By April 22, 2022 Read More →

20 April — The role of hydrogen in deeply decarbonized energy systems – insights from systems modeling

Date: 20 April 2022
Time: 12:00pm ET
Location: Wean Hall 3701 & via Zoom
Speaker: Dharik Mallapragada
Topic: The role of hydrogen in deeply decarbonized energy systems – insights from systems modeling

Abstract: Deep decarbonization of the energy system is contingent on identifying pathways for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from not only the power sector, but also other end-use sectors where direct electrification may be challenged, such as in industrial applications and heavy-duty
transport. In this context, use of hydrogen (H2 ) produced from low-carbon pathways remains an
appealing prospect. Over the past few decades, the versatility of hydrogen, both in terms of
production pathways and potential end uses across multiple sectors, has led to waves of interest
in a future “Hydrogen Economy”, that has not materialized. So what is different about the recent
renewed interest in hydrogen? Two major differences are apparent: a) a focus on difficult-to-
decarbonize applications across the economy rather than any single application, and b) the
emphasis on technology development and deployment across the various stages of the supply
chain, including production, transport, storage and end-use. This presentation will explore the
market and technological factors impacting long-term cost-effectiveness of H2 use in multiple
difficult-to-decarbonize applications. The presented analysis is based on techno-economic and
systems modeling that attempts to account for the scale and spatial distribution (i.e., centralized
or distributed) of potential hydrogen demand and variability in primary energy supply (e.g., wind
and solar) over multiple timescales. Example case studies will be presented to discuss: a) the
prospects for emerging technologies like liquid organic hydrogen carriers for energy storage and
transport, and b) importance of sector-coupling resulting from multiple possible H2 production
pathways and end-uses, on the cost-effectiveness of the H2 supply chain.

Recording