What role could Hydrogen play in decarbonising the UK's energy system to hit Net Zero targets? This is the central question we address in a new @AuroraER_Oxford report - https://www.auroraer.com/insight/hydrogen-for-a-net-zero-gb/

Summary of key points in this THREAD ->

For anyone unfamiliar with the technology/terminology - (low carbon) hydrogen can be made through reformation of natural gas with carbon capture (blue hydrogen) or by using clean power to electrolyse water (green hydrogen), and then used in heating, transport or industry

. @AuroraER_Oxford took an ambitious modelling approach for this study, creating a hydrogen market model linked to our power and global commodities models. This allows us to look at cost of H2 production and impact of H2 uptake on gas and power markets.

Demand for hydrogen could reach ~500TWhs (or nearly 50% of final energy demand) by 2050 in a high hydrogen scenario. The focus of demand is in heating and heavy duty transport.

Demand for hydrogen could reach ~500TWhs (or nearly 50% of final energy demand) by 2050 in a high hydrogen, high renewables scenario.
Ooh I do love a good Sankey diagram...!

The level of green hydrogen production (from power) depends on the amount of renewables in the power system. Blue hydrogen (from gas) is needed to provide scale in a high hydrogen demand scenario....

Falling cost of renewables means that green hydrogen wins in the long term - scaling up significantly in the 2040s.

Hydrogen storage will be needed to provide flexibility - storing excess green hydrogen to use in peak demand periods.

Large scale adoption of hydrogen provides benefits to the power sector - helping to integrate renewables, and provide flexibility.

Adding hydrogen electrolysers to the power system helps to boost capture prices for renewables - in a sense making better use of their variable output.

Hydrogen turbines can become cost competitive with natural gas turbines (provided carbon costs are properly taken into account).

Unlocking the benefits of a hydrogen economy in the UK will require early signals from Government (potentially as part of COVID stimulus plan), systematic changes to markets and incentives, and continuous investment by the private sector.

If you'd like to find out more about hydrogen and @AuroraER_Oxford's views on the subject, tune in to our (free) webinar next Tuesday: https://auroraenergyresearch.webex.com/mw3300/mywebex/default.do?nomenu=true&siteurl=auroraenergyresearch&service=6&rnd=0.8232425265454723&main_url=https%3A%2F%2Fauroraenergyresearch.webex.com%2Fec3300%2Feventcenter%2Fevent%2FeventAction.do%3FtheAction%3Ddetail%26%26%26EMK%3D4832534b00000004101e90993d5d3c685c05689b85b9dc1501fc5d1aec356bc555f5244561dc8dd3%26siteurl%3Dauroraenergyresearch%26confViewID%3D164744729369517770%26encryptTicket%3DSDJTSwAAAAQE9UUIdy51Flmy1FSBn-DvvIcsRwjtdAQ3fG2QN24TjQ2%26