Green Hydrogen Technology for…….

in Energy and Business & Industry Sectors

4th – 5th October 2023, Cotonou, Benin

Introduction to Green Hydrogen Technologies

and Applications

Bamidele Adebisi, PhD, FIET, FHEA, CEng.

Professor In Intelligent Infrastructure Systems
Director of Smart Infrastructure & Industry Research Group
Department of Engineering
Faculty of Science and Engineering
email: [email protected]
Profile: Manchester Metropolitan University

Background: Work done in Green Hydrogen Interest areas in green hydrogen

• With a history of education since 1824, the • Has established "Manchester Fuel Cell • Support in R&D for Electrolysers & Fuel Cells
Innovation Centre" , which is a £4m technology (Materials Chemistry is of significant interest)
University has been established with a purpose
hub focusing on technology and research to create • Policy and Innovation programs
of “Transforming lives through the power of new, clean electrolysers and fuel cells • Skills required for achieving net zero
education and research” • Is a partner in “Trafford Green Hydrogen Park”, • Sustainable finance
• Offers undergraduate, post graduate, which is an industry leading project that will • Ways to accelerate activities/ambitions to fulfill
produce green hydrogen fuel for industry, transport National program (policies) laid out by
apprenticeship courses along with research
and heating Government
programs across disciplines through Faculties • Led preparation of “Greater Manchester
of Arts and Humanities, Business and Law, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Strategy 2021–2025” in
Health and Education, Science and close collaboration with government, industry and Preferred ways of collaboration
Engineering and research centers academia
• Recently established the Greater Manchester • The University has several smaller scale
• Has three main bodies for governance and
Electrochemical Hydrogen Cluster helping to collaborations ongoing based on
decision-making – Board of Governors, support Net Zero through investment in research scientific/research synergies.
Executive Group and Academic Board and development of advancing electrochemical • Exceptionally, we may put in place a
• Appointed Professor Malcolm Press CBE, an and hydrogen technologies as a part of £100m Memorandum of Understanding with an
Government Innovation Accelerator funding institution setting out parameters for
ecologist as Vice-Chancellor in 2015
programme collaboration as we have just completed with
• Link to the website: Manchester Metropolitan Osaka Metropolitan University
University
Credentials: Funding arrangements
• One of the UK’s greenest universities, based
on our sustainability and environmental policies
• One of the top modern universities for research
quality with 30% of research has been rated as
• Manchester Fuel Cell Innovation Centre is actively
world-leading as per Research Excellence working with education and industry partners in
Framework many countries with a focus on establishing new
programmes for mutual benefit

2
 Mr Amer Gaffar
Dr Yagya Regmi Prof Laurie King
Director, Manchester Fuel Cell
Research Fellow, Manchester Fuel Professor & Material chemist working on
Innovation Centre
Cell Innovation Centre, sustainable and clean energy technologies
Policy, Skills

3
Smart Energy Systems

Connectivity (IoT, IIoT, 5G ) & Data Analytics

Modelling and Digital Twin

Director, University Board Member

 Outline

▪ Hydrogen and the energy economy

▪ (Production)Water electrolysers: status and

challenges

▪ Storage & Conversion

▪ Distribution & Transport

▪ Uses and Applications

▪ Summary
 Energy economy
Current energy usage
- Fossil reserve intensive
- Emissions levels
unsustainable
- Renewables need
scaling up

Alternative sources
- Solar
- Wind
- Nuclear
- Geothermal
- Tidal
- Hydropower

Energy carrier is
necessary for renewable
energy storage and
transmission

Adapted from: www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/h2scale

 Energy generation storage and usage

Need for energy storage

- Intermittent sources
- Efficiently transport
- Replace coal/gas with
renewable

Energy storage technologies

- Batteries
- Capacitors
- Pumped hydropower
- Compressed air
- Hydrogen
- Electrolyzers (charge)
- Fuel cells (discharge)

www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/h2scale
 Status of hydrogen generation

- Electrolysis accounts
for only about 4%

- Majority generated
from natural gas

- Electrolysis
forecasted to be the
primary method

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydrogen/production-of-hydrogen.php
 Green Hydrogen: Electrolysis and Fuel Cells

Electrolysis? Fuel cell ?

Green hydrogen is produced through electrolysis, a process that Electro-chemical energy conversion device that produces
separates water into hydrogen and oxygen, using electricity electricity, water, and heat.
generated from renewable sources. Today it accounts for just Produces electricity through a chemical reaction, but
<1% of global hydrogen production without combustion. Converts hydrogen and oxygen into
water, and in the process also creates electricity.
 Water electrolysis
Low temperature (<100 oC) High temperature (> 800 oC)

Alkaline Electrolysis Acidic Electrolysis Solid oxide ceramic

Membrane free Solid – Polymer Electrolyte Membrane membrane

Figure credit: Dr Laurie King, Manchester Metropolitan University

 Water electrolysis
Low temperature (<100 oC) High temperature (> 800 oC)

Alkaline Electrolysis Acidic Electrolysis Solid oxide ceramic

Membrane free Solid – Polymer Electrolyte Membrane membrane

OER: Ni, Fe, Co, oxides

HER: Ni alloys Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER)

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER)

 Water electrolysis
Low temperature (<100 oC) High temperature (> 800 oC)

Alkaline Electrolysis Acidic Electrolysis Solid oxide ceramic

Membrane free Solid – Polymer Electrolyte Membrane membrane

OER: Ni, Fe, Co, oxides OER: Ni-based OER: IrOx

HER: Ni alloys HER: Ni, Ni-Fe…. HER: Pt
 Water electrolysis
Low temperature (<100 oC) High temperature (> 800 oC)

Alkaline Electrolysis Acidic Electrolysis Solid oxide ceramic

Membrane free Solid – Polymer Electrolyte Membrane membrane

OER: Ni, Fe, Co, oxides OER: Ni-based OER: IrOx OER: Ni-based
HER: Ni alloys HER: Ni, Ni-Fe…. HER: Pt HER: Ni, Ni-Fe….
 Water electrolysis
Low temperature (<100 oC) High temperature (> 800 oC)

Alkaline Electrolysis Acidic Electrolysis Solid oxide ceramic

Membrane free Solid – Polymer Electrolyte Membrane membrane

Sluggish start up Not commercialised Commercialised at MW Not commercialised

and low pressure yet scale yet
generation
 Comparisons of electrolysis technologies
Electrolysis Alkaline Electrolysis Proton Exchange Solid Oxide
Technologies Membrane Electrolysis
Electrolysis
Electrode reactions Cathode: Cathode: Cathode:
4H2O+ 4e−→ 4OH− + 2H2 4H+ + 4e−→ 2H2 2H2O+ 4e−→ 2O2− + 2H2
Anode: Anode: Anode:
4OH−→ 2H2O+ O2 + 4e− 2H2O→ 4H+ + 4e− + O2 2O2−→ 4e− + O2

Current density (A/cm2) 0.2 – 0.41 1–3 0.3 – 0.5

Efficiency (%) 62 – 82 67 – 82 81 – 92

Operating temperature (oC) ≤90 ≤80 ~800

Electrolysis energy 4.5 -5.5 4.0 -5.0 <3.5

consumption (kWh/Nm3 )

Response time minutes seconds -

Electrolyser life (h) 80,000 60,000 <20,000

16
 Cost comparisons of hydrogen generation

https://www.iea.org/reports/the-future-of-hydrogen
 Cost comparisons of hydrogen generation

O&M - Operations
and management

https://www.iea.org/reports/the-future-of-hydrogen www.energy.gov/eere/fuelcells/h2scale
 PEM electrolyzer components and costs

PEM electrolyzer costs:

• Stack accounts for about 40% system cost

• Catalyst coated membrane (CCM)

accounts for 45% of the stack cost

• Most of the CCM cost is from anode IrOx

catalyst (3-5 mg/cm2)

Mayyas et al. 2018. NREL/TP-6A20-72740. www.nrel.gov/docs/fy10osti/72740.pdf

 Why are PEM electrolyser catalysts expensive?

- Global primary production of the

elements in 2010.

- Solid symbols and black font are used

for elements which are main economic
products of their respective ores.

- Open symbols and blue font are used

for the elements which are mostly by-
products of other elements.

Vesborg and Jaramillo, RSC Adv., 2012, 2, 7933-7947

 Why are PEM electrolyser catalysts expensive?

Estimated crustal abundance plotted as a function of global primary production in 2010. Elements which are main economic products of their
respective ores are shown in black font while blue (smaller) font is used for the elements which are mostly by-products of other elements.
Vesborg and Jaramillo, RSC Adv., 2012, 2, 7933-7947
 Alternatives to Pt and Ir for PEM electrolysis

http://www.rsc.org/periodic-table
Barriers to overcome in water electrolysis for hydrogen generation

- Cost and sustainability are the primary barriers for hydrogen technologies

- Economic and durable alternatives to platinum and iridium catalysts for PEM
(acidic) electrolysis

- Replace halogen containing components (membranes and gaskets) with more

environmentally friendly alternatives

- Rethink device designs to maximise precious metal recycling for PEM

electrolysers

- Improve durability of AEM (alkaline) and high temperature solid oxide electrolysers

- Rapid fabrication of component and devices for scaled up manufacturing

- Improve societal awareness regarding the benefits of switch to hydrogen for energy
needs
 Greater Manchester Electrochemical Hydrogen
Cluster (UKRI): £2 million from UKRI with 100%
industry match (Prof Peter Kelly, PI)

Royce Institute (EPSRC) grants (2) to UK Catalysis Hub (EPSRC) grant to

develop cost effective electrolyser utilise carbon dioxide: Prof Laurie A
components: Dr Yagya Regmi, £150k King, £252k

Research on
EPSRC New Investigator Award for Hydrogen at Additive manufacturing of
Prof Laurie King to design non- Manchester electrolysers: EPSRC, Prof Craig
iridium catalysts: £700k Metropolitan Banks, £250k
University

EPSRC grant to remove precious UK Catalysis Hub (EPSRC) grant to

metals in electrolysers: Prof Laurie lower the cost of hydrogen
King and Dr Yagya Regmi, £140k productions: Dr Yagya Regmi, £280k

Hydrogen technologies for space

propulsion: Royal Academy of
Engineering, Dr Yagya Regmi, £86k
 Hydrogen Storage & Conversion

Hydrogen Conversion technologies

Hydrogen - Storage & Conversion

Storage
Methods

Material-
Physical Carbon-based
based

Compressed Liquid
Metal Chemical
Hydrogen Hydrogen
Hydrides Hydrides
Storage Storage
Compressed Hydrogen Storage

• H2 gas is stored under high pressure (350-750

bar) to increase the storage density
• Commonly used in H2 vehicles
• Requires specially designed tanks

• Materials-blistering
• Heating effect during filling
• Loss of containment
Liquid Hydrogen Storage

• Requires cooling to extremely low pressure

2K (-253oC) until it becomes liquid.
• Stored in insulated tanks.
• Allows for more storage
• Requires significant energy for cooling
process

• Boil off (loss)

• Loss of containment
• Ice formation
Material based Hydrogen Storage

• Stored within a metal or chemical compound

• Chemical storage could offer high storage
performance due to the high storage
densities
• H2 is then released via heat or water
• Allows for safe compact storage

• High cost of Chemical compound.

• Requires significant energy to release the H2.
• Toxicity and heat
• Explosion and loss of containment
• Pyrophoric materials
Material based Hydrogen Storage

• Activated carbon or graphene can absorb

onto their surfaces
• Still under research & development
• Permits high density
• Low pressure storage
The Advantage of Storing Hydrogen in Liquid form

Compressed Compressed Compressed Liquefied Single wall

hydrogen 200 bar hydrogen 350 bar hydrogen 700 bar Hydrogen 2 nano tube

Storing energy
10,300 12,264 14,883 42,600 15,998
(kJ/kg)
Volumetric energy
714 2492 3599 3999 2159
content (MJ/m3)
Energy content
1.05 8.04 7.2 16.81 3.6
(MJ/kg)
*The weight is three times less than compressed gas
and it has higher energy storage content.

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/72194
Hydrogen Transport & Distribution
Hydrogen Transport and Distribution

▪ Pipelines
▪ Compressed H2 tanks,
▪ Liquid H2 cryogenic tanks
▪ Liquid organic H2 carrier
Pipelines

• Commonly used for short-medium distances

• Made of materials resistant to H2 embrittlement
• Cheapest for short distances
• Usually installed in regions with high H2 demand
• High cost of installations
Compressed Hydrogen Tanks

• Commonly used for distribution to fueling stations.

• H2 is stored in high-pressure tanks that can be
transported by trucks, trailers, barges, or ships.
• Transport capacities and tank weights are important
variables in assessing the GHG emissions and non-
renewable energy consumption in hydrogen
transportation via trucks
• Typically, the high weight of the cylinders or tubes limit
the maximum hydrogen load that can be transported.
• A tube trailer with steel cylinders can store up to
25,000 liters of H2compressed to 200 bar which
amounts to around 420 kg of H2.
Liquid Hydrogen Cryogenic Tanks

• Enables long distance transportation of liquid H2

(ships, trucks, trains)
• H2 is loaded into insulated cryogenic tanks
• The LH2 trailers have a range of approximately
4,000 km.
• Efficient for transporting large amount of H2
• Efficient for Long term storage
• Energy intensive-requires cooling & loading in
cryogenic tanks
Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier

• Chemically bound to a carrier

• Operates based on 2 steps:
• Loading of hydrogen (hydrogenation) into the LOHC
molecule
• Unloading of hydrogen (dehydrogenation) after
transport and storage
• Enables stable, non-pressurized, non-cooled state H2
transportation
• Efficient for large amount of H2 transport
• Cost effective for long distance
• Still under development
Hydrogen Uses/ Applications

App: Energy Sector App: Chemical Industries App: Transport Sector

Use: Power & Heat Generation Use: Feedstock Use: Passengers/Goods Mobility

• Power generation for grid

• Ammonia production • Fuel cell forklifts
• Power buffering
• Steel production • H2 Electric vehicles
• Heating for buildings/industries
• Synthetic gas • H2 powered aircraft
• Domestic / Commercial
backup power and heat • Hydrocracking • H2 powered ship

• Hydrogenation • H2 powered trains

Hydrogen Distribution for Mobility Applications & Uses

• H2 Fuel is a sustainable means to distribute and use H2

for mobility because
• zero end use emissions
• No moving parts
• quiet operation and high efficiency compared
to the combustion engine
• There are different types of fuel cell but the polymer
electrolyte fuel cell is is used for portable power
generation and fuel cell vehicle.

Advantages of
hydrogen fuel
cell vehicle

Long driving
Zero emission Fast refueling
range
Summary
Source: International Energy Agency
How could we reverse climate change?

Source: Royal Society of Chemistry

 Cost comparisons of hydrogen generation

O&M - Operations
and management

Safety ; Availability of H2 ( Balancing Demand and Supply); Infrastructure ( e.g. availability of

charging stations)…..
 Road Ahead

• Infrastructure
• Competitiveness
• R&D/ Skill Development
• Traceability System
Skills - Hydrogen

11 key topics relevant to HFCT

• Content created with inputs from
experts from academia and the
industry
• Innovative method to support
teachers, trainers and students in
co-designing a learning session
• Teachers and students guides

R&D, Skills development, finance, projects, partnerships and

policy are critical parts of the hydrogen/net zero economy
Thank you and Contact Details

Professor Bamidele Adebisi

Email: [email protected]
Mobile/ Whatsapp: +447983 99 832