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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_WWU_2_01
Title	SWIC Hydrogen Supply Pipeline Infrastructure
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Hydrogen, Hydrogen transport and distribution) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given Wales and West Utilities
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 July 2021
End Date	31 January 2022
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£100,000
Industrial Sectors	Energy
Region	Wales
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , Wales and West Utilities (100.000%)
	Other Investigator	Project Contact , Wales and West Utilities (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Wales and West Utilities (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_WWU_2_01
Objectives	For RIIO-2 projects, apart from projects involving specific novel commercial arrangement(s), this section should also include a Measurement Quality Statement and Data Quality Statement.The feasibility study is aimed to perform an early identification and evaluation at concept level of network configurations including all gas energy vectors (natural gas, biomethane, hydrogen and gas blends) in the context of supply and demand scenarios. Costain will work closely with the SWIC coordination team to ascertain future demand for hydrogen / hydrogen production locations, and the WWU Asset Integrity and Network Analysis teams to understand how islanded biomethane networks could develop. The outcomes of this evaluation will help determine the future network configuration including repurposing of network sections, new dedicated hydrogen pipelines and retained biomethane networks. The outcomes of the project should also provide an initial view on the operability of gas networks and process facilities (e.g. deblending) in the short, medium and long-term to operate with adequate flexibility. It is recognised that based on information currently available, forecast of demand and mapping of this on a regional scale may have a large degree of uncertainty, and as such defining network configurations and operating and control philosophies can only be produced at a conceptual level. Scenarios will be based on current knowledge of proposed hydrogen production sites and location of major industrial users and regions of potential demand (domestic). These demand models and the associated configuration and operating philosophies will be validated or updated as more information on the development of demand becomes available in the future.Data Quality StatementData used in the analysis will mainly consist of end consumer (residential, industrial, commercial and transport) energy demand (electricity, gas) using data and methods established in current best industry practice (such as Future Energy Scenarios), with demand developed from actual historical demand data and peer reviewed modelling methodologies plus input from stakeholders for forecasts. The latter represent the best view for demand and supply over the short-term and future scenarios (including potential energy supply forms and contribution) will reflect uncertainties around this view, projecting beyond the first years all the way out to 2050. Network modelling will be based on best industry practice using established modelling tools. In addition to the main deliverables in the form of technical reports providing the analysis and interpretation of results and recommendations, input and output data and models will be passed to Wales & West Utilities at project completion for custody, to support subsequent phases and for audit. Measurement Quality StatementFor the purposes of traceability and reliability of results, data and methods employed will be based on established best practice regarding data sources and methodologies/tools, which are expected to meet the Data Quality objectives without the need for additional audits. This is particularly applicable given the expected level of detail of the study (high level / feasibility) and associated accuracy of results, which will be used to support early strategy planning, for which a degree of uncertainty is acceptable. For the purposes of comparability of results, the feasibility study will validate input data and output results against published reports and sources to demonstrate compatibility and validity of assumptions and results, clearly identifying the potential reasons for discrepancies or deviation from the assumptions or results, the conditions for which the results are valid and the sensitivity to assumptions. The project is rated low in the common assessment framework detailed in the ENIP document after assessing the total project value, the progression through the TRL levels, the number of project delivery partners and the low level of data assumptions. No additional peer review is required for this project. Establishing Project BasisDuring the Kick-off Meeting and early in the development of the work, the project design basis will be defined and agreed as either provided by WWU, assumptions advised by Costain or jointly defined and agreed.Definition of project design basis include:Study objectives, stakeholder requirementsDesign and functional requirementsOperating / design cases / scenariosNetwork scopeGeographical area - South WalesSensitivity analysis for Bristol area and “hydrogen riviera”Pressure tiers (>7 bar, 2-7 bar, <2 bar)Network operating dataHistoric demand profile (gas flows), operating pressure, operating philosophyFuture demand profileDefinition of case study scenarios Review and summarise the current understanding on how the transition to increasing hydrogen in the gas networks will take place. This includes review of UK and SWIC deployment roadmaps, with demand aligned with expected availability of hydrogen in the network. This will require determining at high levelwhich geographical areas show an early potential for roll out,how hydrogen will be produced and supplied to the region,how the network will evolve to provide the required transportation and distribution capacity to meet projected demand across all demand sectorsprovide the intelligence to ensure that network modifications can be sized to meet the upper end of demand projections, therefore ensuring “no-regrets” investment decisions Identification of likely ambitions for hydrogen rollout in the SWIC in terms of regional plans to develop demand including fuel switching (domestic, industrial) and new demand regions (e.g. transport hubs, new industrial sites, new housing developments); and plans for hydrogen production at scale in the region (SWIC) or imported (e.g. via blends in the National Transmission System (NTS) or ammonia ships) to support demand forecastReview of existing work and tools (e.g. Pathfinder 2050, Net Zero South Wales future scenarios) and approaches (e.g. already developed in SWIC and other industrial clusters) to define method to be used for demand forecastDefine regional demand scenarios including criteria for proportion of gas energy vectors (LNG/NTS gas, hydrogen, gas blends and biomethane networks) over time. These scenarios will include a distribution of gas flows per region, evolution of these gas flows over time including introduction of hydrogen to replace energy content of natural gas. Current variability of demand (daily and seasonal) to be initially used to define shape of future demand profiles.  Evaluation of network configuration and operationMap out of proposed hydrogen production or import / export locations in the South Wales regionMap out of existing gas networks to analyse current network configuration and operation (e.g. supply from offtakes, prevalent gas flow direction and operating pressure) and capacity constraintsWork with the WWU asset teamto model the network capacity against the developed demand scenarios (using the WWU Synergi models) to ascertain the capacity of the existing network to transport hydrogen / hydrogen blendsEvaluation of network configuration and operation against the demand scenariosIdentification of likely network configuration in line with demand scenarios (e.g. offtakes interaction, need to sectionalise / isolate network for biomethane, repurpose of network sections, hydrogen injection points, new transmission and distribution pipelines, storage, deblending).Map out of potential evolution to include hydrogen and gas blends on repurposed or new dedicated pipelines to provide the required network capacity to meet the developed demand scenarioIdentification of integrated network / pressure management strategies (line-packing, storage, reactive deblending to protect hydrogen sensitive consumers) to handle the variable demand/supply for the range of products based onNetwork sections transporting a defined gas energy vector  Network sections handling gas blends with different composition, with hydrogen content varying over time (hourly/daily) as a result of variability of flows from different sources/networks feeding into a distribution zone to meet demand, surplus products from deblending, etc. Gas network modelling of potential network configurationsCostain will work with the WWU network modelling team to develop capacity models for each of the three demand scenarios, utilising WWUs existing modelling tools.Identification of impacts on the gas networkPotential impacts of hydrogen rollout in the gas network will be identified including technical considerations and challenges, safety and environmental impacts and cost implicationsMajor risks and mitigation measures will be identified and documented. This will also include opportunities for process optimisation and cost reductions.There is a lot of ongoing work to identify the most effective route to meet net zero in the UK and this project is one of many projects to evidence the major or minor role hydrogen will have in different scenarios. Repurposing the UK gas networks with hydrogen to support the challenge of the climate change act is widely seen as the least cost option to decarbonise space heating and industry. Although it is impossible at this point to fully assess the benefits to GB energy consumers, converting the gas networks to enable the transportation of hydrogen to support Net Zero has the potential to save £millions opposed to other decarbonisation options. There is a lot of ongoing work to identify the most effective route to meet net zero in the UK and this project is one of many projects to evidence the major or minor role hydrogen will have in different scenarios. Repurposing the UK gas networks with hydrogen to support the challenge of the climate change act has the potential to save £millions with minimal gas customer disruption verses alternative decarbonisation solutions To perform an early identification and evaluation of supply and demand scenarios for hydrogen in South Wales and the pipeline infrastructure required to meet potential demand.
Abstract	A project to develop a study to perform an early identification and evaluation of supply and demand scenarios for hydrogen in South Wales and the pipeline infrastructure required to meet potential demand.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	19/10/22