Techno-economic evaluation of hydrogen energy systems
R&D Focus Areas:
Whole supply chain, Electrolysis, ammonia
Lead Organisation:
CSIRO
Partners:
RMIT University
Status:
Active
Start date:
May 2019
Completion date:
December 2022
Key contacts:
Dr Nawshad Haque: Nawshad.Haque@csiro.au
Funding:
CSIRO Hydrogen Energy Systems Future Science Platform
Project total cost:
AUD$150,000
Project summary description:
Australia has an advantage of having very large amounts of solar and wind-based renewable energy. It can be utilised for renewable hydrogen production via a liquid ammonia (NH3) pathway. Renewable ammonia importing countries can decompose it back to pure hydrogen using CSIRO developed metal membrane technology (MMT).
The membrane separates ultra-high pure hydrogen from ammonia, while blocking all other gases. Re-cracked hydrogen can be used for fuel cell vehicles and other energy applications. The assessment of the economic viability of the above-mentioned process-chain requires a techno-economic evaluation (TEE) that involves process simulation, mass and energy balances, plant sizing, capital and operating cost estimations, cash-flow and sensitivity analyses. This research presents the TEE for a hydrogen energy system and it can be used in assessing engineering, research and development impact, scale-up, and the feasibility of the production system.
The overall aim of the project is to develop techno-economic tools based on spreadsheet and process simulation software (Aspen Plus) to determine the economic feasibility of an overall hydrogen energy system.
The specific objectives of the project include:
- Determine the methodology for sizing and economic evaluation which would be suitable for both current and future scenarios.
- To analyse CSIRO NH3 cracking technology and the several processes that are included in the overall hydrogen energy system for selecting the optimum processes: seawater desalination, electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen, Haber-Bosch process to produce NH3, liquefaction of NH3 and transport.
- To develop process simulation and economic evaluation models for the above processes.
- To carry out economic and sensitivity analyses to determine the feasibility of the chosen hydrogen energy system
- To develop process simulation and economic evaluation models for the chosen hydrogen energy system using Aspen Plus
- Novelty of the project: Techno-economic analysis of an overall hydrogen energy system involving six processes, including CSIRO NH3 cracking technology that has not been studied yet.
Research questions include:
- How to scale up CSIRO membrane cracking technology and determine the economic feasibility of producing hydrogen from NH3 at larger scale?
- How to scale up PEM electrolysers and determine the economic feasibility of producing hydrogen at larger scale?
- What will be the economic reliability of the techno-economic model developed by combining all the six processes?
- Can the techno-economic tools developed in this work be used in determining whether it is possible to produce renewable hydrogen for AUD$2/kg?
- How much renewable energy is required to produce a unit of hydrogen using desalination and electrolysis?
Related publications and key links:
V Balasubramanian, Nawshad Haque, S Bhargava, S Madapusi, R Parthasarathy (2021) Techno-economic evaluation methodology for hydrogen energy systems. Bioenergy Resources and Technologies, 237-260. Elsevier, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-822525-7.00016-0
Higher degree studies supported:
One PhD student is supported by this technology
June 2022