Hydrogen: The New Hope of Clean Energy
24 September 2024
It cannot be seen, but it is all around us; it is the new hope of clean energy of the future. ‘Hydrogen’ is the most abundant element in the universe with unlimited sources. Through synthesis and combustion, hydrogen produces only water and oxygen, which are safe for the environment. In addition to being a fuel, it can be stored by way of Hydrogen Energy Storage System (HESS) and used to generate electricity through fuel cell. Hydrogen can also store energy by transforming into other substances, such as ammonia, methanol, methane, therefore meeting the goal of energy security. With considerable potential for energy development, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) responsible for national power system security has continuously studied how to produce blue hydrogen and green hydrogen without carbon dioxide emissions throughout the production process, and has plans to test it in actual electricity generation as well.
‘Green Hydrogen,’ the Next Step of Clean Energy from Nature
Energy from natural wind and sunlight is abundant, but it is also unstable. When renewable energy is used to produce hydrogen through the process of splitting water molecules with electricity (electrolysis), the result is green hydrogen that can be used to generate electricity, creating energy stability and security. EGAT has piloted the storage of electricity from wind turbines (as wind is abundant during the night) in the form of hydrogen, or the Wind Hydrogen Hybrid System coupled with fuel cell with the capacity of 300 kW. Afterwards, the hydrogen can be converted into electricity which is supplied to the EGAT Learning Center – Lam Takong during the day since 2016. Moreover, EGAT cooperated with leading energy companies of Japan, such as Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Ltd., Chiyoda Corporation, and Mitsubishi Company Thailand to study and survey the possibility of producing, storing, and transporting green hydrogen produced from solar power at EGAT’s potential locations in southern Thailand in order to promote hydrogen-related projects and the use of clean energy for the future, in line with the goal of EGAT Carbon Neutrality.
‘Blue Hydrogen,’ the Future of Clean Energy from Coal
To transform fossil fuels into clean energy, EGAT joined with Chiang Mai University to conduct a feasibility study for the project of producing hydrogen from coal through coal gasification to create brown hydrogen; and when coupled with Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS), to create blue hydrogen at Mae Moh Training Center in Lampang Province. Hydrogen will also be tested with solid oxide fuel cell technology for practical use in electricity generation in the future on the basis of value and eco-friendliness. Each unit of electricity generated contributes to the amount of reduced carbon dioxide emissions when compared to the traditional way of generating electricity from coal.
Add Hydrogen for Greater Clean Energy
In addition to using hydrogen to store and generate electricity through fuel cell for energy security, EGAT has plans to combine hydrogen and natural gas (Hydrogen Co-firing) to replace electricity generation from fossil fuels for 5% at gas turbine power plants in operation during 2031-2040. Presently, EGAT has conducted a feasibility study for the project and has signed an agreement with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) specializing in hydrogen technology to study the possibility of combining fuels, and with BIG to study how to store and transfer hydrogen. There are also plans to test combining hydrogen and natural gas for electricity generation at potential EGAT power plants.
‘Hydrogen’ is the new hope for sustainable clean energy. If we can overcome the challenges, such as high production cost and infrastructure development for production, storage, and transportation, it will become an important future energy that helps raise the energy infrastructure standard, enhance power system security, support energy transition in Thailand, and be the key to Thailand to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, creating sustainability for our world.