HYPER

Name: Espen Flo Bødal
Master Degree: Energy and Environmental Engineering, NTNU - 2016

Hydrogen Production from Wind- and Hydro Power

The PhD focuses mainly on the electric part of the Hyper-project, including electrolyser, hydrogen gas buffer storage, transmission grid, wind- and hydro power. Utilizing these types of hydrogen production and storage systems in relation to hydrogen production from natural gas are interesting in order to develop profitable renewable energy resources restricted by low transmission capacity.

Several models will be developed for component sizing and operation as well as studying the local and regional effects of variable hydrogen production on the power system. The local models comprise the single bus where the hydrogen production system is located, including potential for wind power development and restricted transmission capacity to the rest of the system. The regional models will include existing hydro power, transmission constraints and options for construction of new wind power at other locations in the power system in addition to the bus where hydrogen is produced. Both deterministic and stochastic models are planned to be developed, considering both technical and economic aspects of the system.

The models will be tested in several case studies based on relevant real-world cases where undeveloped renewable energy sources and natural gas is present, for example in the region surrounding the natural gas liquefaction facility in Hammerfest in Northern Norway. The Northern Norway case is especially interesting as low transmission capacity is restricting development of promising wind energy resources in the region. Some prospected scenarios hydrogen production includes an initial 90/10 ratio of from natural gas and wind and hydro power respectively with a later expansion to for instance a 70/30 production ratio.

Illustration of a system with hydrogen production from natural gas and wind- and hydro power, including a regional representation of the power system with constrained transmission- lines(red).

Main supervisor: Prof. Magnus Korpås, PhD Supervisor

Hyper includes a PhD position as part of the research conducted in the project. In the PhD project, the candidate will study the technical and economic viability of producing hydrogen from electrolysis as part of a larger hydrogen production system to provide a steady and predicable export of liquefied hydrogen. A key challenge in the PhD project is to establish methods for optimal sizing and operation of the electrolysis path of the hydrogen system, and to use these methods on case studies based on future scenarios for the development of the Norwegian energy system.