Forming a guideline for the design and maintenance of resilience in an international green hydrogen supply chain
J.P.H. Hillen (TU Delft - Technology, Policy and Management)
Ming Yang – Mentor (TU Delft - Safety and Security Science)
Aad F. Correlje – Mentor (TU Delft - Economics of Technology and Innovation)
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Abstract
In the wake of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, global efforts have intensified to reduce carbon emissions and transition to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. However, the asymmetry in energy production and consumption among nations, coupled with the seasonal and temporal intermittency and geographical variations of renewables, has highlighted the need for efficient energy transport solutions. Hydrogen has emerged as a promising candidate due to its high energy density and the fact that it only produces water when burned. Governments, both at the national and international levels, have outlined ambitious roadmaps for green hydrogen production and utilization, as seen in the EU's REPowerEU package aligned with the EU Green Deal and Japan's "Basic H2 strategy." Two prominent importers of hydrogen, Japan and The Netherlands, have been actively involved in shaping the future of international green hydrogen supply chains (IGHSC).
However, as plans for IGHSC development gain momentum, so does the recognition of the need for resilient characteristics within these supply chains. They must be designed to withstand, adapt to, and recover from unexpected disruptions effectively. This research aims to address this need by developing a guideline for establishing a resilience design methodology specific to IGHSC, using Japan and The Netherlands as examples of significant future importers.
The primary research question guiding this thesis is: What guidelines can be established to design and maintain resilience within an international green hydrogen supply chain, with Japan and The Netherlands as exploratory importers?
The research approach combines extensive literature review, analysis, and interviews within a qualitative exploratory framework. A theoretical framework was constructed to uncover the interconnections between various theories and fields of study. This framework not only unveiled previously unnoticed associations but also elucidated the disruptions and resilience mechanisms inherent to IGHSC. Two novel optional IGHSC configurations were identified and introduced, and a comprehensive catalog of relevant disruptions, along with their respective domains, was created. Through a rigorous evaluation of existing research on disruptions and the enhancement of categorization schemes, this study developed a new structure for categorizing potential IGHSC disruptions systematically. These disruptions were categorized based on their potential domains of origin.
The concept of resilience was subsequently defined and categorized into two distinct phases and three scopes, providing a structured framework for designing and maintaining resilience within an IGHSC. Recognizing that the establishment of a global hydrogen economy is pivotal for achieving global net-zero goals, it becomes imperative to prioritize the design and maintenance of resilient IGHSC. This thesis presents a newly developed guideline that contributes to the design and maintenance of resilience within an IGHSC, serving as a crucial step towards realizing a sustainable and reliable global hydrogen economy.