Provision of electrolytic hydrogen for the electrification of industry in urban and regional energy systems
Doktorsavhandling, 2026
This thesis investigates how urban and regional energy systems are impacted by large-scale industrial electrification supplied with electrolytically produced hydrogen. Three urban areas with hydrogen-intense industries are studied both as a separate energy system and as part of a Swedish region. The municipalities can be connected by investments in hydrogen pipelines, and for the regional scope, hydrogen can also be produced at sites other than the hydrogen demand nodes. Furthermore, three different ways to include gas dynamics when transporting hydrogen through pipelines in energy system optimisation models are evaluated in this thesis.
The future demand for electrolytically produced hydrogen is cost-efficiently met with investments in on-shore and off-shore wind power, over-sized electrolysers, and underground hydrogen storage units. Wind power is complemented with investments in solar PV power, combined heat and power plants, gas turbines, and electricity imports. For the geographical scope investigated, access to electricity import capacity reinforcements or investments in wind power are needed to meet the demand for electrolytic hydrogen in a cost-efficient manner. When neither of these technology options is available, the total system cost is 18% higher than if both are in place. Having access to either electricity import reinforcements or off-shore wind power increases the cost by about 4% compared to not having either option.
In the studied region, investments in pipelines remain cost-efficient under a wide range of assumptions. For the three municipalities, all of which have hydrogen-based industries, investments in pipelines result in more-centralised hydrogen production in the node with good availability of both electricity imports and off-shore wind power. For the regional energy system, investments in pipelines moves hydrogen production to sites with on-shore wind power, although the hydrogen demand node with strong access to both wind power and electricity imports continues to have the largest electrolyser capacity. The possibility to collaborate across the region through hydrogen pipelines reduces the total system cost by 21%, while having both pipelines and power line reinforcements reduces the cost by 23%, as compared to not allowing for either power line reinforcements or pipeline investments.
Including the gas dynamics in the energy system models results in a more-constrained flow of hydrogen, making the pipelines less flexible in terms of how fast the flow can be changed. Moreover, the impact of accounting for the gas dynamics in the energy system configuration is found to be dependent upon the roles of the pipelines. When pipelines provide a way to manage variable hydrogen production based on solar and wind power through rapid changes in the hydrogen flow between municipalities, accounting for the gas dynamics impacts investments in off-shore wind power and electrolysers. In addition, underground hydrogen storage units are distributed such that the municipalities become more self-sufficient. When pipelines primarily provide uni-directional bulk energy, including the gas dynamics in the modelling has a limited impact on production and storage technology investments, as well as pipeline capacities.
The future demand for electrolytically produced hydrogen is cost-efficiently met with investments in on-shore and off-shore wind power, over-sized electrolysers, and underground hydrogen storage units. Wind power is complemented with investments in solar PV power, combined heat and power plants, gas turbines, and electricity imports. For the geographical scope investigated, access to electricity import capacity reinforcements or investments in wind power are needed to meet the demand for electrolytic hydrogen in a cost-efficient manner. When neither of these technology options is available, the total system cost is 18% higher than if both are in place. Having access to either electricity import reinforcements or off-shore wind power increases the cost by about 4% compared to not having either option.
In the studied region, investments in pipelines remain cost-efficient under a wide range of assumptions. For the three municipalities, all of which have hydrogen-based industries, investments in pipelines result in more-centralised hydrogen production in the node with good availability of both electricity imports and off-shore wind power. For the regional energy system, investments in pipelines moves hydrogen production to sites with on-shore wind power, although the hydrogen demand node with strong access to both wind power and electricity imports continues to have the largest electrolyser capacity. The possibility to collaborate across the region through hydrogen pipelines reduces the total system cost by 21%, while having both pipelines and power line reinforcements reduces the cost by 23%, as compared to not allowing for either power line reinforcements or pipeline investments.
Including the gas dynamics in the energy system models results in a more-constrained flow of hydrogen, making the pipelines less flexible in terms of how fast the flow can be changed. Moreover, the impact of accounting for the gas dynamics in the energy system configuration is found to be dependent upon the roles of the pipelines. When pipelines provide a way to manage variable hydrogen production based on solar and wind power through rapid changes in the hydrogen flow between municipalities, accounting for the gas dynamics impacts investments in off-shore wind power and electrolysers. In addition, underground hydrogen storage units are distributed such that the municipalities become more self-sufficient. When pipelines primarily provide uni-directional bulk energy, including the gas dynamics in the modelling has a limited impact on production and storage technology investments, as well as pipeline capacities.
hydrogen pipelines
Industry electrification
municipal energy systems
regional energy systems
energy systems modelling
hydrogen
KA-salen, Kemigården 4
Opponent: Professor Erik Delarue, KU Leuven, Belgium
Författare
Sofia Rosén
Chalmers, Rymd-, geo- och miljövetenskap, Energiteknik
S. Rosén, P. Prianto, L. Göransson, M. Lehtveer, M. Taljegard, N. Mattsson, F. Johnsson. (2026). Electricity and hydrogen grids to facilitate future regional industrial electrification
Industrin har en viktig roll i att minska Sveriges utsläpp. För att nå klimatmålen behöver processer som idag använder fossila råvaror ställas om. På västkusten finns kemiindustrier och raffinaderier som använder olja och naturgas för att framställa bränslen, kemikalier och plast. Vätgas är en viktig råvara i dagens processer och kan även användas framåt för att producera exempelvis elektrobränslen och för att återvinna plast. Idag framställs vätgas framför allt från fossil naturgas, men den kan också produceras med elektrolysörer, där vatten delas upp i vätgas och syrgas med hjälp av el. Detta innebär dock ett ökat elbehov.
Med hjälp av energisystemmodeller undersöks hur industrins framtida behov av vätgas från elektrolys kan mötas och hur det omgivande energisystemet påverkas. Resultaten visar att det ökade elbehovet mest kostnadseffektivt kan mötas genom en kombination av elimport och ny vindkraft. Eftersom vätgasproduktionen kan anpassas efter tillgången på el kan vätgas produceras när elen är billig och lagras i bergrum för att användas senare samtidigt som industrin kan få en jämn tillförsel av vätgas. Vätgasledningar bidrar också till en kostnadseffektiv lösning genom att möjliggöra vätgasproduktion där tillgången till vindkraft och elimport är god, för att sedan transportera vätgasen till industrierna. Forskningen visar hur samordning av el- och vätgasproduktion, lagring och distribution kan bidra till en kostnadseffektiv omställning av industrin.
Med hjälp av energisystemmodeller undersöks hur industrins framtida behov av vätgas från elektrolys kan mötas och hur det omgivande energisystemet påverkas. Resultaten visar att det ökade elbehovet mest kostnadseffektivt kan mötas genom en kombination av elimport och ny vindkraft. Eftersom vätgasproduktionen kan anpassas efter tillgången på el kan vätgas produceras när elen är billig och lagras i bergrum för att användas senare samtidigt som industrin kan få en jämn tillförsel av vätgas. Vätgasledningar bidrar också till en kostnadseffektiv lösning genom att möjliggöra vätgasproduktion där tillgången till vindkraft och elimport är god, för att sedan transportera vätgasen till industrierna. Forskningen visar hur samordning av el- och vätgasproduktion, lagring och distribution kan bidra till en kostnadseffektiv omställning av industrin.
Industry plays an important role in reducing Sweden’s emissions. Achieving climate targets requires the transformation of industrial processes that currently rely on fossil feedstocks. Sweden’s west coast is home to chemical industries and refineries that use oil and natural gas to produce fuels, chemicals and plastics. Hydrogen is an important feedstock in today’s processes and can also be used in the future to produce, for example, electrofuels and to recycle plastics. Today, hydrogen is primarily produced from fossil natural gas, but it can also be produced using electrolysers, which split water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity. However, this increases electricity demand.
Energy system models are used to investigate how future industrial demand for electrolytic hydrogen can be met and how the surrounding energy system is affected. The results show that the increased electricity demand can be met most cost-effectively through a combination of electricity imports and new wind power. Since hydrogen production can be adjusted according to electricity availability, hydrogen can be produced when electricity is cheap and stored in underground rock caverns for later use, while ensuring a steady supply of hydrogen to industry. Hydrogen pipelines also contribute to a cost-effective solution by enabling hydrogen to be produced in locations with good access to wind power and electricity imports, and then transported to industrial facilities. This research demonstrates how the coordination of hydrogen and electricity production, storage and distribution can contribute to a cost-effective industrial transition.
Energy system models are used to investigate how future industrial demand for electrolytic hydrogen can be met and how the surrounding energy system is affected. The results show that the increased electricity demand can be met most cost-effectively through a combination of electricity imports and new wind power. Since hydrogen production can be adjusted according to electricity availability, hydrogen can be produced when electricity is cheap and stored in underground rock caverns for later use, while ensuring a steady supply of hydrogen to industry. Hydrogen pipelines also contribute to a cost-effective solution by enabling hydrogen to be produced in locations with good access to wind power and electricity imports, and then transported to industrial facilities. This research demonstrates how the coordination of hydrogen and electricity production, storage and distribution can contribute to a cost-effective industrial transition.
Modellering av stadens energiomställning
Göteborg Energi AB (ES02), 2021-11-01 -- 2024-10-31.
Drivkrafter
Hållbar utveckling
Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2025)
Energiteknik
Energisystem
DOI
10.63959/chalmers.dt/5962
ISBN
978-91-8103-505-6
Doktorsavhandlingar vid Chalmers tekniska högskola. Ny serie: 5962
Utgivare
Chalmers
KA-salen, Kemigården 4
Opponent: Professor Erik Delarue, KU Leuven, Belgium