Hydrogen Pathways
Adding the hydrogen
sector to an existing national energy model, as is needed in
this analysis, requires that a discrete number of end-uses and
corresponding energy pathways be prioritized. To define a list
of hydrogen pathways for research, a comprehensive set of energy
pathways was first established. These are presented in the figure
below. An energy pathway comprises some combination of an energy
source, energy converter, energy carrier, end-use technology
and end-use. Thus, hydrogen, as an energy carrier, can be combined
with any number of energy sources, energy converters, end use
technologies and end-uses to form a hydrogen pathway.
Figure 1 Multiple Energy Pathways and Associated Components
As is demonstrated in the figure above, there
are numerous hydrogen pathways upon which the role of fiscal
policies could be evaluated. However, adding all such pathways
to the energy model used in this study was not feasible within
the scope of this project. The pathways thus needed to be limited
to those pathways associated with well-developed technologies
for which data was available. The pathways given further consideration
in this analysis, shown in Table 2, were selected according
to (1) their ability to reduce carbon emissions and (2) their
stage of development.
Table 1: Hydrogen Pathways for Further Consideration
FUEL
SOURCE |
PRODUCTION |
STORAGE |
TRANSPORTATION |
STORAGE |
END-USE |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
|
|
|
|
Fuel
cells SOFC (residential, commercial) |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
|
|
|
|
Fuel
cells MCFC (residential, commercial) |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
|
|
|
|
Fuel
cells PEM (residential, commercial) |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
Decentralized
SMR |
|
|
Compressor
and tanks at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV 7or
fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Electricity
from grid or specific plant |
Decentralized
electrolyzer |
|
|
Compressor
and tanks at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
Centralized
SMR |
Compressor
and tanks or liquefier and cryogenic storage |
Pipeline
or tube trailer or cryogenic tanker truck |
Compressor,
tanks and possibly cryogenic storage at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Electricity
from grid or specific plant |
Centralized
electrolyzer |
Compressor
and tanks or liquefier and cryogenic storage |
Pipeline
or tube trailer or cryogenic tanker truck |
Compressor,
tanks and possibly cryogenic storage at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Methanol
from off-shore natural gas |
Decentralized
methanol reformer |
|
|
Compressor
and tanks at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Gasoline8
|
Decentralized
gasoline reformer |
|
|
Compressor
and tanks at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Methanol
from off-shore natural gas |
|
|
|
|
Methanol
fuel cell LDV |
| Gasoline |
|
|
|
|
Gasoline
fuel cell LDV |
Not all of the pathways presented above
could be incorporated into the Energy 2020 model within the
scope of this project. The pathways ultimately chosen for modelling
thus include the most commercially advanced hydrogen
production (steam methane reformers and electrolyzers) and end-use
technologies (fuel cells and internal combustion engines), focusing
on early market applications for vehicles (decentralized hydrogen
production) that do not require a large hydrogen vehicle base.
SOFC fuel cells were selected for use in the stationary sector
by the NRTEE Project Scoping Group since, at the time of selection,
they were considered the most likely technology for use in the
defined applications within Canada. These pathways are summarized
in Table 2. These pathways will be used to establish benchmarks
for hydrogen technology penetration under fiscal policy stimulus.
Those pathways that could not be modelled, summarized in Table
3, will be addressed qualitatively.
Table 2: Hydrogen Pathways
for Incorporation into Energy 2020
FUEL
SOURCE |
PRODUCTION |
STORAGE |
TRANSPORTATION |
STORAGE |
END-USE |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
|
|
|
|
Fuel
cells SOFC (residential, commercial) |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
Decentralized
SMR |
|
|
Compressor
and tanks at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Electricity
from grid or specific plant |
Decentralized
electrolyzer |
|
|
Compressor
and tanks at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
Table 3 Hydrogen Pathways for Further
Discussion
FUEL
SOURCE |
PRODUCTION |
STORAGE |
TRANSPORTATION |
STORAGE |
END-USE |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
|
|
|
|
Fuel
cells MCFC (residential, commercial) |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
|
|
|
|
Fuel
cells PEM (residential, commercial) |
| Natural
gas from pipeline |
Centralized
SMR |
Compressor
and tanks or liquefier and cryogenic storage |
Pipeline
or tube trailer or cryogenic tanker truck |
Compressor,
tanks and possibly cryogenic storage at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Electricity
from grid or specific plant |
Centralized
electrolyzer |
Compressor
and tanks or liquefier and cryogenic storage |
Pipeline
or tube trailer or cryogenic tanker truck |
Compressor,
tanks and possibly cryogenic storage at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Methanol
from off-shore natural gas |
Decentralized
methanol reformer |
|
|
Compressor
and tanks at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Gasoline |
Decentralized
gasoline reformer |
|
|
Compressor
and tanks at fueling stations |
Fuel
cell LDV or fuel cell transit bus or ICE LDV |
| Methanol
from off-shore natural gas |
|
|
|
|
Methanol
fuel cell LDV |
| Gasoline |
|
|
|
|
Gasoline
fuel cell LDV |
