HYREADY collaboration supports introduction of power-to-gas H2 into natural gas infrastructure
31 March 2017
The addition of hydrogen produced by renewable sources (e.g., electrolysis powered by renewable electricity) to natural gas supports the decarbonization of the natural gas system and integration of sustainable energy sources. However, the properties of hydrogen differ significantly from those of natural gas, and its introduction into the gas infrastructure may negatively impact public safety, the integrity of the gas system and the performance of end-use equipment.
The HYREADY joint industry project (JIP), led by DNV GL, intends to encourage the industry to “Be ready for Hydrogen” by developing practical processes and procedures for the introduction of hydrogen to the grid. HYREADY focuses on the consequences of H2 added to natural gas in an existing specific network and on feasible countermeasures to mitigate these consequences.
The intermittent nature of renewable sources such as wind and solar demands large-scale temporal energy storage to balance electricity demand and production. The huge capacity of the existing natural gas grid could play an important role in this balancing, and could also offer additional energy transmission capacity.
Several studies have been carried out on the impact of hydrogen added to natural gas on public safety aspects, the integrity of materials used in the natural gas delivery chain and the performance of end-use equipment. However, concrete engineering guidelines for transmission and distribution system operators on how to prepare their systems for a specific percentage of hydrogen are lacking.
There is a great deal of industry interest in the maximum percentage of hydrogen that can be added to natural gas. To successfully introduce hydrogen into natural gas grids, the impact and acceptability need to be assessed to evaluate amongst other things, public safety, system integrity, integrity management and energy transport capacity. HYREADY will develop industry guidelines addressing the ‘how-to’ questions for gas system operators so they can be confident both in preparing their natural gas grids for the accommodation of hydrogen and in assessing and managing the effects and possible consequences related to hydrogen injection.
—Onno Florisson, Principal Consultant and DNV GL project manager
The main deliverable of the HYREADY JIP will be a set of generic engineering guidelines to identify and quantify the effects of hydrogen addition to natural gas in a specific network and to propose feasible mitigating measures in case the assessed consequences are not acceptable. The guidelines will distinguish between three levels of consequences:
Grid level: e.g., to which extent is the energy transmission capacity of a network affected?
Component level: e.g., to which extent might seals in a gas meter initiate leakage?
Location level: e.g. to which extent is a safety zone around a pipeline affected?
The guidelines will be based on existing knowledge in the public domain and owned by the JIP partners. The project, which recently started, will run for almost two years and is split into the following work packages; transmission systems, distribution systems, end-user infrastructure and appliances (both domestic and industrial), high pressure stations and hydrogen injection facilities. The first two work packages are currently in progress, while the remaining work packages will be executed in the next phases of the project.
Currently, the HYREADY consortium consists of the following parties: Enagás, S.A. (ES), ENBRIDGE (CA), GasNatural Fenosa (ES), Gas Networks Ireland (IR), GAZ-SYSTEM (PL), GRDF (FR), GRT-GAZ (FR), SoCalGas (US) (earlier post) and TIGF (FR). DNV GL and DBI-GUT (DE) are leading this JIP. New partners are still very welcome.
The various technologies are either here or within reach as for NG/methane. The cost should be $single number/unit and real time monitoring possible via device hopping.
This is the technology that will be used for oil and gas well methane emissions monitoring.
Trumps oligarch team is trying (but will fail in law) to halt.
Not being an "industry insider" I can't say whether the ideal product are market ready but the technology is ready.
Hydrogen leak detection – low cost distributed gas
sensors:
https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/03/f10/webinarslides_element_one_040312.pdf
https://iot-for-all.com/darpas-take-on-the-iot-battery-problem-n-zero-a16a9cfb9426
Posted by: Arnold | 31 March 2017 at 02:29 PM
If you are paying a lot more for natural gas in Europe than the U.S. this makes sense.
Posted by: SJC | 01 April 2017 at 11:53 AM
Putting any spare electricity into batteries is much more efficient. NGK makes such units. Liquid Sodium and chlorine could be produced and stored more efficiently and used later in a "sodium fuel cell" which someone can invent. But with a tiny bit of catalytic platinum hydrogen mixtures could be used in self lighting burners. First there was a conversion from manufactured gas to natural gas. Now there can be a conversion to straight hydrogen manufactured from any hydrocarbon and water with CO2 capture. Pipe would need to be larger even if hydrogen flows more freely. By volume hydrogen has only one third the fuel density of methane. Come to think of it, people could "burn" liquid sodium for heat if produced by excess wind power. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 11 April 2017 at 02:54 AM