H2Tech - Q1 2022 - 33

SPECIAL FOCUS: ADVANCES IN HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGY
Clean H2 and e-fuels: Important pillars
of the energy transition
S. DIEZINGER, Siemens Energy, Nuremberg, Germany
Global energy consumption is projected
to rise nearly 50% above its current
level over the next three decades.1
Meeting this demand while mitigating
the effects of climate change will require
a diverse range of energy sources that
includes both hydrocarbons-particularly
natural gas-and renewables. Coexistence,
not competition, will be vital
in driving a successful energy transition
while ensuring a reliable energy supply.
H2
will play an important role. Acand
Blue
H2
the near-term growth in H2
will account for much of
production
cording to the International Renewable
Energy Agency (IRENA), H2
its derivatives could represent as much
as 12% of final energy consumption by
2050.2
capacity; despite this, achieving net zero
CO2
, as well.
emissions by 2050 will require industry
and governments to develop innovative
approaches to zero-emissions
green H2
Green H2 has become increasingly
competitive with its gray and blue counterparts
in recent years, a development
primarily attributable to a continuing decline
in the cost of renewable energy generation.
As several real-world projects
have now shown, e-fuels (synthetic fuels
made via renewable energy) derived
from green H2
can be produced at prices
comparable to, or even lower than, those
of biofuels given the right combination
of partners,
technologies and climatic
conditions. The economics of producing
these derivatives have therefore become
more attractive, unlocking opportunities
for sector coupling and decarbonization.
The case for e-fuels. In addition to a
carbon footprint 90% lower than that of
fossil fuels, e-fuels have the potential to
outperform biofuels in both CO2
avoidance
and production costs. Finally, eFIG.
1. Green H2: From production to end-use applications.
H2Tech | Q1 2022 33
fuels have advantages when it comes to
land usage and water consumption.
As FIG. 1 shows, several decarbonization
use cases exist for e-fuels produced
from green H2
. In the mobility
sector, for example, e-methanol can be
blended with either conventional fuels
or biofuels to reduce the mixture's
overall carbon intensity, thus reducing
emissions in automotive, marine and
aviation applications. Fully sustainable
e-gasoline can then be produced using
methanol-to-gasoline synthesis, as can
other products such as olefins, formic
acid, formaldehyde and a number of
widely used fuel additives. Additionally,
well-established processes exist for producing
e-ammonia by combining green
H2
with nitrogen (N2
) obtained via air
separation. End uses for ammonia include
feedstock for fertilizer (e.g., urea
and ammonia phosphates) and as a synthetic
fuel for the shipping industry; it
is also an excellent H2
distances using existing infrastructure,
possessing a density of 177 kg H2
metric t of ammonia.
per
DEVELOPING THE WORLD'S FIRST
INTEGRATED E-FUEL PLANT
Several green H2
plants are under development
across the globe. One of these,
the Haru Oni project, is sited in Chile-
the country's low electricity prices and
favorable climatic conditions make it
ideal for green H2
production. This project
will use low-cost, green wind power
generated in Chile's Magallanes province
to produce CO2
-neutral fuel and will be
the world's first integrated, large-scale
commercial plant to produce methanolbased
e-gasoline.
The project's pilot plant is expected to
produce approximately 130,000 l (liters)
of e-fuel in 2022. Two subsequent expansions
are planned: production capacity
should reach 55 MMlpy by 2024 and
550 MMlpy by 2026.
carrier over long
Project technologies. At the heart of
the facility will be a proton exchange
membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. The
PEM is permeable to protons but not to
gases. Once the electrolyzer uses electric
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