24.06.2024
Source: Energy & Management Powernews
Researchers at Fraunhofer IAO investigated various hydrogen storage options. They simulated various usage scenarios in decentralized energy systems.
The proportion of renewable energy generation, particularly from wind and solar power depending on the weather and time of day, is growing. The need to store this green energy in large quantities and make it available for flexible use is increasing. One possible solution is hydrogen. Converted into hydrogen, green electricity can be stored and preserved for later use.
Hydrogen can be stored for long periods of time and can also be transported over long distances. The crux lies in efficient and safe storage technology. This is where the research work of the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO comes in.
Together with the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Heilbronn (DHBW Heilbronn), the researchers analyzed various storage options for hydrogen produced using green electricity in neighborhoods, at company locations or on campus sites. They presented the results in the study "Hydrogen storage for decentralized energy systems" presented on 20 June
From a centralized to a decentralized energy system
As the scientists affirm, the expansion of renewables requires a comprehensive transformation of the current German energy system: in contrast to the current predominantly centralized and import-based system, a decentralized energy system is needed. This aims to achieve greater regional independence through increased in-house production of energy and hydrogen.
Timo Stöhr, research associate at Fraunhofer, explains: "Decentralized energy systems offer companies the opportunity to save costs and reduce emissions by becoming independent of the energy market." In addition, decentralized hydrogen production opens up a wide range of possible applications, such as use as a fuel for emission-free industrial trucks in intralogistics or as a CO2-free process gas in industrial processes such as ammonia production or methanation. Similar advantages of decentralized energy supply and storage would also be open to residential areas, industrial estates or campuses, Stöhr continues.
In their study, the researchers provide an overview of the storage technologies currently in use - physical, chemical and pure hydrogen storage. "Each storage option offers specific advantages and disadvantages due to its properties. We therefore assessed the suitability of the various storage technologies based on the criteria of hardware availability, technological maturity, safety, efficiency and space requirements," explains Sven Christian from DHBW Heilbronn.
The researchers consider the storage types compressed gas storage (200 to 300 bar), liquid gas storage, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC), methanol and methane to be particularly suitable.
Simulation for a decentralized energy system
To better assess the economic viability of the storage technologies, the researchers simulated a decentralized energy system using the "Local Energy Planner" - "LEny" for short - developed at the Fraunhofer Institute. The load profiles of the electricity and heat sectors, weather data, the dimensioning of the energy components used and current prices, costs and emission factors served as input data for the simulation.
The authors of the study concluded that the choice of storage method depends on the specific application and the respective requirements, as each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. In addition, advances in materials science and technology are leading to constant improvements in hydrogen storage technology, making hydrogen a widely applicable and sustainable energy carrier.
The 34-page study "Hydrogen storage for decentralized energy systems" can be downloaded from the Fraunhofer IAO website.
Author: Davina Spohn
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