BP Launches Plans For Low-Carbon Green Hydrogen Cluster In Spain’s Valencia Region
The title of this post is the same as that of this press release from BP.
These are the four bullet points.
- Aims to make Valencia region a leader in green hydrogen production
- Cluster to include world-scale green hydrogen production at bp’s Castellón refinery of up to 2GW of electrolysis capacity by 2030
- Supports transformation and decarbonization of the refinery, together with tripling biofuel production
- Transformation of Castellón could see bp invest up to €2 billion
This is the first paragraph.
bp today launched the green hydrogen cluster of the Valencia region (HyVal) at its Castellón refinery. Led by bp, this public-private collaborative initiative is intended to be based around the phased development of up to 2GW of electrolysis capacity by 2030 for producing green hydrogen at bp’s refinery.
It certainly is a big hydrogen-friendly project and is a roadmap of how to decarbonise an oil refinery.
This massive commitment to hydrogen makes me more certain, that bp’s offshore 50 MW wind farm twenty miles from Aberdeen, is designed to produce hydrogen for the granite city.
Are bp putting together a strategy to bring hydrogen to the world?
After all hydrogen is the only zero-carbon fuel, that can directly replace fuels like natural gas, diesel and many hydrocarbon fuels in a large number of applications.
New Fast Bus Service To Link London’s Outer Boroughs
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the sub-heading.
A new fast service bus network has been announced for London’s outer boroughs.
These three paragraphs outline the concept.
Six new routes will be created and four incorporated into the ‘Superloop’ network, complete with distinct branding.
The plans propose a fast service to make more stops linking many of the peripheral boroughs.
The network is part of London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s effort to compensate for the impact of the ultra-low emission zone expansion, due to start in August.
This draft map from TfL illustrates the concept.
In the draft map, the following can be discerned.
- Arnos Grove station is in the North.
- West Croydon station is in the South.
- Royal Docks and Bexleyheath are in the East.
- Uxbridge and Hayes & Harlington stations are in the West.
- Elizabeth Line stations on the route include Ilford, Custom House, Heathrow Airport and Hayes & Harlington.
The plan may work well, as in the 1950s and 1960s, I used the 107 bus route very regularly, as it cut a circular path between Queensbury in the West and Enfield in the East.
I have some thoughts.
Royal Docks And Bexleyheath
This Google Map shows the Royal Docks.
Note.
- The dotted red line indicates the Royal Docks.
- The runway of the London City Airport can be seen.
- Custom House station on the Elizabeth Line is served by the Elizabeth Line and the Docklands Light Railway.
This second Google Map shows the Western end of the Royal Victoria Dock.
Note.
- Custom House station is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The Excel is on the East end of the map.
- London City Hall is at the Western end of the Royal Victoria Dock.
- The cable-car to Greenwich connects to the area.
I would suspect that the bus from Walthamstow will terminate close to City Hall and the cable-car.
This Google Map shows the Royal Docks and Bexleyheath.
Note.
- The dotted red line indicates the Royal Docks.
- Bexleyheath station is in the South-East corner of the map.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Mayor organise a bus, through his new pet project; the Silvertown Tunnel.
Electric Or Hydrogen
Ideally, the buses will need to be zero-carbon; which means battery-electric or some form of hydrogen power.
Birmingham has a similar series of express routes, that run across the city, which I wrote about in Riding Birmingham’s New Hydrogen-Powered Buses.
I feel that long routes like some of these are should be run with hydrogen-powered buses, because of there longer range.
Further Thoughts On BP’s Successful INTOG Bid
I have been searching the web and I feel BP’s successful INTOG bid may be different.
In 13 Offshore Wind Projects Selected In World’s First Innovation And Targeted Oil & Gas Leasing Round, I decided that BP’s bid, which only was for 50 MW of offshore wind would generate hydrogen and send it to shore through the Forties Pipeline System, which is owned by INEOS.
My reasons for feeling that it would generate hydrogen were as follows.
- In the wider picture of wind in the North Sea, BP’s proposed 50 MW wind farm is a miniscule one. SSE Renewables’s Dogger Bank wind farm is over a hundred times as large.
- A cable to the shore and substation for just one 50 MW wind farm would surely be expensive.
- BP Alternative Energy Investments are also developing a 2.9 GW wind farm some sixty miles to the South.
- It would probably be bad financial planning to put large and small wind farms so close together.
I still believe for these and other reasons, that there is no reason to believe that the proposed 50 MW wind farm is a traditional wind farm and most likely it will be paired with an appropriately-sized electrolyser producing around twenty tonnes of hydrogen per day.
But instead of being sent ashore by using the Forties Pipeline System, could this hydrogen be sent directly to the coast near Aberdeen, in its own personal hydrogen pipeline?
- Using a variety of maps, I have estimated the distance at only around twenty miles.
- With all the experience from BP and their suppliers, there must be a solution for a relatively short hydrogen pipeline.
I also found this scientific paper on ScienceDirect, which is entitled Dedicated Large-Scale Floating Offshore Wind To Hydrogen: Assessing Design Variables In Proposed Typologies, which talks about three different layouts.
- Centralised Onshore Electrolysis
- Decentralised Offshore Electrolysis
- Centralised Offshore Electrolysis
All would appear to be feasible.
There is a lot of information in the scientific paper and it leads me to the conclusion, that hydrogen could be generated offshore and transferred by pipeline to storage on the shore.
The paper shows a design for a submarine hydrogen pipeline and schematics of how to design a system.
I believe that BP’s proposed system could deliver around twenty tonnes of hydrogen per day to the shore.
The system could be as simple as this.
- A few large floating wind turbines would be positioned offshore, perhaps twenty miles from shore.
- Perhaps 5 x 10 MW, 4 x 12 MW turbines or 3 x 16 MW could be used. Deciding would be one of those calculations, that combines accountancy, data, engineering and finance, which are great fun.
- The offshore distance would be carefully chosen, so that complaints about seeing them from the shore would be minimised.
- The generated electricity would be collected at a floating electrolyser, where hydrogen would be created.
- The hydrogen would be pumped to the shore.
- The floating electrolyser could also contain hydrogen storage.
I think there is large scope for innovation.
- I can imagine drones and helicopters delivering equipment and personnel to service the electrolyser.
- Underwater hydrogen storage could be developed.
- A standard system could be developed for rolling out anywhere.
- It could be placed in the sea, by a steelworks or other large hydrogen user.
In its own right the concept would develop new markets, which is one of the wind farm’s aims.
Could This Be The Route To Create Affordable Hydrogen For All?
BP would be failing their customers, employees and shareholders, if they weren’t developing a zero-carbon alternative to diesel and petrol.
Offshore hydrogen electrolysers strategically placed along the coastline, could provide a reliable hydrogen supply to a that sizeable proportion of the world’s population, who live near to the coast.
Could The Technology Be Adapted To Motorway And Large Service Stations?
This document on the UK Government web site, gives the mileage statistics of lorries (HGVs) and has this sub-heading.
In 2019 lorries travelled 17.4 billion vehicle miles, remaining broadly stable (increasing slightly by 0.3%) compared with 2018.
It breaks this figure down, by the class of road.
- Motorways – 8.0 – 46 %
- A Roads – 6.3 – 36 %
- Rural Minor Roads – 0.9 – 5 %
- Urban A Roads – 1.5 – 9 %
- Urban Minor Roads – 0.7 – 4 %
Note that 82 % of HGV mileage is on Motorways or A roads. Anybody, who has ever driven a truck bigger than a Ford Transit over a distance of upwards of fifty miles, knows that trucks and vans regularly need to be fuelled up on the road. And that applies to the drivers too, who also by law must take a break, away from the cab.
Charging an electric truck could be a lengthy business and would require service stations to be connected directly to the nation grid and be fitted with a substantial number of heavy duty chargers.
One thing, that would be difficult with an electric truck, would be a Splash-and-Dash, if a truck was nearing the destination and needed a small amount of charging to meet delivery schedules.
Because of the distances involved, the driving rules, the often tight schedules and the fast filling, I am convinced that there will be a large proportion of hydrogen-powered trucks and vans on the road and these will need a network of service stations where hydrogen is available.
Look at these overhead view of South Mimms Services, where the M25 and the A1(M) cross to the North of London.
I would envisage that at least four 10 MW wind turbines, which have a rotor diameter of around 160-190 metres could be dotted around and inside the site including inside the roundabout.
- The electrolyser would be slightly smaller than that which would be used at Aberdeen.
- Perhaps fifteen tons per day of hydrogen could be generated.
- No hydrogen needed on the site would ever be brought in by truck.
- Wind-generated electricity could also power the hotels, restaurants and the service station.
- As the percentage of vehicles running on fossil fuels decreased, the air quality in the area of the service station, should increase.
- How many people, who lived locally would switch to a hydrogen-powered runabout and fill it up perhaps once a week, when they passed?
Much of the technology needed to add a hydrogen option to a typical large service station has already been developed and some would also be needed to build BP’s 50 MW offshore wind farm with an electrolyser.
Ricardo Supports Industry Leaders To Develop Innovative Dedicated Hydrogen Engine
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Ricardo.
This is the sub-heading.
Ricardo, a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consulting company, has delivered a hydrogen-fuelled research engine to global engine specialist Cummins and automotive supplier BorgWarner, as part of Project BRUNEL part funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)
These four paragraphs outline the project.
Cummins is a global specialist in diesel and alternative fuel engines and generators, and related components and technology. BorgWarner is an automotive tier 1 supplier and specialist in the design and manufacture of systems for electrified and conventional propulsion types, that includes injection equipment for conventional and renewable fuels. BorgWarner recently announced the intention to spin off its Fuel Systems segment. The intended company name is PHINIA Inc. PHINIA is expected to be a product leader in fuel systems, starters, alternators and aftermarket distribution.
The project aims to support internal combustion engine (ICE) sub-system suppliers to increase their use of hydrogen as an alternative zero-emissions fuel solution across the light commercial vehicle market.
The engine is specifically designed to burn only hydrogen – with no supporting fuels that could give rise to any carbonaceous, or excessive air quality emissions.
Experts in hydrogen technology and integration, Ricardo has provided an engine based upon its world-renowned series of single cylinder research units, which can help the research teams evaluate a wide variety of fuels. The engine is designed to help engineers evaluate a variety of injector types and will support increased fuel efficiency, reduced air quality emissions and the move towards carbon-free heavy-duty propulsion.
Reports of the death of the internal combustion engine are greatly exaggerated.
The Aims Of The Project
This talks about the light commercial market, which for Cummins means, that this engine could be a replacement for their B Series engine, which is described in Wikipedia like this.
In production since 1984, the B series engine family is intended for multiple applications on and off-highway, light-duty, and medium-duty. In the automotive industry, it is best known for its use in school buses, public service buses (most commonly the Dennis Dart and the Alexander Dennis Enviro400) in the United Kingdom, and Dodge/Ram pickup trucks.
A version is also used in London’s New Routemaster buses.
Speculation About A Hydrogen-Powered Dodge Ram Pickup
This article on Mopar Insiders is entitled Next-Gen Ram Heavy Duty Could Feature Cummins Hydrogen Powerplant!
It has this sub-heading.
Fast Refuel Times, Extended Range, & Zero-Emissions…
Sounds great for wide open spaces.
I’ve also read in an interview with a retiring Cummins Executive, who said that Dodge RAM trucks are being converted to hydrogen by enthusiasts.
Could New Routemasters Be Converted To Hydrogen?
In the Wikipedia entry for the Cummins B Series engine, this is said about the engine in a New Routemaster.
The 4.5L ISB is essentially a four-cylinder, two-thirds version of the 6.7L ISB rated at 185 hp (138 kW), used in the New Routemaster, a series hybrid diesel-electric doubledecker bus in London.
Having worked in the Cummins factory at Darlington, I know they are happy to produce specials for a particular application, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a hydrogen-powered New Routemaster created by an engine and fuel system transplant.
Conclusion
The tie-up between Cummins, BorgWarner and Ricardo could be significant.
American power with a touch of Sussex finesse.
Electric Cars Are A Dead End!
When you introduce any product to the general population, you must think of all the consequences.
I found these statistics on the RAC Foundation web site.
There were 33.2 million cars (81.3 per cent), 4.63 million LGVs (11.3 per cent), 0.54 million HGVs (1.3 per cent), 1.46 million motorcycles (3.6 per cent), 0.15 million buses & coaches (0.4 per cent) and 0.84 million other vehicles (2 per cent) licensed at the end of September 2022.
Could anybody please tell me how the average guy or gal, who owns one of those 33.2 million cars is going to be able to afford to replace it, find a convenient place to park and charge it and go and visit their mum in say Scunthorpe from Plymouth?
We are going down a massive dead end!
The only sensible alternative is internal combustion engines running on hydrogen, many of which could be converted from existing diesel engines.
But only a few councils have a hydrogen policy, with the biggest disgrace being London, where the Mayor’s hydrogen policy, is to ignore it and hope it will go away.London has an air quality problem, which is not helped by large numbers of HGVs in the centre.
The technology exists to convert HGVs to hydrogen and it would be possible to insist that all vehicles over a certain weight were zero-carbon. But as London has no plans for hydrogen, it can’t happen.
Vote Hydrogen for Mayor in May 2024, to improve London’s air quality.
Notes.
- To replace 33.2 million cars with electric ones would cost 1660 billion pounds, assuming each electric car costs fifty grand.
- As most electric cars are not made in the UK, what would happen to our balance of payments?
- On average an electric car needs 63 kilos of lithium for its battery, so 33.2 million will need over two million tonnes of lithium.
RWE Underlines Commitment To Floating Offshore Wind In The Celtic Sea Through New ‘Vision’ Document
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from RWE.
These are the three bullet points.
- Offshore floating wind in the Celtic Sea could unlock 3,000 jobs and £682 million in supply chain opportunities by 2030
- RWE is targeting the development at least 1GW of floating wind in the region
- Using experience from demonstrator projects and partnerships with local supply chain to strengthen ambitions
These opening three paragraphs outline more of RWE’s vision.
RWE, the world’s second largest offshore wind player and largest generator of clean power in Wales, has unveiled its vision for the future of floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea region and the opportunities it presents from new large-scale, commercial projects. Entitled “RWE’s Vision for the Celtic Sea”, the document was unveiled during day one of the Marine Energy Wales conference, in Swansea, where RWE is the Platinum Sponsor.
RWE sees floating wind technology as the next frontier in the development of the offshore wind sector, and which could potentially unlock a multi-billion pound opportunity for the broader Celtic Sea region and the UK.
Studies anticipate the first GW of floating wind to be developed in the Celtic Sea could potentially deliver around 3,000 jobs and £682 million in supply chain opportunities for Wales and the south west of England. Against this backdrop, it’s anticipated the technology could unlock a resurgence in Welsh industry, helping to decarbonise industry and transport, spur on academic innovation, and spearhead the growth of a new, highly skilled workforce.
Reading further down, there are these statements.
- RWE will be bidding in the upcoming Celtic Sea auction with the aim of securing at least 1 gigawatt (GW) of installed capacity, to be developed throughout the 2020’s.
- The Celtic Sea region is pivotal to RWE’s ‘Growing Green’ strategy in the UK, where we expect to invest £15 billion in clean energy infrastructure by 2030.
- A cooperation agreement with Tata SteelUK to understand and explore the production of steel components that could be used in high-tech floating wind foundations and structures for projects in the Celtic Sea.
- The company has also signed agreements with ABP Port Talbot, the Port of Milford Haven and Marine Power Systems of Swansea, to explore opportunities for building the supply chain for floating wind.
- RWE is the largest power producer and renewable energy generator in Wales with more than 3GW of energy across 11 sites.
- If successful in the leasing round, RWE’s Celtic Sea projects will also play a key role in the development of RWE’s Pembroke Net Zero Centre, as well as decarbonizing wider industrial processes and transportation across South Wales.
It looks like RWE are very serious about the Celtic Sea and Pembrokeshire.
Pembroke Net Zero Centre
The Pembroke Net Zero Centre looks to be a powerful beast.
It will be located at the 2200 MW Pembroke power station, which is the largest gas-fired power station in Europe.
These are the first two paragraphs on its web page.
RWE is a world leader in renewables, a market leader in the development of offshore wind and a key driver of the global energy transition. In turn, Pembroke is looking to continue its transformation as part of a decarbonisation hub under the title of the PNZC, linking-up with new innovative technologies needed for a low carbon future, including hydrogen production, Carbon Capture and Storage and floating offshore wind.
The PNZC will bring together all areas of the company’s decarbonisation expertise, including innovation, offshore wind, power engineering, trading and the development/operation of highly technical plants.
The page also talks of burning hydrogen in the power station and an initial 100-300 MW ‘pathfinder’ electrolyser on the Pembroke site.
Conclusion
In some ways, RWE are following a similar philosophy in the area, to that being pursued by SSE at Keadby on Humberside.
As The Crown Estate is talking of 4 GW in the Celtic Sea, it looks like RWE are positioning Pembroke to be the backup, when the wind doesn’t blow.
The Netherlands Chooses Site For World’s Largest Offshore Wind-to-Hydrogen Project
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on offshoreWIND.biz.
This is the sub-heading.
The Dutch government has designated an area for what will become the world’s largest offshore hydrogen production project. That area is Ten noorden van de Waddeneilanden (the North of the Wadden Islands), identified earlier for offshore wind development and deemed most suitable for providing 500 MW of electrolysis capacity and for the transport of hydrogen to land.
This Google Map shows the Wadden Islands.
Note.
- Groningen is in the South-East corner of the map.
- I wrote about Eemshaven, which is to the North-East of Groningen in The Train Station At The Northern End Of The Netherlands.
- The Wadden or Frisian Islands are along the coast.
The Wadden Islands of the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark are a World Heritage Site.
In Can The UK Have A Capacity To Create Five GW Of Green Hydrogen?, I said the following.
Ryze Hydrogen are building the Herne Bay electrolyser.
- It will consume 23 MW of solar and wind power.
- It will produce ten tonnes of hydrogen per day.
The electrolyser will consume 552 MWh to produce ten tonnes of hydrogen, so creating one tonne of hydrogen needs 55.2 MWh of electricity.
If the Dutch build a 500 MW electrolyser it will produce 217 tonnes of hydrogen per day.
The Dutch Plan For Hydrogen
This 500 MW electrolyser fits well with the The Dutch Plan For Hydrogen.
Lhyfe And Centrica To Develop Offshore Renewable Green Hydrogen In The UK
The title of his post is the same as that of this news item from Centrica.
These are the bullet points.
- Memorandum of Understanding will pave the way for green hydrogen pilot production site at sea
- Energy firms explore large scale partnership in drive to net zero
- Aim for UK to become a global leader in the hydrogen sector
This is the third paragraph, that outlines the objectives of the project.
The pilot will aim to combine Lhyfe’s expertise on green hydrogen production and Centrica’s experience of gas storage and infrastructure to ensure that the hydrogen produced can be safely stored and utilised in the UK. The end result would be proof that an end-to-end hydrogen production, storage, and distribution system is possible in the country.
I have a couple of thoughts.
Offshore Production Of Hydrogen
I remember from the 1960s, when I told friends and my mother, that I worked in a hydrogen factory, some of them asked if it was dangerous.
The Hindenburg and the R 101 had a lot to answer for even forty years later.
But does that fear of hydrogen still exist? If it does, surely building hydrogen electrolysers offshore could be a way of reducing that fear?
There are also other reasons to produce hydrogen offshore.
- The latest electrolysers will work with sea water, which means the water doesn’t need to be desalinated first.
- The hydrogen can be brought ashore and stored using redundant gas infrastructure.
- Using redundant gas infrastructure may be a more affordable way of bringing energy onshore.
- A severe hydrogen leak may be much less dangerous 50 km. offshore. It will quickly disperse and rise into the atmosphere.
The accountants will probably decide.
Do Centrica Have Big Ambitions For Hydrogen?
This is said about Centrica in the news item.
- Centrica is a leading international services and solutions company with ambitious plans across the business to reach net zero by 2045. Centrica have identified hydrogen as playing an essential part in company and UK targets to achieve net zero.
- Centrica Storage are a 100% owned subsidiary of Centrica and own and operate the Rough gas field storage facility, located off the coast of Humberside.
- Centrica has a long-term ambition to turn Rough into the world’s largest hydrogen storage facility in Europe.
Centrica appear to have big ambitions for hydrogen.
Ricardo – The Role Of Hydrogen In The Green Aviation Revolution
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Hydrogen Central.
This is the third paragraph.
The introduction of zero-emission aircraft will enable us to re-think our approach to regional connectivity and the way we currently fly. A recent report by Project NAPKIN stated that zero-carbon emission flight is entirely possible from the middle of this decade on sub-regional routes, on aircraft ranging in size from seven to 19 seats.
It makes a bold statement.
The article is a must read.
DHL Express Determinedly On Course To Achieve Net-Zero Emissions
The title if this post is the same as that of this article on The Lodestar.
This was the introductory paragraph.
DHL Express chief executive John Pearson came out with all guns firing when detailing the firm’s efforts to hit net-zero by 2050, during a press junket this week.
The rest of the article is basically in three sections.
The Use Of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
Summed up by three sentences.
“When it comes to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), we know this is expensive, but we have also put a big chunk of change into this,” he said.
By the end of the year, we want 2% of flights fuelled by SAF.
DHL has bought 15% of all globally available SAF
DHL seem to have a comprehensive policy on the use of SAF.
This reinforces my view that SAF will be important.
Alternative Approaches
This paragraph sums up some of the more alternative approaches DHL are looking at.
SAF use forms only one part of the migration to net-zero: fleet renewal; decarbonising ground handling; a fuel optimisation programme; and the use of electric aircraft, following the successful September trial over Seattle of the Alice e-cargo plane, are all critical.
I suspect there are other alternative approaches.
Fleet Renewal
The last two paragraphs talk about fleet renewal.
Fleet renewal comes after a particularly pronounced moment of growth for the company: it added 10 widebody and 70 small- and medium-body planes during the pandemic.
Described by Boeing as one of the most “fuel-efficient” aircraft on the market, thanks to its twin-engine design, the 777 freighter forms a central part of DHL Express’ renewal plans, said Mr Pearson, adding that 28 were on order.
With 28 777 freighters on order, DHL will need a lot of SAF.
A Last Thought
Given the size of DHL’s fleet, which in their Wikipedia entry is given as 197, seventy-three of which are narrow bodies, I am surprised that no dedicated zero-carbon small or medium-sized cargo aircraft, except for the Alice is under development.
Perhaps, in areas like Europe, this niche is being taken by rail or perhaps by Airbus’s proposed hydrogen-powered ZEROe Turbofan.
I wrote in detail about this hydrogen-powered aircraft in Could An A320 neo Be Rebuilt As A ZEROe Turbofan?.
Airbus say that the passenger version of the ZEROe Turbofan could handle up to 200 passengers, despite having a large hydrogen tank in the rear fuselage.
The cargo capacity of a ZEROe Turbofan would probably be a bit smaller than say the latest Airbus A321 or Boeing 737, but if the hydrogen-powered aircraft was built to accept a stretch, I wouldn’t be surprised to find it was a viable aircraft for DHL, with a fuselage stretch!
It would surely help passengers of future hydrogen-powered aircraft, overcome their fear of an aircraft fueled by hydrogen.
The ZEROe Turbofan is quoted as having a range in excess of two thousand nautical miles, so it would have Europe and North America fairly well covered.
I also wouldn’t rule out use of Airbus’s proposed hydrogen-powered ZEROe Turboprop for flying cargo.
It would have a smaller capacity than the ZEROe Turbofan.
- It would have a useful range of over a thousand nautical miles.
- I feel that both ZEROe aircraft have the same fuselage cross-section, which could ease cargo handling, by using the same equipment for both aircraft.
- I also feel that both ZEROe aircraft will have the same cockpit, which should reduce crew costs.
I feel that smaller cargo aircraft will play a large part in the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft.
If the plans of some companies and individuals work out, hydrogen might be a better alternative financially to SAF.
The Anonymous Widower 