Hydrocarbon Processing - April 2021 - GP-12

EXECUTIVE VIEWPOINT
infrastructure can be used to transport
and deliver it, and it can then be used in
the same end-use applications.
H2 is carbon-free and can be produced
with low to zero emissions, offering a
clean energy source. Similar to RNG,
we expect H2 to contribute to our lowcarbon energy future and emerge as a
significant energy carrier by 2040 across
a variety of sectors and end-use applications, including industrial processes,
transportation, buildings and power generation. The versatility of H2 , from ways
to produce and use it across the full energy value chain, creates unprecedented
opportunity for H2 to become a greater
part of our global energy system.
GP&LNG: In what regions
or scenarios do you see the
opportunity for repurposing
existing natural gas storage and
infrastructure to deliver H2?

KW: One of the key drivers that has
created an interest in H2 is its potential
role in large-scale energy storage. Renewable energy from wind and solar is not always available at the same time as peak
demand for electricity. This has created a
need for large-scale and seasonal energy
storage that cannot be completely met by
batteries or conventional methods like
pumped hydropower. H2 is the leading
candidate to provide the storage that is
needed to ensure continued growth of
renewable power generation. Put simply, off-peak renewable power can be
converted to H2 via electrolysis and then
injected into pipeline networks or underground storage for later use.

Blending H2 into the natural gas system
also offers a path toward decarbonization
and reduction in emissions. Using a 20%
blend of zero-carbon H2 could reduce CO2
emissions by approximately 7%. Several
gas utilities, such as Dominion Energy, SoCal Gas and CenterPoint, have recently announced H2 projects, many of which focus
on H2 blending into natural gas pipelines.
Creating H2 hubs or networks where
there is an aggregation of H2-capable infrastructure and end users is another model
being explored in the U.S. We are excited
to be part of what will be the first largescale demonstration of an H2 network in
our nation. With funding from the U.S.
Department of Energy and an impressive
list of industry partners, GTI, Frontier Energy and the University of Texas-Austin
will be demonstrating an H2 network at
the university. Renewable H2 will be produced and stored for use in an onsite H2
fueling station and in a fuel cell to power a
data center on the campus (FIG. 1).
This demonstration provides a stepping stone for building H2 networks in
other parts of the country, and hopefully
for creating cities and communities fueled
by H2. The existing natural gas infrastructure will play an important role in making
this happen.
At GTI, we think that H2 will continue
to be produced primarily from natural
gas for quite some time-combined with
carbon capture and storage to minimize
its environmental footprint-while H2
production from renewable sources will
continue to grow. The natural gas infrastructure should have a continuing role for
both near-term opportunities for H2 and

for the longer-term " green " H2 economy.
However, our pipeline infrastructure was
built to transport natural gas, and as we explore injecting H2 into that infrastructure,
we must understand the impacts to the
safety, reliability and integrity to the system. We are actively conducting collaborative research with industry, government
agencies and academia to address this.
GP&LNG: In which sectors do you
see H2 taking off most quickly?
Conversely, what obstacles must
H2 overcome to become a
significant contributor to the
world's energy supply?

KW: What we are seeing across the
world is the acknowledgement that we
need multiple solutions to achieve net-zero
emissions. Significant progress is being
made with renewables, energy efficiency,
and electrification, but the only way to get
there for certain sectors requiring high heat
or energy density is with an energy-dense
carrier, such as H2. Long-haul heavy transportation, such as heavy-duty trucks, shipping, aviation and locomotives; industrial
production, such as cement and steelmaking; or buildings in northern climates-all
of these applications are well suited for H2.
The transportation and delivery of H2
is the highest-cost " link " in the H2 value
chain. Building new infrastructure is expensive, so using our existing gas infrastructure to store and deliver H2 to where
we need it, when we need it, is a great opportunity to help reduce those costs and
provide continued reliability of energy
supply to end users.
As we move down the value chain
and evaluate the potential of using H2 in
various sectors of our economy, technical
challenges must be addressed depending
on the end-use application. For example,
with residential applications, GTI and
others are conducting research to understand the impact of H2 on existing appliances to ensure that they operate properly
and safely when a new source of fuel is
being used. Similar research is occurring
for the commercial, industrial and power
generation sectors.
GP&LNG: What do you see as
the most promising areas for the
utilization of RNG as a fuel/feedstock?

FIG. 1. GTI's Hydrogen Network Demonstration projects in Texas. Figure: Frontier Energy Inc.

MARCH/APRIL 2021 | GasProcessingNews.com

KW: One of the most attractive features of RNG is the ability to use it in
nearly any application or sector that uses

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Hydrocarbon Processing - April 2021

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