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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_NGN_420
Title	Visualising the opportunity for pipeline hydrogen for mobility applications
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas) 10%; Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Hydrogen, Hydrogen transport and distribution) 90%;
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 Northern Gas Networks
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 May 2023
End Date	31 October 2023
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£99,450
Industrial Sectors	Energy
Region	Yorkshire & Humberside
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , Northern Gas Networks (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Northern Gas Networks (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_NGN_420
Objectives	"This section should set out the Method or Methods that will be used in order to provide a Solution to the Problem. The type of Method should be identified where possible, eg technical or commercial.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 method to solve this problem is split across three work packages which are outlined in detail below.WP1: Hydogen Demand Areeg and secure transport modes and data sets.Develop 5-years incremental scenarios and sensitivities for demand uptake.Generate update optimised station locations.Refine fuel station capital and operating input assumptions and projections. WP2: Conversion of gas grid Create H2 Production hub assumptions.Gather data on proposed conversion and new h2 pipeline infrastructure.Identify sections which are suitable to hydrogen dispensing.Optimise station suply methods to minimise system cost. WP3: Visualising outputs Hold stakeholder workshops to understand user needscreate a concept illustrating a shared understanding of the models capabilitis.build and debug the visualisation modelDemonstrate and train end users on the model. WP1 Modelling Hydrogen transport demand In the Future Role of Gas Project, Element Energy built a model that identified hydrogen demand from hydrogen heavy good vehicles and suggested station locations to meet that demand in 2050. The image below illustrates an output of this work. We propose to build on this modelling framework to add in additional land-based vehicle modes that are expected to demand significant volumes of hydrogen in a net zero world including, buses, coaches, refuse collection vehicles and trains. We will develop temporal snapshots of how this demand emerges and use the modelling logic built from the Future Role of Gas Project which takes into account vehicle depots, common destinations (e.g. ports or warehouses) and routing data (major motorway data) to identify optimal regions (within a 3km radius) for hydrogen refuelling stations to serve this demand. This will take into account the nature of the duty cycles of vehicles e.g. back to base cases for city buses or motorway tramping for heavy trucks. Figure 1 Visualisation of the HRS network for hydrogen trucks in 2050 WP2 Modelling the conversion of the gas grid to hydrogen The Future Roll of Gas project established an agreed narrative with gas network operators for the conversion of the UK grid to hydrogen. See below for the narrative of gas grid conversion: “From the early 2020s small sections of the gas grid are converted to 100% hydrogen to demonstrate the long-term feasibility of this approach. From 2023 hydrogen blending into the grid begins in small regions limited by production capacity. From the late 2020s hydrogen begins to be blended at scale into larger areas of the gas network from large production sites in the Phase 1 regions to decarbonise heating and industry, although hydrogen blend percentages are still low at this point due to limited production capacity. Due to outstanding questions around the feasibility of deblending hydrogen, due to equipment footprint, ability to locate near transport refuelling sites and cost, for use in transport applications, this has not been factored into this analysis. As a result, early piped hydrogen is assumed only to supply domestic and industrial buildings for heat. At this time larger trial of100% hydrogen networks are also expected in regions where production capacity and network architecture allow. Between 2030 and 2035 the percentage of hydrogen blended in the major industrial cluster regions continues to increase and blends also start to be delivered to Phase 2 regions. Growing sections of the major industrial cluster regions convert to 100% hydrogen, allowing some new HRS to be fed directly from the grid. Between 2035 and 2040, 100% hydrogen clusters in the industrial hub regions are connected up allowing whole industrial cluster regions to convert to 100% hydrogen. The blending levels in densely populated regions continues to increase and growing sections of the those regions convert to 100% hydrogen. This coincides with the development of the first very large HRS which can only be practically supplied through pipeline. Between 2040 and 2045 most of the densely population regions have completed conversion to dispense 100% hydrogen with the final areas of the grid converted by 2050” Figure 2 Visualisation of the major centres of demand for HGV hydrogen demand Since the report, there has been an acceleration in ambition of the hydrogen conversion and the prospect of large volumes of hydrogen production is becoming increasing likely due to recent government targets for 2GW of hydrogen production and the £240 million Net Zero Hydrogen Production fund to support this. In addition, hydrogen deblending technology readiness level is rapidly improving (driven in party by Cadent Gass Hy4Transport project and National Grids SIF deblending project) and business case of hydrogen deblending and purification is becoming increasingly viable. In this work package, we will use GIS shape files of the existing gas grid and identify sections of the gas grid which are high pressure and high volume enough to practically and economically supply deblended hydrogen (medium term) and pure hydrogen in future. In addition, we will use shape files from the newly emerging 100% hydrogen distribution projects including HyNet, East Coast Hydrogen and Project Union to develop snapshots through time of the regions of the gas grid which could economically supply hydrogen to transport customers. WP3 Visualising the synergy between the gas grid and the hydrogen network We will develop a tool to allow interested parties in the Northern Power House 11 region to visualise modelling results that are relevant to them. We will work with Northern Gas Networks and TfN to create a prioritised list of potential users for the model (e.g. GDNOs, Hydrogen Vehicle Operators, Hydrogen Station Builders, and Transport Authorities). Note that each additional user type adds complexity to the technical architecture and cost of the visualisation model. Therefore, we will hold workshops with the highest-priority users to understand the specific functionality that they would most value from the visualisation. We will use these workshops to create a concept paper for the modelling visualisation tool which sets out what we will deliver within the budget that is agreed for the project. This will include information such as: Mock ups of how the user interface of the tool looks to test desired user interaction The data sets and vehicle types that will be included in the model User stories of what users want to do with the tool. Examples of questions uses will be able to answer We will share this concept paper with TfN and Northern Gas Networks and organise a workshop that includes the modelling teams and project managers from TfN, NGN and EE (and any other key stakeholders) to discuss the suitability of the functionality of the model and confirm that the proposed modelling architecture is compatible with all companies licenses and competences. This process will be iterative with features added, removed, and prioritised to ensure that the model can be built within the agreed-upon visualisation budget. We will begin building the tool based on the final agreed-upon scope for the visualisation. We will hold period catch-up calls with the TfN and Northern Gas Networks teams to present progress and receive feedback. Once the model is completed, we will organise a workshop with chosen partners to train them on how to effectively use the model and will remain available to fix any bugs which become clear during the early user testing. Note: Element Energy will retain the IP for the product to facilitate ongoing maintenance, debugging and support." "The projects geographic scope focuses predominantly on the Norther Powerhouse 11 regions of the UK.There is a wide recognition that the gas networks need to convert to carrying hydrogen to avoid becoming redundant in a net zero world, costing taxpayers many billions in national infrastructure stranding costs. Gas networks are taking steps along this journey which opens up additional opportunities for revenue by retailing into the transport systems. Economic benefits Element Energys cost-benefit analysis shows a clear economic benefit from supplying hydrogen via pipeline to suitable transport uses over ~500kgH2/day for ~50 heavy-duty vehicles. A 3km pipeline has the capacity to reduce the pump price of hydrogen by ~£0.3/H2kg compared to compressed gas tube trailer delivery at a cost of ~£5M for the pipeline. Over the course of the stations 15-year life, this will save ~£1.2M in fuel costs. At todays diesel price, this cost reduction could bring unsubsidised green hydrogen to cost parity with diesel on a per-kilometre basis. Simple and conservative modelling has identified 70 sites stations in the North of England which could be conveniently connected to the planned hydrogen gas grid network. If these stations are connected to the gas grid instead of being supplied by tube trailers, it could create ~£3.3 billion in added value to the NP11s gas network operators over the lifetime of the station network. Environmental benefits In addition to the environmental benefits achieved by converting the gas grid to hydrogen, hydrogen mobility has the capacity to drastically reduce emissions and air and noise pollution from heavy-duty transport. Hydrogen that is compliant with the clean hydrogen standard and supplied by pipeline to heavy-duty fuel cell transport applications would reduce the carbon emissions in heavy transport by ~98%. With the sale of diesel engines for heavy duty applications becoming illegal after 2035 hydrogen trucks can expect to capture a significant proportion of the 40,000 diesel truck sales by 2035 abating millions of tonnes of CO2 and driving significant improvement in local air and noise pollution. " "The key output for this project will be a simple visualisation tool for the Northern Powerhouse 11 region for the interface between hydrogen mobility and the natural gas grid networks. Our major objectives for the tool are:- Brings comfort to users of a cross-sectoral consensus.- Something immediately practicalfor a range of high priority users in planning the net zero transition of fleets. - Provides a robust evidence base with which to influence national Government/policy. - Presents the best way forward in terms of capturing the wider clean growth opportunity for the North and its communities. We know that the NP11 organisation (representing the 11 Northern LEPs) has been working on an economic analysis and delivery plan for their Net Zero North Prospectus and have identified two relevant priority interventions: Shared hydrogen and transport and storage infrastructure and Identifying supply chain gaps and opportunities across the North, for the production and use of hydrogen, and producing recommendations for greater co-ordination. We can expect strong interest in, and support for, our work from the Northern LEPs. - Forms a robust basis from which we can realise further work looking at integrated storage and supply consideration and demands from aviation."
Abstract	This project will model the hydrogen mobility and hydrogen gas grid networks with the key output being a dynamic visualisation tool which will support the co-development of the hydrogen gas grid and hydrogen heavy transport sectors. The model will compare the locations of existing and planned hydrogen gas network infrastructure and projected future hydrogen transport demand. The tool will allow users to visualise the likely hydrogen transport demands and hydrogen gas grid locations to identify high potential future sites for gas grid connected hydrogen refuelling stations.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	01/11/23