3.0

Average Course Rating

This course explores the production and potential use of hydrogen in the near and longer term. The course will cover the relevant technologies, economics, and impact of the production and use of hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives, such as ammonia on reducing carbon emissions. The course first explains how hydrogen has been traditionally produced using fossil fuel and how it is currently used, and then covers why there is an increasing interest in and development of “green hydrogen” projects to produce and use clean hydrogen. “Green” hydrogen is produced by electrolysis, where water is split into hydrogen [and oxygen] using low carbon electricity, ideally from PV and wind (though nuclear may also be possible in some instances). The course will also consider other low carbon sources of hydrogen [such as combining use of natural gas with carbon capture storage and/or use, and alternate methods such as pyrolysis] as well as what determines if and when it makes sense for a particular application and/or end use to use hydrogen. This includes the potential use of hydrogen: (i) as a substitute for traditional uses (e.g., ammonia, methanol, refining); (ii) for a longer duration energy carrier, or form of energy storage, that will help balance demand with the growing variable energy output from PV and wind on longer times [including seasonal differences] and (iii) for a growing number of end uses - as hydrogen or a hydrogen derivatives,- particularly those that are hard to otherwise decarbonize [such as in steel making, aviation, shipping]. Understanding the delivered cost of hydrogen requires a detailed understanding of infrastructure requirements and costs for production, storage and transportation, and course will cover various types of overground and underground storage, and modes of transportation, particularly comparing the use of hydrogen pipelines vs. shipping in some detail.