen from electrolysis and (iii) biomass gasification in the atmosphere of oxygen and methanation of the resulted gas. Thermodynamic economic and environmental analyses are conducted to thoroughly compare the three cases. For these purposes detailed models in Aspen Plus software were built while environmental analysis was performed using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. The results show that the highest efficiency (66.80%) and the lowest break-even price of biomethane (19.2 €/GJ) are reached for the technology involving fermentation and CO₂ capture. Concerning environmental assessment the system with the best environmental performance varies depending on the impact category analyzed being the system with biomass gasification and methanation a suitable trade-off solution for biomethane production.

The FCH JU has with its industry and research partners worked since 2008 to develop and demonstrate FCH technologies along with development of the various business and environmental cases. It has involved a programme of increasingly ambitious demonstrations projects a consistent approach to research and development actions and a long term policy commitment. Developing the business and environmental cases for FCH technologies has created an increasingly compelling vision appealing to a range of stakeholders: to FCH technology businesses themselves assured by the long term commitment of the FCH JU to end users in terms of cost and operational performance potential and as critically to increasing numbers of policy and decision makers attracted by the substantial socio-economic benefits.

Australia’s Technology Investment Roadmap is a strategy to accelerate development and commercialisation of low emissions technologies.

Annual low emissions statements are key milestones of the roadmap process. These statements prioritise low emissions technologies with potential to deliver the strongest economic and emissions reduction outcomes for Australia. They focus government investment on new and emerging technologies.

In this Statement

The first Low Emissions Technology Statement presents a vision of a prosperous Australia recognised as a global low emissions technology leader

• priority technologies and economic stretch goals
• Australia’s big technology challenges and opportunities
• Technology Investment Framework
• monitoring transparency and impact evaluation

This discussion paper is for stakeholders who would like to shape the development of Victoria’s emerging green hydrogen sector identifying competitive advantages and priority focus areas for industry and the Victorian Government.<br/>The Victorian Government is using this paper to focus on the economic growth and sector development opportunities emerging for a Victorian hydrogen industry powered by renewable energy also known as ‘green’ hydrogen. In addition this paper seeks input from all stakeholders on how where and when the Victorian Government can act to establish a thriving green hydrogen economy.<br/>Although green hydrogen is the only type of hydrogen production within the scope of this discussion paper the development of the VHIP aligns with the policies projects and initiatives which support these other forms of hydrogen production. The VHIP is considering the broad policy landscape and actively coordinating with related hydrogen programs policies and strategies under development including the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council’s National Hydrogen Strategy to ensure a complementary approach. In Victoria there are several programs and strategies in development and underway that have linkages with hydrogen and the VHIP.

Hydrogen presents an attractive option to decarbonise the present energy system. Hydrogen can extend the usage of the existing gas infrastructure with low-cost energy storability and flexibility. Excess electricity generated by renewables can be converted into hydrogen. In this paper a novel multi-energy systems optimisation model was proposed to maximise investment and operating synergy in the electricity heating and transport sectors considering the integration of a hydrogen system to minimise the overall costs. The model considers two hydrogen production processes: (i) gas-to-gas (G2G) with carbon capture and storage (CCS) and (ii) power-to-gas (P2G). The proposed model was applied in a future Great Britain (GB) system. Through a comparison with the system without hydrogen the results showed that the G2G process could reduce £3.9 bn/year and that the P2G process could bring £2.1 bn/year in cost-savings under a 30 Mt carbon target. The results also demonstrate the system implications of the two hydrogen production processes on the investment and operation of other energy sectors. The G2G process can reduce the total power generation capacity from 71 GW to 53 GW and the P2G process can promote the integration of wind power from 83 GW to 130 GW under a 30 Mt carbon target. The results also demonstrate the changes in the heating strategies driven by the different hydrogen production processes.

COVID-19 has led to a global crisis threatening the lives and livelihoods of the most vulnerable by increasing poverty exacerbating inequalities and damaging long-term economic growth prospects. The report Are We Building Back Better? Evidence from 2020 and Pathways for Inclusive Green Recovery Spending provides an analysis of over 3500 fiscal policies announced by leading economies in 2020 and calls for governments to invest more sustainably and tackle inequalities as they stimulate growth in the wake of the devastation wrought by the pandemic.

The major demand of energy in today’s world is fulfilled by the fossil fuels which are not renewable in nature and can no longer be used once exhausted. In the beginning of the 21st century the limitation of the fossil fuels continually growing energy demand and growing impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the environment were identified as the major challenges with current energy infrastructure all over the world. The energy obtained from fossil fuel is cheap due to its established infrastructure; however these possess serious issues as mentioned above and cause bad environmental impact. Therefore renewable energy resources are looked to as contenders which may fulfil most energy requirements. Among them hydrogen is considered as the most environmentally friendly fuel. Hydrogen is clean sustainable fuel and it has promise as a future energy carrier. It also has the ability to substitute the present energy infrastructure which is based on fossil fuel. This is seen and projected as a solution for the above-mentioned problems including rise in global temperature and environmental degradation. Environmental and economic aspects are the important factors to be considered to establish hydrogen infrastructure. This article describes the various aspects of hydrogen including production storage and applications with a focus on fuel cell based electric vehicles. Their environmental as well as economic aspects are also discussed herein.

The Global Hydrogen Review is a new annual publication by the International Energy Agency to track progress in hydrogen production and demand as well as in other critical areas such as policy regulation investments innovation and infrastructure development.

The report is an output of the Clean Energy Ministerial Hydrogen Initiative (CEM H2I) and is intended to inform energy sector stakeholders on the status and future prospects of hydrogen while serving as an input to the discussions at the Hydrogen Energy Ministerial Meeting (HEM) organised by Japan. It examines what international progress on hydrogen is needed to help address climate change – and compares real-world developments with the stated ambitions of government and industry and with key actions under the Global Action Agenda launched at the HEM in 2019.

Focusing on hydrogen’s usefulness for meeting climate goals this Review aims to help decision makers fine-tune strategies to attract investment and facilitate deployment of hydrogen technologies while also creating demand for hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels.

Link to International Energy Agency website

Written by Arup in collaboration with the GIIA this report is centred on the opinions of investors from around the world gathered through a survey of GIIA members and in-depth interviews. It therefore presents the sentiments of the world’s leading fund managers insurance investors pension funds and a sovereign wealth fund. Their opinions matter because these are the decision makers that hold the purse strings when it comes to private sector investment in hydrogen infrastructure. Many of the facts about hydrogen are well-known to many readers and these are presented in this report drawing on Arup’s research and experience as a global infrastructure advisory firm. However the novelty of this report is that it looks at hydrogen through the uncompromising eyes of investors with analysis of feedback which identifies barriers to investment in the infrastructure required to enable the hydrogen economy. Perhaps most importantly it also proposes interventions that policymakers and regulators could take to overcome the barriers currently faced.<br/>Introduction The sentiments of investors are at the heart of this study with results from the survey presented at the beginning of each section to serve as a launch pad for Arup’s analysis. But we want it to be more than an interesting read; it is a call to action for policy makers to create the right environment to catalyse private sector investment and kickstart the hydrogen economy.

This study was conducted for a group of 15 clients in the public and private sectors interested in potential pathways for decarbonising residential heating and the impact of these pathways on the energy system. The ambition for all new heating installations to be low carbon from 2035 is essential to meeting the net zero target in 2050 and our study found that electricity demand for home heating is set to quadruple by 2050 as part of the shift away from gas-fired boilers.

The key findings from the study include:

• Phasing out natural gas boiler installations by 2035 is crucial for eliminating CO2 from home heating; delaying to 2040 could leave us with ¼ of today’s home heat emissions in 2050
• Achieving deployment of 600k heat pumps per year by 2028 will require policy intervention both to lower costs and to inform and protect consumers Almost £40bn could be saved in cumulative system costs by 2050 through adoption of more efficient and flexible electric heating technologies like networked heat pumps and storage
• Electricity demand from heating could quadruple by 2050 to over 100TWh per year almost a third of Great Britain’s current total annual electricity demand Using hydrogen for a share of heating could lower peak power demand although producing most of this hydrogen from electrolysis would raise overall power demand.

Link to their website

The report “Hydrogen for Net Zero” presents an ambitious yet realistic deployment scenario until 2030 and 2050 to achieve Net Zero emissions considering the uses of hydrogen in industry power mobility and buildings. The scenario is described in terms of hydrogen demand supply infrastructure abatement potential and investments required and then compared with current momentum and investments in the industry to identify the investment gaps across value chains and geographies.

The report is based on the technoeconomic data of cost and performance of hydrogen technologies provided by Hydrogen Council members and McKinsey & Company as well as the Hydrogen Council investment tracker which covers all large-scale investments into hydrogen globally.

Link to their website

Green hydrogen (H2) is emerging as a future clean energy carrier. While there exists significant analysis on global renewable (and non-renewable) hydrogen generation costs analysis of its transportation costs irrespective of production method is still limited. Complexities include the different forms in which hydrogen can be transported the limited experience to date in shipping some of these carrier forms the trade routes potentially involved and the possible use of different shipping fuels. Herein we present an open-source model developed to assist stakeholders in assessing the costs of shipping various forms of hydrogen over different routes. It includes hydrogen transport in the forms of liquid hydrogen (LH2) ammonia liquified natural gas (LNG) methanol and liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs). It considers both fixed and variable costs including port fees possible canal usage charges fuel costs ship capital and operating costs boil-off losses and possible environmental taxes among many others. The model is applied to the Rotterdam-Australia route as a case study revealing ammonia ($0.56/kgH2) and methanol ($0.68/kgH2) as the least expensive hydrogen derivatives to transport followed by liquified natural gas ($1.07/kgH2) liquid organic hydrogen carriers ($1.37/kgH2) and liquid hydrogen ($2.09/kgH2). While reducing the transportation distance led to lower shipping costs we note that the merit order of assumed underlying shipping costs remain unchanged. We also explore the impact of using hydrogen (or the hydrogen carrier) as a low/zero carbon emission fuel for the ships which led to lowering of costs for liquified natural gas ($0.88/kgH2) a similar cost for liquid hydrogen ($2.19/kgH2) and significant increases for the remainder. Given our model is open-sourced it can be adapted globally and updated to match the changing cost dynamics of the emerging green hydrogen market.

Fully decarbonizing global industry is essential to achieving climate stabilization and reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050–2070 is necessary to limit global warming to 2 °C. This paper assembles and evaluates technical and policy interventions both on the supply side and on the demand side. It identifies measures that employed together can achieve net zero industrial emissions in the required timeframe. Key supply-side technologies include energy efficiency (especially at the system level) carbon capture electrification and zero-carbon hydrogen as a heat source and chemical feedstock. There are also promising technologies specific to each of the three top-emitting industries: cement iron & steel and chemicals & plastics. These include cement admixtures and alternative chemistries several technological routes for zero-carbon steelmaking and novel chemical catalysts and separation technologies. Crucial demand-side approaches include material-efficient design reductions in material waste substituting low-carbon for high-carbon materials and circular economy interventions (such as improving product longevity reusability ease of refurbishment and recyclability). Strategic well-designed policy can accelerate innovation and provide incentives for technology deployment. High-value policies include carbon pricing with border adjustments or other price signals; robust government support for research development and deployment; and energy efficiency or emissions standards. These core policies should be supported by labeling and government procurement of low-carbon products data collection and disclosure requirements and recycling incentives. In implementing these policies care must be taken to ensure a just transition for displaced workers and affected communities. Similarly decarbonization must complement the human and economic development of low- and middle-income countries.

Technology roadmaps are increasingly used by governments to inform and promote technological transitions such as a transition to a hydrogen energy system. This paper develops a framework for understanding how current roadmapping practice relates to emerging theories of the governance of systems innovation. In applying this framework to a case study of hydrogen roadmaps the paper finds that roadmapping for transitions needs to place greater emphasis on ensuring good quality and transparent analytic and participatory procedures. To be most useful roadmaps should be embedded within institutional structures that enable the incorporation of learning and re-evaluation but in practice most transition roadmaps are one-off exercises

Power from Fossil Fuels analyses the role of coal and gas power generation in the UK's future power generation mix. It is the first of three reports in Carbon Connect's 2013 research inquiry the Future Electricity Series which examines what role fossil fuels renewables and nuclear can play in providing secure sustainable and affordable electricity in the UK. The report finds that significantly decarbonising the power sector by 2030 will prove the most successful strategy on energy sustainability security and affordability grounds and that switching the UK’s reliance on coal to gas generation - while using fossil fuel power stations increasingly for backup purposes -  will be the most viable method of achieving this.  The independent report chaired by former energy minister Charles Hendry MP and Opposition Energy and Climate Change Spokesperson in the House of Lords Baroness Worthington was compiled between January and April 2013 and received contributions from over 30 experts in academia industry Parliament and Government and was launched in Parliament on the 22nd April 2013.  This independent inquiry was sponsored by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers

The Czech Republic’s Hydrogen Strategy is being developed in the context of the Hydrogen Strategy for a climate neutral Europe which reflects the European Green Deal objective of climate neutrality by 2050. The objective of the Strategy is thus to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in such a way that the economy shifts smoothly to low-carbon technologies.

This is associated with two strategic goals:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Stimulate the economic growth

To achieve these four specific goals have been set:

• Volume of low-carbon hydrogen production
• Volume of low-carbon hydrogen consumption
• Infrastructure readiness for hydrogen transport and storage
• Progress in R&D and production of hydrogen technologies

The Hydrogen Strategy is based on four pillars:

• Low-carbon hydrogen production
• Low-carbon hydrogen use
• Hydrogen transport and storage
• Hydrogen technologies

These pillars are interlinked – production and consumption must be well-balanced to achieve economic use of the respective technologies otherwise any imbalance will be offset by imports from abroad. Each of the pillars is linked to exactly one strategic goal.

The report documents current knowledge of the social issues surrounding hydrogen projects. It reviews leading practice stakeholder engagement and communication strategies and findings from focus groups and research activities across Australia.

The full report can be found at this link.

Many energy system optimization studies show that hydrogen may be an important part of an optimal decarbonisation mix but such analyses are unable to examine the uncertainties associated with breaking the ‘locked-in’ nature of incumbent systems. Uncertainties around technical learning rates; consumer behaviour; and the strategic interactions of governments automakers and fuel providers are particularly acute. System dynamics and agent-based models and studies of historical alternative fuel transitions have furthered our understanding of possible transition dynamics but these types of analysis exclude broader systemic issues concerning energy system evolution (e.g. supplies and prices of low-carbon energy) and the politics of transitions. This paper presents a hybrid approach to assessing hydrogen transitions in the UK by linking qualitative scenarios with quantitative energy systems modelling using the UK MARKAL model. Three possible transition pathways are explored each exploring different uncertainties and possible decision points with modelling used to inform and test key elements of each scenario. The scenarios draw on literature review and participatory input and the scenario structure is based on archetypal transition dynamics drawn from historical energy system transitions reflecting insights relating to innovation system development and resistance to change. Conclusions are drawn about appropriate policy responses.

Hungary’s National Hydrogen Strategy (hereinafter referred to as: Strategy) is ambitious but provides a realistic vision of the future as it opens the way for the establishment of a hydrogen economy therefore contributing to the achievement of decarbonisation goals and providing an opportunity for Hungary to become an active participant of the European hydrogen sector. On the long term the Strategy focuses on “green” hydrogen but in addition to hydrogen based on electricity generated using renewable resources primarily solar energy Hungary does not ignore opportunities for hydrogen production based on carbon-free energy accessed either through a nuclear basis or from the network. Additionally in the short and medium term a rapid reduction in emissions and the establishment of a viable hydrogen market will also require low-carbon hydrogen.

The use of hydrogen energy and the associated technologies is expected to increase in the coming years. The success of hydrogen energy technology (HET) is however dependent on public acceptance of the technology. Developing this new industry in a socially responsible way will require an understanding of the psychology factors that may facilitate or impede its public acceptance. This paper reviews 27 quantitative studies that have explored the relationship between psychological factors and HET acceptance. The findings from the review suggest that the perceived effects of the technology (i.e. the perceived benefits costs and risks) and the associated emotions are strong drivers of HET acceptance. This paper does though highlight some limitations with past research that make it difficult to make strong conclusions about the factors that influence HET acceptance. The review also reveals that few studies have investigated acceptance of different types of HET beyond a couple of applications. The paper ends with a discussion about directions for future research and highlights some practical implications for messaging and policy.

To increase the share of renewable zero-emission energy sources such as wind and solar power in our energy supply the problem of their intermittency needs to be addressed. One way to do so is by buffering excess renewable energy via the production of hydrogen which can be stored for later use after re-electrification. Such a clean renewable energy cycle based on hydrogen is commonly referred to as the hydrogen economy. This review deals with cluster model systems of the three main components of the hydrogen economy i.e. hydrogen generation hydrogen storage and hydrogen re-electrification and their basic physical principles. We then present examples of contemporary research on few atom clusters both in the gas phase and deposited to show that by studying these clusters as simplified models a mechanistic understanding of the underlying physical and chemical processes can be obtained. Such an understanding will inspire and enable the design of novel materials needed for advancing the hydrogen economy.

Hydrogen production using renewable power is becoming an essential pillar for future sustainable energy sector development worldwide. The Sultanate of Oman is presently integrating renewable power generations with a large share of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The possibility of using the solar potential of the Sultanate can increase energy security and contribute to the development of the sustainable energy sector not only for the country but also for the international community. This study presents the hydrogen production potential using solar resources available in the Sultanate. About 15 locations throughout the Sultanate are considered to assess the hydrogen production opportunity using a solar PV system. A rank of merit order of the locations for producing hydrogen is identified. It reveals that Thumrait and Marmul are the most suitable locations whereas Sur is the least qualified. This study also assesses the economic feasibility of hydrogen production which shows that the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) in the most suitable site Thumrait is 6.31 USD/kg. The LCOH in the least convenient location Sur is 7.32 USD/kg. Finally a sensitivity analysis is performed to reveal the most significant influential factor affecting the future’s green hydrogen production cost. The findings indicate that green hydrogen production using solar power in the Sultanate is promising and the LCOH is consistent with other studies worldwide.

Integrated photovoltaic‐fuel cell (IPVFC) systems amongst other integrated energy generation methodologies are renewable and clean energy technologies that have received diverse re‐ search and development attentions over the last few decades due to their potential applications in a hydrogen economy. This article systematically updates the state‐of‐the‐art of IPVFC systems and provides critical insights into the research and development gaps needed to be filled/addressed to advance these systems towards full commercialization. Design methodologies renewable energy‐ based microgrid and off‐grid applications energy management strategies optimizations and the prospects as self‐sustaining power sources were covered. IPVFC systems could play an important role in the upcoming hydrogen economy since they depend on solar hydrogen which has almost zero emissions during operation. Highlighted herein are the advances as well as the technical challenges to be surmounted to realize numerous potential applications of IPVFC systems in unmanned aerial vehicles hybrid electric vehicles agricultural applications telecommunications desalination synthesis of ammonia boats buildings and distributed microgrid applications.

The flexible coupling of sectors in the energy system for example via battery electric vehicles electric heating or electric fuel production can contribute significantly to the integration of variable renewable electricity generation. For the implementation of the energy system transformation however there are numerous options for the design of sector coupling each of which is accompanied by different infrastructure requirements. This paper presents the extension of the REMix energy system modelling framework to include the gas sector and its application for investigating the cost-optimal design of sector coupling in Germany's energy system. Considering an integrated optimisation of all relevant technologies in their capacities and hourly use a path to a climate-neutral system in 2050 is analysed. We show that the different options for flexible sector coupling are all needed and perform different functions. Even though flexible electrolytic production of hydrogen takes on a very dominant role in 2050 it does not displace other technologies. Hydrogen also plays a central role in the seasonal balancing of generation and demand. Thus large-scale underground storage is part of the optimal system in addition to a hydrogen transport network. These results provide valuable guidance for the implementation of the energy system transformation in Germany.

Together the pathways examined in the report paint a picture of the nationwide transformation getting underway in how we heat our homes and buildings. The report identifies that by 2050 gas used to heat buildings could fall by 75-95% electricity increase from a 10% share today to 30-80% and district heat increase from less than 2% to up to a 40% share. At the same time energy efficiency could help to lower bills and offset the expected growth in our heating needs from an expanding population and building stock. Across most pathways examined in the report mass deployment of low carbon heat solutions ramps up in the lead-in to 2030. Carbon Connect’s overarching recommendation is that the next decade should be spent preparing by developing a robust strategy for decarbonising heat in buildings whilst testing and scaling up delivery models. The report calls for the next Government to prioritise these preparations in the same way that preparing for power sector decarbonisation has been the overriding focus of energy policy in the past decade. The Future Heat Series brings together politicians policy and academic experts and industry leaders. Together this coalition of key figures is taking stock of evidence progressing the policy debate in an open and constructive forum and building consensus for prioritising and transforming heat. Pathways for Heat is the first part of the Future Heat Series and presents six recommendations and over twenty findings.

The feasibility and cost-effectiveness of hydrogen-based microgrids in facilities such as public buildings and small- and medium-sized enterprises provided by photovoltaic (PV) plants and characterized by low electric demand during weekends were investigated in this paper. Starting from the experience of the microgrid being built at the Renewable Energy Facility of Sardegna Ricerche (Italy) which among various energy production and storage systems includes a hydrogen storage system a modeling of the hydrogen-based microgrid was developed. The model was used to analyze the expected performance of the microgrid considering different load profiles and equipment sizes. Finally the microgrid cost-effectiveness was evaluated using a preliminary economic analysis. The results demonstrate that an effective design can be achieved with a PV system sized for an annual energy production 20% higher than the annual energy requested by the user and a hydrogen generator size 60% of the PV nominal power size. This configuration leads to a self-sufficiency rate of about 80% and without public grants a levelized cost of energy comparable with the cost of electricity in Italy can be achieved with a reduction of at least 25–40% of the current initial costs charged for the whole plant depending on the load profile shape.

UK homes are primarily heated by fossil fuels and contribute 13% of UK’s carbon footprint (equivalent to all the UK’s 38.4m cars). The report says this is incompatible with UK climate legislation targeting net-zero economy by 2050. New polling finds that consumers are open to cleaner greener ways to heat their homes into the future but that they are “still in the dark about smarter greener heating solutions and lack access to independent advice to help them make better decisions for their homes pockets and the planet”.<br/><br/>The report – Uncomfortable Home Truths: why Britain urgently needs a low carbon heat strategy – says a bold new national roadmap is needed by 2020 which puts consumers and households at the heart of a revolution in green heat innovation. It recommends the creation of an Olympic-style delivery body to catalyse and coordinate regional innovation and local leadership tailored to different parts of the UK and the nation’s diverse housing stock.<br/><br/>This report is the third in the Future Gas Series which has explored the opportunities and challenges associated with using low carbon gas in the energy system and is backed by cross-party parliamentary co-Chairs

This independent cross-party report highlights the key role that political consensus can play in helping to reduce the costs of nuclear power in the UK as well as other low carbon technologies. This political consensus has never been more important than in this ‘defining decade’ for the power sector. The report highlights that an immediate challenge facing the UK’s new build programme is agreeing with the European Commission a regime for supporting new nuclear power. Changing the proposed support package would not be an impossible task if made necessary but maintaining broad political consensus and considering the implications of delay are also important. The State Aid process is an important opportunity for scrutiny with the report demonstrating that shareholders for Hinkley Point C could see bigger returns (19-21%) than those typically expected for PFI projects (12-15%). However it is too early to conclude on the value for money of the Hinkley Point C agreement. Both the negotiation process and the resulting investment contract are important but there has been little transparency over either so far and the negotiations were not competitive. The inquiry calls for more urgency and better coordination in seizing the opportunity to reuse the UK’s plutonium stockpile.



The UK’s stockpile of separated plutonium presents opportunities to tackle a number of national strategic priorities including implementing long term solutions for nuclear waste developing new technologies that could redefine the sector laying the ground for new nuclear power and pursuing nuclear non-proliferation.  Government has identified three ‘credible solutions’ for reuse and the report recommends that it now sets clearer criteria against which to assess options and identifies budgetary requirements to help expediate the process. The report also argues that Government should do more on new nuclear technologies that could redefine the sector – such as considering smaller reactors nuclear for industrial heat or hydrogen production and closed or thorium fuel cycles. The Government’s initial response to a review of nuclear R&D a year ago by the then Chief Scientific Advisor Sir John Beddington has been welcome and it needs to build on this. In particular the UK should capitalise upon its existing expertise and past experience to focus efforts where there is most strategic value. Nulcear waste. Having failed to date the Government must urgently revisit plans for finding a site to store nuclear waste underground for thousands of years. Implementing this is a crucial part of demonstrating that nuclear waste is a manageable challenge. Despite being rejected by Cumbria County Council the continuing strong support amongst communities in West Cumbria for hosting a site is a promising sign.



On affordability the report finds that it is not yet clear which electricity generation technologies will be cheapest in the 2020s and beyond. Coal and gas could get more expensive if fossil fuel and carbon prices rise whilst low carbon technologies could get cheaper as technology costs fall with more deployment. This is the main reason for adopting an ‘all of the above’ strategy including nuclear power until costs become clearer and there is broad consensus behind this general approach.  



On security of supply the inquiry says that deployment of nuclear power is likely to be influenced more by the economics of system balancing rather than technical system balancing challenges which can be met with greater deployment of existing balancing tools. The cost of maintaining system security is likely to mean that the UK maintains at least some baseload capacity such as nuclear power to limit system costs.



On sustainability the report finds that the environmental impacts of nuclear power are comparable to some generation technologies and favourable to others although the long lived nature of some radioactive nuclear waste and the dual use potential of nuclear technology for civil and military applications create unique sustainability challenges which the UK is a world leader in managing.



It is the final report of the Future Electricity Series an independent and cross party inquiry into the UK power sector sponsored by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers

Following the release of the “Hydrogen on the Horizon” series in July and September 2021 the World Energy Council in collaboration with EPRI and PwC led a series of regional deep dives to understand regional differences within low-carbon hydrogen development. These regional deep dives aimed to uncover regional perspectives and differing dynamics for low-carbon hydrogen uptake.<br/>Although each region presents its own distinctive challenges and opportunities the deep dives revealed that the “regional paths” provide new insights into the global scaling up of low-carbon hydrogen in the coming years. In addition each region holds its own unique potential in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.<br/>Key Takeaways:<br/>1. Our new regional insights indicate that low-carbon hydrogen can play a significant role by 2040 across the world by supporting countries’ efforts towards achieving Paris Agreement goals whilst contributing to the diversity and security of their energy portfolios. This would require significant global trade flows of hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels.<br/>2. The momentum for hydrogen-based fuels is continuing to grow worldwide but differences are seen between regions – based on differing market activities and opportunities.<br/>3. Today moving from “whether” to “how” to develop low-carbon hydrogen highlights significant uncertainties which need to be addressed if hydrogen is to reach its full potential.<br/>Can the challenges in various supply chain options be overcome?<br/>Can hydrogen play a role in tackling climate change in the short term?<br/>Can bankable projects emerge and the gap between engineers and financers be bridged? Can the stability of supply of the main low-carbon hydrogen production sources be  guaranteed?<br/>4. Enabling low-carbon hydrogen at scale would notably require greater coordination and cooperation amongst stakeholders worldwide to better mobilise public and private finance and to shift the focus to end-users and people through the following actions:<br/>Moving from production cost to end-use price<br/>Developing Guarantees of Origin schemes with sustainability requirements<br/>Developing a global monitoring and reporting tool on low-carbon hydrogen projects<br/>Better consideration of social impacts alongside economic opportunities

This study analyzes future synergies between the Oil and Gas (O&G) and renewables sectors in a Danish context and explores how exploiting these synergies could lead to economic and environmental benefits. We review and highlight relevant technologies and related projects and synthesize the state of the art in offshore energy system integration. All of these preliminary results serve as input data for a holistic energy system analysis in the Balmorel modeling framework. With a timeframe out to 2050 and model scope including all North Sea neighbouring countries this analysis explores a total of nine future scenarios for the North Sea energy system. The main results include an immediate electrification of all operational Danish platforms by linking them to the shore and/or a planned Danish energy island. These measures result in cost and CO2 emissions savings compared to a BAU scenario of 72% and 85% respectively. When these platforms cease production this is followed by the repurposing of the platforms into hydrogen generators with up to 3.6 GW of electrolysers and the development of up to 5.8 GW of floating wind. The generated hydrogen is assumed to power the future transport sector and is delivered to shore in existing and/or new purpose-built pipelines. The contribution of the O&G sector to this hydrogen production amounts to around 19 TWh which represents about 2% of total European hydrogen demand for transport in 2050. The levelized costs (LCOE) of producing this hydrogen in 2050 are around 4 €2020/kg H2 which is around twice those expected in similar studies. But this does not account for energy policies that may incentivize green hydrogen production in the future which would serve to reduce this LCOE to a level that is more competitive with other sources.

The Just Transition Commission started work in early 2019 with a remit to provide practical and affordable recommendations to Scottish Ministers. This report sets out their view of the key opportunities and challenges for Scotland and recommends practical steps to achieving a just transition<br/><br/>Climate action fairness and opportunity must go together. Taking action to tackle climate change must make Scotland a healthier more prosperous and more equal society whilst restoring its natural environment. We want a Scotland where wellbeing is at the heart of how we measure ourselves and our prosperity. We know that the scars from previous industrial transitions have remained raw for generations. We know that some more recent aspirations for green jobs have not delivered on all the benefits promised for Scottish workers and communities. We need rapid interventions to fully realise the potential (and mitigate the potential injustice) associated with the net-zero transition.

Heating and cooling accounts for almost half of global energy consumption. With most of this relying fossil fuels however it contributes heavily to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. In parts of the world lacking modern energy access meanwhile inefficient biomass use for cooking also harms people’s health damages the environment and reduces social well-being.



The transition to renewable-based energy-efficient heating and cooling could follow several possible pathways depending on energy demand resource availability and the needs and priorities of each country or region. Broad options include electrification with renewable power renewable-based gases (including “green” hydrogen) sustainable bioenergy use and the direct use of solar and geothermal heat.



This report developed jointly by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) outlines the infrastructure and policies needed with each transition pathway. This edition focused on renewable-based heating and cooling follows a broader initial study Renewable Energy Policies in a Time of Transition (IRENA IEA and REN21 2018).



The shift to renewables for heating and cooling requires enabling infrastructure (e.g. gas grids district heating and cooling networks) as well as various combinations of deployment integrating and enabling policies. The policy framework can demonstrate a country’s commitment to the energy transition level the playing field with fossil fuels and create the necessary enabling conditions to attract investments.



Along with highlighting country experiences and best practices the study identifies barriers and highlights policy options for renewable heating and cooling.



Key recommendations include:

• Setting specific targets and developing an integrated long-term plan for the decarbonisation of heating and cooling in all end-uses including buildings industry and cooking and productive uses in areas with limited energy access.
• Creating a level playing field by phasing out fossil-fuel subsidies and introducing other fiscal policies to internalise environmental and socio-economic costs.
• Combining the electrification of heating and cooling with increasingly cost-competitive renewable power generation scaling up solar and wind use and boosting system flexibility via energy storage heat pumps and efficient electric appliances.
• Harnessing existing gas networks to accommodate renewable gases such as biogas and green hydrogen.
• Introducing standards certification and testing policies to promote the sustainable use of biomass combining efficient systems and bioenergy solutions such as pellets briquettes bioethanol or anaerobic digestion.
• Reducing investment risks for geothermal exploration and scaling up direct use of geothermal heat.
• Improving district heating and cooling networks through energy efficiency measures and the integration of low-temperature solar thermal geothermal and other renewable-based heat sources.
• Supporting clean cooking and introducing renewable-based food drying in areas lacking energy access with a combination of financing mechanisms capacity building and quality standards aimed at improving livelihoods and maximising socio-economic benefits.

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will hear from leading researchers about anticipated developments in batteries and fuel cells over the next ten years that could contribute to meeting the net-zero target.

The Committee continues its inquiry into the Role of batteries and fuel cells in achieving Net Zero. It will ask a panel of experts about batteries hearing about the current state-of-the-art in technologies that are currently in deployment primarily lithium-ion batteries. It will also explore the potential of next generation technologies currently in development and the challenges in scaling them up to manufacture.

The Committee will then question a second panel about fuel cells hearing about the different types available and their applications. It will explore challenges that need to be overcome in the development of the technology and will consider the UK’s international standing in the sector.

Meeting details

At 10.00am: Oral evidence

Professor Serena Corr Chair in Functional Nanomaterials and Director of Research Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at University of Sheffield

Professor Paul Shearing Professor in Chemical Engineering at University College London

Dr Jerry Barker Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Faradion Limited

Dr Melanie Loveridge Associate Professor Warwick Manufacturing Group at University of Warwick

At 11.00am: Oral evidence

Professor Andrea Russell Professor of Physical Electrochemistry at University of Southampton

Professor Anthony Kucernak Professor of Physical Chemistry Faculty of Natural Sciences at Imperial College London

Professor John Irvine Professor School of Chemistry at University of St Andrews

Possible questions

• What contribution are battery and fuel cell technologies currently making towards decarbonization in the UK?
• What advances do we expect to see in battery and fuel cell technologies and over what timeframes?
• How quickly can UK battery and fuel cell manufacture be scaled up to meet electrification demands?
• What are the challenges facing technological innovation and deployment in heavy transport?
• Are there any sectors where battery and fuel cell technologies are not currently used but could contribute to decarbonisation?
• What are the life cycle environmental impacts of batteries and fuel cells?

Parliament TV video of the meeting

This is part two of a three part enquiry.

Part one can be found here and part three can be found here.

Deloitte was commissioned by the National Hydrogen Taskforce established by the COAG Energy Council to undertake an Australian and Global Growth Scenario Analysis. Deloitte analysed the current global hydrogen industry its development and growth potential and how Australia can position itself to best capitalise on the newly forming industry.



To conceptualise the possibilities for Australia Deloitte created scenarios to model the realm of possibilities for Australia out to 2050 focusing on identifying the scope and distribution of economic and environmental costs and benefits from Australian hydrogen industry development. This work will aid in analysing the opportunities and challenges to hydrogen industry development in Australia and the actions needed to overcome barriers to industry growth manage risks and best drive industry development.



The full report is available on the Deloitte website at this link

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will hear from officials research funders and leading research consortia about the UK’s strategy for research and development of batteries and fuel cells to help meet the net-zero target.



The Committee will question officials from government departments and research councils about the UK’s increased support for battery development and how the initiatives and funding will evolve. The Committee will compare the support given to fuel cell research and ask how this technology will be developed for applications such as heavy transport. For both technologies it will ask how training will be delivered to provide a skilled workforce.



The Committee will also hear from leaders of research consortia asking them about support for their research sectors and how this compares with countries leading the development of the technologies. The Committee will explore coordination between research into batteries fuel cells and wider strategies such as for hydrogen and whether research for transport can be transferred to applications in other sectors such as power grids and heating.



At 10.00am: Oral evidence 

Mr Tony Harper Industrial Strategy Challenge Director Faraday Battery Challenge at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) at University of Central Lancashire

Dr Lucy Martin Deputy Director of Cross-Council Programmes and lead for Net Zero at University of Central Lancashire

Dr Bob Moran Deputy Director Head of Environment Strategy at University of Central Lancashire

Professor Paul Monks Chief Scientific Adviser at University of Central Lancashire



At 11.00am: Oral evidence

Professor Philip Taylor Director at EPSRC Supergen Energy Networks Hub and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at University of Bristol

Professor David Greenwood CEO High Value Manufacturing Catapult at University of Central Lancashire Director Industrial Engagement at University of Central Lancashire and Professor of Advanced Propulsion Systems at University of Warwick

Professor Paul Dodds Professor of Energy Systems at University of Central Lancashire



Possible questions

• On which aspects of battery and fuel cell research and development is the UK focusing and why?
• How successful have the UK’s new research initiatives been in advancing battery science and application?
• Does battery research receive greater public funding than fuel cell research? If so why?
• What technologies are seen as the most likely options for heavy transport i.e. HGVs buses and trains?
• What is the Government’s strategy for supporting the growth of skilled workers for battery and fuel cell research and development?
• To what extent is battery and fuel cell research and development coordinated in the UK? If so who is responsible for this coordination?

Parliament TV video of the meeting



This is part three of a three part enquiry.

Part one can be found here and part two can be found here.

The Hydrogen Taskforce welcomes the opportunity to submit evidence to the Business Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee’s inquiry into decarbonising heat in homes. It is the Taskforce’s view that:

• Decarbonising heat is one of the biggest challenges that the UK faces in meeting Net Zero and several solutions will be required;
• Hydrogen can play a valuable role in reducing the cost of decarbonising heat. Its high energy density enables it to be stored cost effectively at scale providing system resilience;
• Hydrogen heating can be implemented at minimal disruption to the consumer;
• The UK holds world-class advantages in hydrogen production distribution and application; and
• Other economies are moving ahead in the development of this sector and the UK must respond.

In March 2020 the Taskforce has defined a set of policy recommendations for Government which are designed to ensure that hydrogen can scale to meet the future demands of a net zero energy system: • Development of a cross departmental UK Hydrogen Strategy within UK Government;• Commit £1bn of capex funding over the next spending review period to hydrogen production storage and distribution projects;• Develop a financial support scheme for the production of hydrogen in blending industry power and transport.• Amend Gas Safety Management Regulations (GSMR) to enable hydrogen blending and take the next steps towards 100% hydrogen heating through supporting public trials and mandating 100% hydrogen-ready boilers by 2025; and• Commit to the support of 100 Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS) by 2025 to support the rollout of hydrogen transport.





You can download the whole document from the Hydrogen Taskforce website here

The European gas industry has argued that gas can be a bridging fuel in the transition to decarbonised energy markets because of the advantages of switching from coal to gas and the role of gas in backing up intermittent renewable power generation. While this remains a logical approach for some countries in others it has proved either not relevant or generally unsuccessful in gaining acceptance with either policymakers or the environmental community. Policy decisions will be taken in the next 5-10 years which will irreversibly impact the future of gas in the period 2030-50. A paradigm shift in commercial time horizons and gas value chain cooperation will be necessary for the industry to embrace decarbonisation technologies (such as carbon capture and storage) which will eventually be necessary if gas is to prolong its future in European energy markets. To ensure a post-2030 future in European energy balances the gas community will be obliged to adopt a new message: `Gas can Decarbonise’ (and remain competitive with other low/zero carbon energy supplies). It will need to back up this message with a strategy which will lead to the decarbonisation of methane starting no later than 2030. Failure to do so will be to accept a future of decline albeit on a scale of decades and to risk that by the time the community engages with decarbonisation non-methane policy options will have been adopted which will make that decline irreversible.

The transition of Malaysia from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources provides significant challenges and opportunities for various energy sectors. Incorporation of H₂ in the primary energy mix requires a deal of complexity in its relation to production transportation and end-use. The Sarawak State Government in Malaysia implemented a hydrogen energy roadmap for the year 2005–2030 on the state-level but despite the great enthusiasm and full support given by the government the development of hydrogen technology is still far from its goals. This is due to several factors that hinder its progress including (1) inability of hydrogen to be integrated with current primary energy infrastructure (2) limited technology resources to produce sustainable hydrogen and (3) lack of technical expertise in the field of hydrogen. In this paper a potential national roadmap and milestones are presented based on the power-to-gas (P2G) approach combined with its implications on the national natural gas (NG) pipeline network. Besides that the long-term and short-term strategies and implementation mechanisms are discussed in detail. Furthermore complete research schemes are formulated to be inline with the presented vision to further enhance technology development and implementation.

Scaling up renewables to meet the 1.5ºC climate goal

As global economies aim to become carbon neutral competitive hydrogen produced with renewables has emerged as a key component of the energy mix. Falling renewable power costs and improving electrolyser technologies could make ""green"" hydrogen cost competitive by 2030 this report finds.

Green hydrogen can help to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in energy-intensive hard-to-decarbonise sectors like steel chemicals long-haul transport shipping and aviation. But production costs must be cut to make it economical for countries worldwide. Green hydrogen currently costs between two and three times more than ""blue"" hydrogen which is produced using fossil fuels in combination with carbon capture and storage (CCS).

This report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) outlines strategies to reduce electrolyser costs through continuous innovation performance improvements and upscaling from megawatt (MW) to multi-gigawatt (GW) levels.

Among the findings:

• Electrolyser design and construction: Increased module size and innovation with increased stack manufacturing have significant impacts on cost. Increasing plant size from 1 MW (typical in 2020) to 20 MW could reduce costs by over a third. Optimal system designs maximise efficiency and flexibility.
• Economies of scale: Increasing stack production with automated processes in gigawatt-scale manufacturing facilities can achieve a step-change cost reduction. Procurement of materials: Scarcity of materials can impede electrolyser cost reduction and scale-up.
• Efficiency and flexibility in operations: Power supply incurs large efficiency losses at low load limiting system flexibility from an economic perspective.
• Industrial applications: Design and operation of electrolysis systems can be optimised for specific applications in different industries. Learning rates: Based on historic cost declines for solar photovoltaics (PV) the learning rates for fuel cells and electrolysers – whereby costs fall as capacity expands – could reach values between 16% and 21%.
• Ambitious climate mitigation: An ambitious energy transition aligned with key international climate goals would drive rapid cost reduction for green hydrogen. The trajectory needed to limit global warming at 1.5oC could make electrolysers an estimated 40% cheaper by 2030.

Based on data collection carried out between October and December 2020 and the testing of emerging findings with the Council’s regional communities during a series of digital workshops held during February 2021 the report has shown

• Energy leaders’ perceptions of areas of risk opportunity and priorities for action have radically changed over the last 12 months. While economic turbulence stemming from the ongoing reverberations of COVID-19 is the biggest area of uncertainty with uncertainty around economic trends increasing by a third over the previous year there is also a growing focus on the social agenda associated with a faster paced energy transition.

 

• There is an increased awareness of the societal and human impact of both recovery and the wider energy transition. The issue of energy affordability has rapidly risen up the industry’s priority list with its impact and uncertainty perceived 20% larger than a year ago. Energy affordability affects society across all geographies ranging from city dwellers in developed countries to the rural poor in developing ones.

 

• The emergence of a new generation of digital energy services and energy entrepreneurs. Increasingly agile disruptive technologies have taken advantage of the social upheaval to gain market share at the expense of supply-centric energy solutions. There is a growing focus on customer-centric demand-driven solutions and fast changing patterns of global and local demand.

This Insight provides an overview of the recent EU Commission Hydrogen Strategy Energy System Integration Strategy and Industrial Strategy focusing on regulatory issues impacting hydrogen. It looks at the proposed classification and preferences for different sources of hydrogen financial and regulatory support for development of hydrogen supply demand and infrastructure as well as potential regulation of hydrogen markets. Whilst the Hydrogen Strategy underlines the need for hydrogen to decarbonise the economy the Insight concludes that the EU has shown a clear preference for hydrogen based on renewable electricity at the expense of low carbon hydrogen from natural gas even though it recognises the need for low carbon hydrogen. In addition further detail is required on the support mechanisms and regulatory framework if development of new hydrogen value chain is to succeed. Lastly there is little sign that the Commission recognises the change in regulatory approach from the current natural gas framework which will be needed because of the different challenges facing the development of a hydrogen market.

Paper can be downloaded on their website

This report is part of DNV’s suite of Energy Transition Outlook publications for 2021. It focuses on how key energy transition technologies will develop compete and interact in the coming five years.

Debate and uncertainty about the energy transition tend to focus on what technology can and can’t do. All too often such discussions involve wishful thinking advocacy of a favoured technology or reference to outdated information. Through this report we bring insights derived from our daily work with the world’s leading energy players including producers transporters and end users. Each of the ten chapters that follow are written by our experts in the field – or in the case of maritime technologies on the ocean.

Because the pace of the transition is intensifying describing any given technology is like painting a fast-moving train. We have attempted to strike a balance between technical details and issues of safety efficiency cost and competitiveness. Transition technologies are deeply interlinked and in some cases interdependent; any discussion on green hydrogen for example must account for developments in renewable electricity hydrogen storage and transport systems and end-use technologies such as fuels cells.

Our selection of ten technologies is not exhaustive but each of these technologies is of particular interest for the pace and direction of the energy transition. They range from relatively mature technologies like solar PV to technologies like nuclear fusion which are some distance from commercialization but which have current R&D and prototyping worth watching. Together they cover most but not all key sectors. We describe expected developments for the coming five years which to a large extent will determine how the energy transition unfolds through to mid-century. As such this Technology Progress report is an essential supplement to our main Energy Transition Outlook forecast.

Our aim is to make an objective and realistic assessment of the status of these technologies and evaluate how they contribute to the energy transition ahead. Attention to progress in these technologies will be critical for anyone concerned with energy.

To address the climate emergency France is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. It plans to significantly increase the contribution of renewable energy in its energy mix. The share of renewable energy in its electricity production which amounts to 25.5% in 2020 should reach at least 40% in 2030. This growth poses several new challenges that require policy makers and regulators to act on the technological changes and expanding need for flexibility in power systems. This document presents the main strategies and projects developed in France as well as various recommendations to accompany and support its energy transition policy.

Following the Paris Agreement in 2015 the worldwide focus on global warming countermeasures has intensified. The Japanese government has declared its aim at achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The concept of zero-energy buildings (ZEBs) is based on measures to reduce energy consumption in buildings the prospects of which are gradually increasing. This study investigated the annual primary energy consumption; as well as evaluated renewed and renovated buildings that had a solar power generation system and utilized solar and geothermal heat. It further examines the prospects of hydrogen production from on-site surplus electricity and the use of hydrogen fuel cells. A considerable difference was observed between the actual energy consumption (213 MJ/m2 ) and the energy consumption estimated using an energy simulation program (386 MJ/m2 ). Considerable savings of energy were achieved when evaluated based on the actual annual primary energy consumption of a building. The building attained a near net zero-energy consumption considering the power generated from the photovoltaic system. The study showed potential energy savings in the building by producing hydrogen using surplus electricity from on-site power generation and introducing hydrogen fuel cells. It is projected that a building’s energy consumption will be lowered by employing the electricity generated by the hydrogen fuel cell for standby power water heating and regenerating heat from the desiccant system.

The falling cost of making hydrogen from wind and solar power offers a promising route to cutting emissions in some of the most fossil fuel dependent sectors of the economy such as steel heavy-duty vehicles shipping and cement.



Hydrogen Economy Outlook a new and independent global study from research firm BloombergNEF (BNEF) finds that clean hydrogen could be deployed in the decades to come to cut up to 34% of global greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and industry – at a manageable cost. However this will only be possible if policies are put in place to help scale up technology and drive down costs.



The report’s findings suggest that renewable hydrogen could be produced for $0.8 to $1.6/kg in most parts of the world before 2050. This is equivalent to gas priced at $6-12/MMBtu making it competitive with current natural gas prices in Brazil China India Germany and Scandinavia on an energy-equivalent basis. When including the cost of storage and pipeline infrastructure the delivered cost of renewable hydrogen in China India and Western Europe could fall to around $2/kg ($15/MMBtu) in 2030 and $1/kg ($7.4/MMBtu) in 2050.



Kobad Bhavnagri head of industrial decarbonization for BNEF and lead author of the report said: “Hydrogen has potential to become the fuel that powers a clean economy. In the years ahead it will be possible to produce it at low cost using wind and solar power to store it underground for months and then to pipe it on-demand to power everything from ships to steel mills.”



Hydrogen is a clean-burning molecule that can be used as a substitute for coal oil and gas in a large variety of applications. But for its use to have net environmental benefits it must be produced from clean sources rather than from unabated fossil fuel processes – the usual method at present.



Renewable hydrogen can be made by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity generated by cheap wind or solar power. The cost of the electrolyzer technology to do this has fallen by 40% in the last five years and can continue to slide if deployment increases. Clean hydrogen can also be made using fossil fuels if the carbon is captured and stored but this is likely to be more expensive the report finds.



Read the full report on the BloombergNEF website here

The World Energy Issues Monitor provides the views of energy leaders from across the globe to highlight the key issues of uncertainty importance and developing signals for the future.

The World Energy Issues Monitor Tool presents in one place dynamic map views of the nine years of Issues Monitor data that has been collated by the World Energy Council. The maps convey a narrative of the key energy issues regional and local variances and how these have changed over time. The tool allows the preparation of different maps for comparison and allows the manipulation of data by geography over time or by highlighting of specific energy issues.

• The geographical views can now be broken out into a country level.
• The time view allows you to see how specific issues have developed whether globally at a regional or country level 
• Issues can also be viewed according to certain categories such as OECD non-OECD G20 countries innovators

The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) commissioned a study to research the capacity of the manufacturing supply chain to meet expected future demand for heat pumps. This report contains analysis of the existing supply chain including component parts and also assesses the risks to and opportunities for growth in domestic heat pump manufacture and export.<br/><br/>Alongside a literature review the findings in this report were supported by interviews with organisations involved in the manufacture of heat pumps and an online workshop held with a range of businesses throughout the supply chain.

In this paper we report the effect of adding Zr + V or Zr + V + Mn to TiFe alloy on microstructure and hydrogen storage properties. The addition of only V was not enough to produce a minimum amount of secondary phase and therefore the first hydrogenation at room temperature under a hydrogen pressure of 20 bars was impossible. When 2 wt.% Zr + 2 wt.% V or 2 wt.% Zr + 2 wt.% V + 2 wt.% Mn is added to TiFe the alloy shows a finely distributed Ti₂Fe-like secondary phase. These alloys presented a fast first hydrogenation and a high capacity. The rate-limiting step was found to be 3D growth diffusion controlled with decreasing interface velocity. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the fast reaction is likely to be the presence of Ti₂Fe-like secondary phases that act as a gateway for hydrogen.

The building sector is one of the key energy consumers worldwide. Fuel cell micro-Cogeneration Heat and Power systems for residential and small commercial applications are proposed as one of the most promising innovations contributing to the transition towards a sustainable energy infrastructure. For the application and the diffusion of these systems in addition to their environmental performance it is necessary however to evaluate their economic feasibility. In this paper a life cycle assessment of a fuel cell/photovoltaic hybrid micro-cogeneration heat and power system for a residential building is integrated with a detailed economic analysis. Financial indicators (net present cost and payback time are used for studying two different investments: reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and natural gas SOFC in comparison to a base scenario using a homeowner perspective approach. Moreover two alternative incentives scenarios are analysed and applied: net metering and self-consumers’ groups (or energy communities). Results show that both systems obtain annual savings but their high capital costs still would make the investments not profitable. However the natural gas Solide Oxide Fuel Cell with the net metering incentive is the best scenario among all. On the contrary the reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell maximizes its economic performance only when the self-consumers’ groups incentive is applied. For a complete life cycle cost analysis environmental impacts are monetized using three different monetization methods with the aim to internalize (considering them into direct cost) the externalities (environmental costs). If externalities are considered as an effective cost the natural gas Solide Oxide Fuel Cell system increases its saving because its environmental impact is lower than in the base case one while the reversible-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell system reduces it.