In Apr 2019, DAI Zhong, Executive Director and General Manager of State Grid Anhui Comprehensive Service Energy Company and CHEN Guohong of Anhui Province Electric Power Research Institute etc. visited Anhui Mingtian hydrogen energy project. DAI Zhong stated that, Mingtian Hydrogen Energy Technology has leading technology and widely development prospect, hoping both parties can strengthen cooperation and construct China first MW-level hydrogen energy storage power station.
ASIACHEM <China Hydrogen Energy Industrial Chain Annual Report 2019> research stated that, hydrogen energy is a huge industrial chain from hydrogen production, storage to application. Hydrogen energy not only is the energy of fuel cell vehicles (FCV) transportation, but also plays important roles in the large-scale energy storage and green chemical raw feeds etc. Before, Hydrogen Council report released in Nov 2017 shows that, hydrogen energy would occupy about 20% of global energy consumption in 2050, reduce 6Gt carbon dioxide (CO2) emission every year, hydrogen energy industrial chain annual output would reach USD 2.5tr.
Dec 2015, <United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change> (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (CCP) 21st meeting was closed in Paris. 195 contracting parties passed <Paris Agreement>, each party agreed to recognize that the increase in global average temperature above pre-industrial levels ought not to exceed 2℃ and strived to restrict to 1.5℃.
ASIACHEM believes that, in the future, more powers come from intermittent source and it needs to allocate large-scale and long-term energy storage system to match demand and supply. Hydrogen energy system can finish this task well as it can realize flexibly mutual transformation of electric powers and fuels.
Oct 2017, NDRC released <Guidance Opinion on Promoting Energy Storage Technology and Industry Development>, pointed out that: Energy storage is a key composite part and key support technology of smart grid, high renewable energy occupation energy system, ‘Internet+’ smart energy. Energy storage can provide grid with peak load and frequency regulation, backup, black start and demand response support etc. many services, it is a key measure to increase traditional electricity system flexibility, economical efficiency and safety; energy storage can significantly increase wind and solar etc. renewable energies’ consumption levels, support distributed power and micro-grid, and it is key technology to promote main energies changing from fossil energy to renewable energy; energy storage can stimulate energy production and consumption opening, sharing and flexible trading, realize multi energy cooperation, and it is core basis to construct energy internet, promote electric power system reformation and stimulate energy new format development.
Information shows that, according to different technology, energy storage technologies can be divided into electrochemical storage, mechanical storage, chemical storage and thermal storage, which is shown as below:
US Department of Energy (USDOE) data shows that, currently, electrochemical storage projects have the most in number in the world, occupation exceeds 60% (991/1577); while pumped hydro energy storage is far more than other ways (181.27/187.86MW) from rated power. In terms of energy storage, there are 13 hydrogen storage projects, among, 9 of them are under operation, rated power of these 13 projects are 20.23MW, in total; it is also noteworthy that, 7 of these 13 projects are in Germany.
Appendix: 13 hydrogen energy storage projects in the world (by order of power)
No. | Project Name | Project Location | Power (kW) | Status |
1 | Audi e-gas Project | Germany | 6000 | Operational |
2 | Energiepark Mainz | Germany | 6000 | Operational |
3 | Hydrogenics Power-to-Gas | Canada | 2000 | Contracted |
4 | HyBalance – Air Liquide Advanced Business | Denmark | 1250 | Operational |
5 | INGRID Hydrogen Demonstration Project | Italy | 1200 | Operational |
6 | Grapzow 140MW Wind Park with 1MW Power to Gas System | Germany | 1000 | Operational |
7 | E. ON ‘Power to Gas’ Pilot Plant Falkenhagen | Germany | 1000 | Operational |
8 | Power to Gas Plant in Reitbrook | Germany | 800 | Contracted |
9 | EnBW Stuttgart Hydrogen Testing Facility | Germany | 400 | Operational |
10 | Thüga-Demonstrationsprojekt Strom zu Gas – ITM Power plc | Germany | 320 | Operational |
11 | University of Corsica MYRTE Test Platform | France | 160 | Operational |
12 | Utsira Wind Power & Hydrogen Plant | Norway | 65 | De-commissioning |
13 | Lam Takhong Wind Hydrogen Hybrid Project | Thailand | 30 | Contracted |
Total | 20225 | |||
