Latest News on the UK Hydrogen Economy - 23/02/22

Ames Goldsmith Ceimig, as a manufacturer of catalysts such as Iridium Oxide, Iridium Ruthenium Oxide, Iridium Black, Platinum Black & Platinum on Carbon support, are strong supports of the emerging Hydrogen Economy and supply many manufacturers of Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology including PEM Electrolysers and PEM Fuel Cells.

In the UK we are members of the UKHFCA & SHFCA. Here are some of the recent developments in Hydrogen happening in the UK and affecting the Hydrogen Economy more broadly:

Inside the UK’s first hydrogen homes - Weblink

Source: Cadent

It’s been described as an “underwhelming” visit because they look like any two typical semi-detached properties that you’d find in the UK today. But these two homes in Gateshead you see pictured couldn’t be more different; they’re the first in the country to be entirely powered by hydrogen.

And that’s what makes this demonstration project so exciting. Not only is it providing the public with the experience of a zero-emission gas-powered home of tomorrow, but they can see first-hand that actually that future doesn’t look much different to today.

IRENA report on Hydrogen and Energy Transition Geopolitics - Weblink

IRENA has released a new report on Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: The Hydrogen Factor, which provides an in-depth analysis of the emerging geopolitics of hydrogen. It finds that governments now have a unique opportunity to shape the growth of hydrogen, by contributing to the design of markets supportive of the energy transformation while avoiding existing limitations and inefficiencies, reducing inequalities, and influencing geopolitical outcomes towards cleaner and fairer energy systems.

As countries around the world rally behind net zero targets, hydrogen is increasingly seen as a missing piece of the energy transformation puzzle to decarbonise harder-to-abate sectors. The possible pathway on which hydrogen might evolve still involves many uncertainties. With the growing momentum to establish a global hydrogen market comes the need for a deeper understanding of its broader effects, including geopolitical aspects.

Hydrogen trade and investment flows will spawn new patterns of interdependence and bring shifts in bilateral relations. A fast-growing array of bilateral deals indicates that these will be different from the hydrocarbon-based energy relationships of the 20th century. More than 30 countries and regions have hydrogen strategies that include import or export plans, indicating that cross-border hydrogen trade is set to grow considerably. Countries that have not traditionally traded energy are now establishing bilateral relations based on hydrogen-related clean energy technologies and molecules.

SSE Thermal, Equinor award contracts for Aldbrough H2 project - Weblink

SSE Thermal and Equinor have awarded two key contracts for work on the proposed hydrogen storage facility at Aldbrough, reinforcing their commitment to kickstarting a low carbon hydrogen economy in the region.

Engineering company Atkins has been awarded a contract to conduct a feasibility study to assess the design of the hydrogen storage caverns at Aldbrough as well as the corresponding pipeline to transport hydrogen to and from the proposed new Humber Low Carbon Pipelines (HLPC) being developed as part of the Zero Carbon Humber consortium. The outcome of the assessment will provide the foundation for the next phase of scoping work as the project matures. The contract also includes the option for subsequent pre-FEED (front end engineering design) work.

bp approved as partner for £700M Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub - Weblink

Aberdeen City Council’s city growth and resources committee today approved bp as their Joint Venture partner to deliver the ambitious Aberdeen Hydrogen Hub which will build a solar power facility connected to a green hydrogen production and refuelling facility. This move was hailed as transformative by the Council Leader Jenny Laing, and will further work for the city’s energy transition on the route to net zero.

Council Leader, Councillor Jenny Laing said: “This is a huge announcement for Aberdeen as it supports the delivery of our Net Zero Vision and paves the way for the city to be a world leader in the production of hydrogen-based green fuel and energy. It will help create a cleaner, more sustainable city for local people and it also provides us with the opportunity to create hundreds of skilled jobs and add millions to the Aberdeen economy. Aberdeen has a worldwide reputation as a pioneering hydrogen city and by working in partnership with bp, we intend to put Aberdeen at the forefront of the green economic recovery.”

Aberdeen City Council embarked upon its hydrogen journey more than 10 years ago and has already demonstrated how demand can be created within cities, using the zero emission fuel to power a fleet of 25 buses, 60 public sector vehicles and waste trucks, as well as the P&J Live events, conference, and entertainments complex. More than two million passengers have travelled on the city’s hydrogen buses, and CO2 savings to date are in excess of 100 tonnes over the last six years.

Linde Engineering to build 24 MW PEM electrolyzer plant for Yara - Weblink

Linde Engineering revealed it has signed an agreement with Yara for the construction and delivery of a 24 MW green hydrogen plant. In December 2021, Yara was granted funding for the development of the initial plant by Enova.

Together, Linde and Yara will demonstrate that ammonia produced using renewable energy can reduce the volume of carbon dioxide emitted in fertilizer production. The 24 MW plant will be based on PEM technology by ITM Power and will be built in Porsgrunn at Heroya Industry park in Norway. This will be the second 24 MW PEM electrolysis plant designed and constructed by Linde Engineering; the first is currently being built at the Leuna Chemical Complex in Germany.

The electrolyzer will have a capacity of around 10,000 kg/day of hydrogen. Water electrolysis will produce green hydrogen to partially replace the grey hydrogen in Yara’s ammonia plant, thereby removing 41,000 tpy of CO2 emissions annually. These emissions equate to the same amount emitted by roughly 16,000 passenger vehicles. The electrolyzer will produce enough hydrogen to create 20,500 tpy of ammonia which can be converted to between 60,000 and 80,000 t of green fertilizer. The plant is Yara’s first step towards decarbonization of the ammonia industry.

Meat-free firm Quorn to consider green H2 in production process - Weblink

UK‐based green hydrogen energy services company Protium, and its consortium partner, Petrofac, will explore the deployment of green hydrogen technology with vegan protein company Quorn.

Quorn’s production facility, Belasis, is based in Billingham, England, and continues to expand its production capacity to support the company’s ongoing growth. Protium and Petrofac will assess how the introduction of dual-fuel boilers (combusting both hydrogen and natural gas blend) can meet their expanding production capacity.

Located close to Quorn’s Belasis production facility, Protium and Petrofac will explore the feasibility of supplying green hydrogen via a pipeline as part of Protium’s green hydrogen project in Teesside.

The project – which would further accelerate the brand’s decarbonization efforts – demonstrates yet another sustainability commitment from Quorn and forms part of their ambitious net positive roadmap.

Aberdeen City Council reveals UK’s first H2 fuel cell RCV - Weblink

The UK’s first hydrogen-fuelled refuse collection vehicle (RCV) was revealed yesterday in Aberdeen, in a move which continues to accelerate the city’s thriving hydrogen economy. While typical RCVs are powered by diesel, the new waste truck will use green hydrogen from existing refuelling infrastructure in Aberdeen. The new zero-emissions RCV will start collecting waste and recycling around the city from early March and will be the first hydrogen-powered RCV to become operational in the UK.