Hydrogen energy storage is a reliable alternative to batteries: Black & Veatch
- June 13, 2022
Earlier this year, Black & Veatch (B&V) was selected as EPC service provider for the world’s largest green hydrogen facility coming up at Utah in USA – a very significant development for B&V, a global enterprise that supports its clients with a full suite of solutions in the green hydrogen space. In India too, green hydrogen is attracting high levels of private sector involvement, coupled with government support. In this backdrop, T&D India got in touch with Rajiv Menon, Country Manager & Managing Director – India, Black & Veatch, to understand intricacies of the green hydrogen ecosystem, and B&V’s role in the upcoming mega facility at Utah. An interview by Venugopal Pillai.
Let us start with a fundamental question: what is the basic difference grey, blue and green hydrogen?
Grey hydrogen is produced from the steam reforming of natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Blue hydrogen is produced when the grey hydrogen process is coupled with carbon capture technologies to reduce the carbon footprint of the conventional process. Green hydrogen is produced using electrolysis of water, with renewable energy as the power source. Zero emissions are produced when manufacturing green hydrogen.
“We expect demand for green and blue hydrogen to increase rapidly.”
Hydrogen has always been produced world over. Can we assume that much of this is the “grey” variety?
Yes, about 99 percent of hydrogen currently produced in the world is grey hydrogen. We expect that the demand for green and blue hydrogen will increase rapidly as the energy sector and its consumers seek to decarbonize their operations and businesses.
Can you take us briefly through the value chain of green hydrogen production?
Green hydrogen is produced using a proven process called water electrolysis, where water molecules are split into hydrogen and oxygen molecules by supplying direct electrical current through water.
Feedstock for the process is demineralised water produced from raw water and renewable power such as wind and solar. Depending on the quality of the raw water, additional steps may be required to produce demineralised water. For example, sea water would have to undergo a desalination process before demineralised water can be produced.
Once the molecules are split, they go through a purification process to remove traces of water or oxygen to produce pure hydrogen. Depending on the technology and vendor, the hydrogen may be available from between slightly above atmospheric pressure up to 30 bar pressure.
This gas can be compressed for storage at pressures ranging between 150 to 250 bar, depending on the requirements of various downstream applications, including power generation, energy storage and mobility.
“Hydrogen surpasses the physical limitations of current mineral-based battery technologies.”
When it comes to storage of energy, what advantages does hydrogen offer over conventional batteries?
Hydrogen surpasses the physical limitations of current mineral-based battery technologies to provide essentially infinite duration storage and backup power.
Traditional battery technologies include lithium-ion batteries, which are presently constrained to eight hours of storage; and medium-duration energy storage options such as iron-air batteries and zinc-ion batteries, which promise to store multiple days’ worth of energy.
Hydrogen energy storage can both complement and serve as a reliable alternative to batteries to address the variability of renewable energy in a fast, economical manner. With the potential to store unlimited hours of energy, hydrogen enables seasonal shifting, and will help achieve a carbon-free future.
Converting stored hydrogen back to power will require improved efficiencies. One area of particular interest is using hydrogen as a fuel source in advanced combined cycle power plants by blending it with natural gas to reduce overall carbon emissions of reliable baseload power systems.
Would it be possible to estimate the technical efficiency in the green hydrogen value chain, which is to say the quantum of renewable energy used in producing hydrogen, and the use of hydrogen, by itself, as a source of energy?
As an estimate, 100 percent of renewable power will likely convert to about 75 per cent energy in the form of hydrogen. Considering compression and fuel cell efficiency, the power reproduced from hydrogen in terms of energy will be about 35 per cent. One thing to remember, the inefficiency of compression and fuel cell cycles is applied to any fuel, including natural gas.
“Black & Veatch supports its clients with a full suite of solutions in the green hydrogen space.”
Please orient us with B&V’s expertise in the field of green hydrogen generation and storage.
Black & Veatch supports its clients with a full suite of solutions in the green hydrogen space, from concept development to engineering, procurement and construction (EPC). We are involved in several projects throughout the world and provide solutions across the whole green hydrogen value chain. This includes our recent selection as EPC provider for the world’s largest hydrogen production and storage facility, the Advanced Clean Energy Storage (ACES-Delta) project in Delta, Utah.
For power generation, Black & Veatch provides comprehensive planning, siting, design, and construction services for all types of renewable resource development including solar photovoltaic and solar thermal energy, wind energy, hydropower and marine energy.
When it comes to water treatment, Black & Veatch helps clients efficiently and effectively collect, store, move, and treat water and wastewater; harness the energy embedded in the treatment and movement of water; and enhance sustainability.
In the areas of hydrogen generation and purification, we have developed and delivered hydrogen production projects using various generation technologies such as Steam Methane Reforming (SMR), Autothermal Reforming (ATR) and gasification for over 50 years.
We have also completed projects utilizing hydrogen for transportation fuels, including the first multi-location hydrogen charging network in California; power generation, where we are supporting the Intermountain Power Project as it converts to a hydrogen-capable combined cycle unit; and chemicals. Additionally, Black & Veatch is experienced in refinery projects and production of ammonia, methanol, substitute natural gas, and synthetic fuels.
“Black & Veatch is recognized by the Engineering News-Record’s (ENR) “Top 500 Design Firms” source book as among the world’s leaders in power, telecommunications and water for its efforts in helping clients achieve advanced decarbonization, sustainability and resilience solutions.”
What would be B&V’s role, as EPC contractor, in the Advanced Clean Energy Storage project in Delta, Utah, USA?
Black & Veatch has been selected to provide EPC services for the ACES-Delta project in Delta, Utah, USA. We are the turnkey EPC for the ACES-Delta project, with our scope including the substation and everything through delivery of compressed hydrogen to the storage caverns. We will be providing an overall plant wrap as the EPC contractor for project financing, guaranteeing schedule and performance of the facility.
“For hydrogen storage, salt caverns are favoured for their high sealing potential, cost effectiveness and low cushion gas requirement.”
What has been the ideology behind using salt caverns for hydrogen storage?
The ACES-Delta facility will supply gas to an 840-MW combined cycle power plant and it will require a large hydrogen storage facility. Salt caverns are favoured for their high sealing potential, cost effectiveness and low cushion gas requirement. Low cushion gas requirements minimise rock breakage while high sealing capacity of rock salt minimizes leakage. Salt caverns can also supporthigh hydrogen injection rates and withdrawal cycles, making them a cost-effective storage option.
Salt cavern storage can be an order of magnitude cheaper than storing hydrogen above ground as a compressed gas or liquid. The ACES-Delta caverns can each store up to 150GWh of energy, yielding more storage than all the lithium-ion batteries currently installed across the globe.As an estimate, 150GWh would be able to power 150,000 homes for one year.
Salt cavern storage with hydrogen generation compliments battery energy storage. Batteries can be used for short term storage and daily energy shifting, while salt caverns with hydrogen can serve long duration storage and weekly or even seasonal shifting needs. Excess renewable energy can be stored in the more moderate shoulder seasons and shifted out to serve peak summer and winter loads.
“We are involved in several confidential projects across the globe, including in India.”
Is B&V involved with any major green hydrogen production and storage project, in any other part of the world? Generally speaking, which countries today lead the green hydrogen endeavour globally?
We are involved in several confidential projects across the globe, including in India.
That said, we recently signed an agreement with The Green Solutions (TGS) to advance the production and supply of green hydrogen and green ammonia in Vietnam. Together, the companies are targeting to produce 180,000 tons of green ammonia and 30,000 tons of green hydrogen per year to support regional decarbonization efforts.
TGS has also appointed Black & Veatch to study the production and storage of green hydrogen in Vietnam utilizing solar or wind power supplied through the grid. The study also includes development of a green ammonia production plant as well as plant configuration and technology review, technology evolution risk and tentative mitigation, conceptual design, order of magnitude cost estimates, and levelized cost calculations.
We anticipate hydrogen production will grow in many global locations, including on all continents.
“Black & Veatch’s team in India is currently involved in multiple projects for green hydrogen and is geared up for full execution.”
Given that India is also taking green hydrogen seriously, does B&V expect to soon bring its expertise to the subcontinent?
Black & Veatch’s team in India is currently involved in multiple projects for green hydrogen and is geared up for full execution. Black & Veatch’s global execution model assists clients in the commercialization of new and innovative technologies, including green hydrogen. Hence, teams in different centers of excellence are involved in various projects.
Our in-house industry specialists, engineers, designers, market and regulatory experts, and development managers develop projects utilizing new technologies and support clients worldwide in their efforts to scale pilot and demonstration facilities to commercial size, navigate complex regulations and meet return of investment expectations.
“One key challenge in the implementation of green hydrogen projects is the development of electrolyzer technologies.”
The overall advantages notwithstanding, what are the key challenges in the implementation of green hydrogen production and storage projects?
One key challenge in the implementation of green hydrogen projects is the development of electrolyzer technologies. This has posed a critical question to developers: should they opt for the tried and tested Alkaline Water Electrolyzes (AWE) technology or consider developments in other technologies and their associated price pressure?
The other challenge relates to off-take agreements and the transportation of hydrogen. Many projects which are moving to the execution stage are co-locating generation and consumption facilities. Resolving the issue of hydrogen transportation will allow the full potential of green hydrogen to be utilized.
“Our global execution teams will gain invaluable knowledge in providing EPC services to the ACES-Delta project.”
How do you see the Advanced Clean Energy Storage positively impacting B&V’s overall expertise in the field of green hydrogen?
The ACES-Delta project will be the world’s largest industrial green hydrogen production and storage facility. Providing EPC services on such a project means our global execution teams will gain invaluable knowledge. Resolving specific challenges around the commissioning and execution of the project will help us refine best practices to better serve our future clients. The experience will also help to fine-tune risk mitigation strategies for future project executions.
