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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_CAD0046
Title	Optimising Distribution of Hydrogen
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Hydrogen, Hydrogen transport and distribution) 50%; Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Hydrogen, Other infrastructure and systems R&D) 50%;
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 Cadent Gas
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 September 2019
End Date	01 September 2020
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£382,556
Industrial Sectors	Energy
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , Cadent Gas (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Cadent Gas (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_CAD0046
Objectives	The methodology is to call on experienced subcontractors and combine this with design experience of a Hynet multi-consumer hydrogen network. The work will focus on the issues associated with operating such multi-consumer hydrogen networks. Work package 1 will review experience of operating hydrogen networks against the requirement to define operating philosophies for new hydrogen networks in the UK. The work will consider the system operational strategies adopted to meet user requirements including consumer demand profiles and hydrogen specification, and any experience of linking or upscaling networks. A skilled gas network design company will be contracted. Work package 2 will define the functional design requirements for a hydrogen network building on available information from HyNet and other current hydrogen initiatives and will include design features which would form part of mature multiuser networks. In particular hydrogen storage will be included together with hydrogen consumer groups including industrial, power generation, domestic and hydrogen transport refuelling stations. The functional design will represent the discrete steps as the network expands. The functional designs produced will be used to inform the work system design and operation philosophy. Work Package 3 will seek to establish a preferred network operation and control approach. The work will consider control of the network, nominations by users, the role of storage and demand management and the impact of physical design options such as different operating pressures in different parts of the system. The aim will be to seek to retain the same basic operational philosophy as the network expands. The output of the work will be a preferred control and operating strategy and an understanding of the constraints on design and operation of the physical system to inform the design of a realistic network. Work package 4 will produce and cost a practical network design including pipeline routing and environment and practical constraints. Existing data and the emerging conclusions from on system design and operation will be combined to produce a practical physical design routed in sufficient detail to allow construction cost estimates (+/- 30%) to be made together with an estimate of the timeline for detailed engineering and construction. Environmental scoping will include constraint mapping, mitigation options and scoping of key consenting and permitting issues relating to network construction and operation. The associated costs and timeline will be estimated. Work Package 5 will provide overall coordination and reporting of the work including interactions with key stakeholders. Strong interactions with Cadent are expected throughout to inform the technical direction of the work. Key stakeholders consulted will include industrial consumers, local planning authorities and the Planning Inspectorate and the Environment Agency The Programme is scheduled to be completed in 12 months The primary focus of the project will be to develop an operational and control philosophy for a new hydrogen pipeline network. The results are intended to apply all hydrogen networks adopted by (all) the UK GD networks, with a secondary focus on network design and how this is to be integrated by the network Licensees moving forward. The analysis will concentrate on the operation of a new hydrogen network. The impact on the design of a new hydrogen distribution network (which will transport 100% hydrogen), and supply hydrogen: • Injected as a blend (with natural gas) into the existing GD network;• Supplied to industry following conversion from fossil fuels to hydrogen;• Supplied to major power generation sites for flexible power generation (to balance intermittent generation from renewables);• Supplied for use by vehicles, to displace demand for petrol and diesel;• Stored in underground engineered geological structures to enable supply during peak periods of demand;The work will focus upon network operation and will include analysis of associated infrastructure, including gas compression and blending. The work will complement and draw upon analysis from wider work currently being undertaken by Cadent. Whilst predominantly desk-based, the work will include a range of site visits and meetings to determine the system design. It will also require local stakeholder engagement, as described above.The work will be led by Progressive Energy on behalf of Cadent, with the use of sub-contractors, WSP, Saith, and RSK.The nature of the work and methods applied when looking at the operation and control of a hydrogen pipeline can be applied across all GDN areas. All GDNs are considering the deployment of low carbon hydrogen to reduce emissions from gas use. New hydrogen distribution systems will be need to be designed and operated and this work will inform the planning of strategies by GDNs in relation to the distribution of hydrogen for heat, power and mobility within their networks. The overarching objective of this work is to develop operational and system control philosophies for hydrogen networks, testing practicality against possible early designs for a multi-user network. To support this objective, there are a range of task-oriented sub-objectives, which can be summarised as follows:• To achieve this requires consideration of the range of possible operating strategies to control a system involving users with a variety of demand profiles, and the impact of expanding the system, • The selection and development of appropriate system design and operational control philosophies for the network;• Understanding the practical implications, impact on network design and associated costs, including on pipeline routing, with the associated environmental issues, linking multiple network users
Abstract	The methodology is to call on experienced subcontractors and combine this with design experience of a Hynet multi-consumer hydrogen network. The work will focus on the issues associated with operating such multi-consumer hydrogen networks.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	09/11/22