Transportable Hydrogen Research Plant Based on Renewable Energy

Transcription

1 Transportable Hydrogen Research Plant Based on Renewable Energy Mikel Fernández a, Carlos Madina a, Asier Gil de Muro a, José Ángel Alzola b, Iker Marino b, Javier García-Tejedor b, Juan Carlos Múgica c, Iñaki Azkárate c, José Ángel Alzola c a LABEIN, Parque Tecnológico, edificio 700, Derio, Bizkaia Spain b ROBOTIKER, Parque Tecnológico, edificio 202, Zamudio, Bizkaia, Spain c INASMET, Mikeletegi Pasalekua, Parque Tecnológico, E San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain ABSTRACT: Efficiency and cost are nowadays the most important barriers for the penetration of systems based on hydrogen and renewable energies. According to this background, TECNALIA Corporation has started in 2004 the HIDROTEC project: Hydrogen Technologies for Renewable Energy Applications. The ultimate aim of this project is the implementation of a multipurpose demonstration and research plant in order to explore diverse options for sustainable energetic solutions based on hydrogen. The plant is conceived as an independent system that can be easily transported and assembled. Research and demonstration activities can thus be carried out at very different locations, including commercial renewable facilities. Modularity and scalability have also been taken into account for an optimised exploitation. KEYWORDS : Transportable, scalable, hydrogen, solar, wind. INTRODUCTION Renewable Energies (REs) are becoming an essential component of power systems and represent a key issue in current power policies. Nevertheless, the growing number of distributed generation facilities is a problem for the system. This is mainly due to two reasons: the variability of the REs and the poor quality of energy. A balanced electrical system demands that energy generation equals the changing energy consumption. In addition, energy supply to the end user must be continuous, with no type of interruption and in agreement with severe quality parameters. The use of hydrogen (H2) as energy carrier, that is to say as a mechanism for adaptation of electric production to electric demand, allows REs to fulfil these system requirements. This way its market penetration is facilitated. It is possible to say that the REs-H2 combination constitutes a very promising alternative to solve in the medium/long term the problems of variability and quality of energy production. This combination also provides a suitable alternative to alleviate the problems raised by fossil fuel based power models: strategic issues, environmental issues and exhaustion of resources. In this context, TECNALIA Corporation has decided to bet on REs-H2 combination and is carrying out throughout the triennium the project HIDROTEC: "Hydrogen Technologies for its Use with Renewable Energies". The project is being developed and financed to a large extent by the three Technological Centers that constitute the Energy Unit of TECNALIA: ROBOTIKER, LABEIN and INASMET. The Industrial Group of Interest in HIDROTEC (GIH) also takes part in the project. It is formed by top companies in sectors such as renewable energies, gas distribution and electricity, manufacturing of hydrogen storage and distribution systems, as well as engineering companies and electric power equipment manufacturers. The project will include tasks for the study, development and optimisation of hydrogen technologies (generation, storage and consumption) for its use in combination with renewable energies. 1/5

2 OBJECTIVES The main objective of the project is to facilitate to Power Sector companies the development of new products and services that will be demanded in the mid term according to the foreseen development of the hydrogen economy, as well as the use of innovating systems based on hydrogen to find solutions to problems associated to electrical generation from renewable sources. This is achieved through a series of operative objectives: 1. Analysis of the current state and tendencies of hydrogen technologies in combination with renewable energies and publication of a book on these subjects. 2. Design, assembly and operation of a pilot plant (HIDROTEC plant) that integrates renewable energies and hydrogen. 3. Real analysis and validation of power scenarios in which renewable energies and hydrogen are combined for different applications. 4. Definition and development of potential new research fields directly related to the activities of HIDROTEC or to other activities and projects that are developed in TECNALIA Corporation, related to renewable energies or hydrogen as energy carrier. 5. Promotion of hydrogen technologies through diffusion of strategies and results, not only at industrial level but also at the level of social acceptance. THE PILOT PLANT The development and operation of the pilot plant must meet four key issues: 1. Generation of knowledge and experience associated to the development of the demonstration plant, both in its design phase and in the assembly, start up and operation phase. 2. Analysis and validation of power scenarios in which renewable energies and hydrogen are combined for diverse applications. 3. Definition and development of potential new research fields. 4. Diffusion of strategies and results. Although future scenarios can be substantially different, three key scenarios analysed in the previous phases have been considered as reference challenges for the design of the plant: Direct hydrogen supply for transport: hydrogen service station for vehicles that consume this fuel in an explosion motor or in fuel cells. Wind turbines and photovoltaic modules are integrated in order to generate hydrogen by electrolysis and guarantee the supply by storing the production. Power supply for isolated systems: global power supply for an autonomous system with no connection to the grid. The hydrogen is produced and stored whenever the demand is lower than generated energy. The hydrogen can be consumed when energy demand is higher than energy generation. Grid connected systems: application of hydrogen technologies in wind farms. Wind energy has experienced an amazing degree of success. On the other hand, its variability with time and forecasting difficulty constitute a barrier to its penetration. Combination with hydrogen generation and storage technologies, as well as use of fuel cells to generate electricity, allows global efficiency optimisation by increasing electrical generation when market price is high and generating hydrogen at low price periods. 2/5

3 The HIDROTEC plant comprises of the following main elements: Electric generation by means of wind and photovoltaic renewable energies. Hydrogen generation by means of water electrolysis. Hydrogen storage. Electrical generation by means of fuel cell. Connection to the mains supply. Power conditioning systems. Hydrogen supply for external uses (transport). Control system. INNOVATIVE ISSUES. Systems based on hydrogen technologies in combination with renewable energies are facing barriers that hinder the development of these architectures: Costs. Reliability. Power efficiency. Systems integration and operation. Considerable technological progress must occur before these difficulties are surpassed and commercialisation of this kind of systems is made possible. This research effort must be carried out at two levels: Development of cheaper, reliable, efficient and safe individual pieces of equipment. Optimisation of integrated systems: efficient energy management, global reliability improvement, minimisation of auxiliary equipment consumption, optimal facility sizing, etc. Pilot plants are a suitable tool to analyse these questions and to find solutions to surpass the barriers. The HIDROTEC plant is the first hydrogen-renewable energies pilot plant in the Basque Country and it s been conceived in order to offer innovative capabilities: Transportability: o Capability to move the system from one location to another in a simple and economic way. This feature widens the scope use of the plant, which is appropriate not only for basic research but also for field tests. Versatility: o Full connectivity of modules for emulation of different scenarios. o Scalability. Total automation: o Independent operation of main systems. o Automatic configuration from central control point so that different architectures can be operated. Dynamic control of energy fluxes: o Purchase of hydrogen production and consumption equipment with instantaneous power control. 3/5

4 o Development of new power management algorithms. GIH ( Industrial Group of Interest in HIDROTEC) Considering that the main objective of Tecnalia is technological transference according to the objectives of the project, an Industrial Group of Interest in HIDROTEC (GIH) formed by the following companies has been created: Arteche. Gas Natural. Naturgas Energía. Carburos Metálicos. Gamesa Energía. Tamoin Energías Renovables. GIH members have preferential access to the results of the project, as well as for the launching of new collaboration projects related to the plant. The objective is to become an European reference in the knowledge of these technologies, to acquire practical experience and capacity for new products development and costs reduction. RESOURCES The objectives of this project require not only important material investments, but also a significant effort in research personnel. The system is based on emerging technologies in pre-commercial state of development. Therefore they are not easily available. In addition, the architecture of the installation itself has been defined in agreement with principles of modularity, flexibility and security. The development of project HIDROTEC supposes for TECNALIA and the GIH global costs of 1,5M and the mobilization of a work team of 15 people specialised in different technological fields. PRESENT AND FUTURE The book "Hydrogen and Renewable Energies. New technologies for sustainability" has recently been published. The installation and starting up of the pilot plant is taking place during the first semester of year It will be initially located at the Technological Park of Zamudio. During the second semester the proposed scenarios will be analysed and validated. This way, the initially established objectives will be fulfilled. In the near future, the specific technological lines of Tecnalia in the field of hydrogen technologies will be defined, and therefore the development of new projects based on plant HIDROTEC will be started. The aim must be to take advantage of the great possibilities of operation that offers the plant, like not only as a research facility and but also as demonstration plant. 4/5

5 Figure 1. Pilot plant architecture 5/5