Technical Potential of Hydrogen and GHG Emissions in its Transportation

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This webinar discusses research progress for the environmental and economic footprint of using hydrogen for energy in Canada.

Part I looks at the green hydrogen potential and Part II considers the greenhouse gas emissions when blending hydrogen with natural gas for transportation.

Part I: Green hydrogen potential from wind and solar in Canada: a technical assessment

In light of the environmental constraints of fossil fuel-based economies, hydrogen is proposed as part of a holistic energy transition. Hydrogen has been mainly produced from the reformation or gasification of fossil-fuel resources. Hydrogen produced from low-carbon energy sources such as biomass, hydro, wind and solar through gasification or the electrolysis of water is fast emerging as a sustainable production alternative. The presentation will include results of an assessment of the technical potential of hydrogen produced from wind and solar energy sources in Canada and its comparison with natural gas-based hydrogen.

Part II: Blending blue hydrogen with natural gas for direct consumption: Examining the effect of hydrogen concentration on transportation and well-to-combustion greenhouse gas emissions

To reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, jurisdictions are looking into mixing hydrogen into the natural gas pipeline transportation systems. This work investigates the potential to use hythane, a blend of hydrogen and natural gas, as a direct substitute for natural gas in combustion-based equipment. We examine the effect of hythane on natural gas transmission lines and evaluate the environmental impact of providing the hydrogen from steam methane reforming with carbon capture and sequestration (blue hydrogen) in terms of well-to-combustion life cycle GHG emissions.

 

Associated publications:

  1. Pankratz S, Kumar M, Oyedun AO, Gemechu E, Kumar A. Environmental performances of diluents and hydrogen production pathways from microalgae in cold climates: open raceway ponds and photobioreactors coupled with thermochemical conversion, Algal Research, 2020, 47: 101815. (PDF)
  2. Kumar M, Oyedun AO, Kumar A. A comparative analysis of hydrogen production from the thermochemical conversion of algal biomass, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2019, 44 (21): 10384-10397. (PDF)
  3. Nogueira Jr E, Kumar M, Pankratz S, Oyedun AO, Kumar A. Development of life cycle water footprints for the production of diluent and hydrogen from algae biomass, Water Research, 2018, 140: 311-322. (PDF)
  4. Olateju B, Kumar A. A techno-economic assessment of hydrogen production from hydropower in western Canada for the upgrading of bitumen from oil sands, Energy, 2016, 115: 604-614. (PDF)
  5. Ghandehariun S, Kumar A. Life cycle assessment of wind-based hydrogen production in western Canada, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2016, 41, 22: 9696–9704. (PDF)
  6. Olateju B, Kumar A, Secanell, M. A techno-economic assessment of large scale wind-hydrogen production with energy storage in Western Canada, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2016, 41, 21: 8755-8776. (PDF)
  7. Verma A, Olateju B, Kumar A, Gupta R. Development of a process simulation model for energy analysis of hydrogen production from underground coal gasification (UCG), International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2015, 49: 10705–10719. (PDF)
  8. Verma A, Olateju B, Kumar A. Greenhouse gas abatement costs of hydrogen production from underground coal gasification, Energy, 2015, 85: 556–568. (PDF)
  9. Verma A, Kumar A. Life cycle assessment of hydrogen production from underground coal gasification, Applied Energy, 2015, 147: 556-568. (PDF)
  10. Olateju B, Monds J, Kumar A. Large scale hydrogen production from wind energy for upgrading of bitumen from oil sands, Applied Energy, 2014, 118, 48-56. (PDF)
  11. Olateju B, Kumar A. Techno-economic assessment of hydrogen production from underground coal gasification (UCG) with carbon capture and storage (CCS) for upgrading bitumen from oil sands, Applied Energy, 2013, 111, 428-440. (PDF)
  12. Olateju B, Kumar A. Hydrogen production from wind energy in western Canada for upgrading bitumen from oil sands, Energy, 2011, 36(11), 6326-6329. (PDF)
  13. Kabir MR, Kumar A. Development of net energy ratio and emission factor for biohydrogen production pathways, Bioresource Technology, 2011, 102(19), 8972-8985. (PDF)
  14. Sarkar S, Kumar A. Large-scale biohydrogen production from bio-oil, Bioresource Technology, 2010, 101(19), 7350-7361. (PDF)
  15. Sarkar S, Kumar A. Biohydrogen production from forest and agricultural residues for upgrading of bitumen from oil sands, Energy, 2010, 35(2), 582-591. (PDF)
  16. Sarkar S, Kumar A. Techno-economic assessment of biohydrogen production from forest biomass in Western Canada, Transactions of the ASABE, 2009, 52(2), 1-12. (PDF)