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OIL, GAS & ENERGY THE NEXT STEP TOWARDS A HYDROGEN-BASED FUTURE
ABB’s Jon Davison, Product Manager – Temperature &
Pressure, explains how recent developments in measurement technologies can potentially bring about a new hydrogen revolution
using conventional technologies and techniques is not straightforward. Transitioning from a fossil fuel economy to a renewable one undoubtedly presents challenges. Moreover, there is no “silver bullet” that can deliver a zero-carbon society overnight. However, by utilising technologies already established today, hydrogen could unlock rapid progress on the road to a more sustainable future.
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Meeting the Paris Agreement’s deadline for net zero will require a major shift in energy production. While renewable energy sources such as wind and solar are a key part of any future energy mix, their intermittent nature means they require sophisticated grid design and adequate redundancy, supported, at least for now, by the continued use of coal, nuclear and natural gas.
As the effects of climate change become more visible and more damaging, new solutions are increasingly needed to accelerate the transition to clean and low carbon energy. Energy security is also a major factor driving a shift to more sustainable energy, with many countries seeking to become increasingly self-sufficient amid rising energy prices and geopolitical volatility. Colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic, and highly combustible, hydrogen is a potential game-changer in the production of clean energy, if it can be produced and distributed safely and sustainably. Although hydrogen as an element is
invisible, when it is purposed as an energy source, it is classified according to its production method, and each one has its own colour. While naming conventions vary from region to region, hydrogen can be grey, blue, green, black, brown, pink, yellow or turquoise depending on how it is produced. At the bottom of the scale are black and brown hydrogen, which are the most
22 OCTOBER 2024 | PROCESS & CONTROL
ydrogen has enormous potential as a clean and abundant energy source. However, harnessing it on a large scale
environmentally damaging. In these processes, the CO2 and carbon monoxide generated during the hydrogen production process are not recaptured. Grey hydrogen is currently the most common form, where the hydrogen is generated from natural gas or methane through a steam reforming process. Blue hydrogen takes this a step further, by capturing the carbon generated during the steam reforming process and storing it underground using carbon capture and storage (CCS). This method is a vast improvement on black, brown and grey hydrogen in terms of its environmental impact. However, it cannot be considered a completely carbon free fuel source, as not all the carbon generated during the process can be captured.
Green hydrogen is the holy grail of hydrogen production. This is where hydrogen is produced by electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The electricity is provided from renewable sources and produces little or no carbon emissions. Green hydrogen is a clean burning fuel, producing only water as its by-product. Whilst green hydrogen has been demonstrated on a small scale, the technology and processes have not yet been developed to facilitate its production on larger scales.
Until the technology and infrastructure for widespread production of green hydrogen is available, blue hydrogen is the next best thing. Whilst not perfect, it currently offers a vital path
H-Shield provides high resistance against hydrogen permeation
towards carbon-free energy.
CCS is also an important part of the journey towards zero emission energy production. Although it is seen as controversial by some, it is important to remember it is a stepping stone for the wider shift to green hydrogen and emissions-free energy generation. Economies need time to adapt, technologies need time to evolve, and infrastructure projects need time and investment before they can be brought to life. Blue hydrogen, and CCS, can pave the way for the cost-effective and rapid scaling up of green hydrogen production in the future.
Production of both blue and green hydrogen is not without its challenges. Processes must be controlled with a high degree of precision to ensure effective and safe operation, while achieving maximum productivity, efficiency, and purity of the hydrogen gas end product. Effective control of these variables requires effective measurement.
When moving a quantity of hydrogen from one place to another, you need to know exactly how much product is involved in the transfer, not least for billing and taxation purposes. This is typically achieved through flow measurement. Pressure measurement is also important to ensure that pipes and other infrastructure will not burst or otherwise compromise the integrity of the process. Compressing or decompressing hydrogen gas will cause it to generate or lose heat. Generating too much can cause it to ignite, and so temperature must also be measured for safety purposes. Quality is also important. Most hydrogen sold on the market is not 100 percent pure hydrogen, as additives such as nitrogen may be added in small quantities. To determine the price, and provide transparency for the wider market, both buyer and seller need to know the ratio of pure hydrogen to additives
Measurement of hydrogen can produce its own challenges. For instance, permeation is a
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