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Introducing Power-to-H3

Combining renewable electricity with heat, water and hydrogen production and storage in a neighbourhood

Journal Article (2020)
Author(s)

E. van der Roest (TU Delft - Sanitary Engineering, KWR Water Research Institute)

Laura Snip (KWR Water Research Institute)

T.W. Fens (TU Delft - Economics of Technology and Innovation)

Ad Van Wijk (TU Delft - Energy Technology, KWR Water Research Institute)

Research Group
Sanitary Engineering
Copyright
© 2020 E. van der Roest, Laura Snip, T.W. Fens, A.J.M. van Wijk
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.114024
More Info
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Publication Year
2020
Language
English
Copyright
© 2020 E. van der Roest, Laura Snip, T.W. Fens, A.J.M. van Wijk
Research Group
Sanitary Engineering
Volume number
257
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Abstract

In the transition from fossil to renewable energy, the energy system should become clean, while remaining reliable and affordable. Because of the intermittent nature of both renewable energy production and energy demand, an integrated system approach is required that includes energy conversion and storage. We propose a concept for a neighbourhood where locally produced renewable energy is partly converted and stored in the form of heat and hydrogen, accompanied by rainwater collection, storage, purification and use (Power-to-H3). A model is developed to create an energy balance and perform a techno-economic analysis, including an analysis of the avoided costs within the concept. The results show that a solar park of 8.7 MWp combined with rainwater collection and solar panels on roofs, can supply 900 houses over the year with heat (20 TJ) via an underground heat storage system as well as with almost half of their water demand (36,000 m3) and 540 hydrogen electric vehicles can be supplied with hydrogen (90 tonnes). The production costs for both hydrogen (8.7 €/kg) and heat (26 €/GJ) are below the current end user selling price in the Netherlands (10 €/kg and 34 €/GJ), making the system affordable. When taking avoided costs into account, the prices could decrease with 20–26%, while at the same time avoiding 3600 tonnes of CO2 a year. These results make clear that it is possible to provide a neighbourhood with all these different utilities, completely based on solar power and rainwater in a reliable, affordable and clean way.