This document discusses using hydrogen as an energy storage solution for Scotland's intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and tidal power. Scotland aims to source 100% of its electricity from renewables by 2020 but intermittent supplies can cause grid instability. Hydrogen is proposed as the only proven technology that can manage intermittent supply at scale. It has a higher energy density than batteries and can store power over long periods with no pollution. The document introduces The Hydrogen Office, a group currently working on projects around sustainable transport and education to advance the use of hydrogen as an energy storage and transportation fuel in Scotland.
3. Setting the Context
• Scotland’s wind and seas hold some of the most concentrated
energy potential in the world
• Scottish Government target of 100% electricity from renewables
by 2020, currently around 33%
• UK has only 1.11 turbines/100km2 c.f. 10.85 in Denmark
• 12,000 media articles written in 2010 but just 400 turbines
installed
• The wind industry now employs >10,000 people, making it
larger than the UK coal industry
• A recent study indicated that almost 50% Scots agreed
Scotland’s energy should come from renewables
6. What are the issues?
• Intermittent supply gives rise to grid instability – intermittent
supply could be 50% of installed capacity by 2020 (Scotland)
• Large fossil plants required to operate at part load to meet
requirements
• Spinning reserve is expensive and carbon intensive
• By 2020 may be times when wholesale electricity is free due to
excess wind, and other times could peak at £1.30/kWh
• Need to consider energy storage to meet 2020 targets
8. Why Hydrogen for Storage?
• Only proven technology that can manage intermittent supply,
other technologies – flow cell batteries, NaS batteries still not
fully proven
• Energy density storage higher for hydrogen vs. normal batteries
– 33kWh/kg (1.97kWh/kg including enclosure),
– 0.16kWh/kg Lithium Ion
– 0.04kWh/kg VRLA Battery
• Benefits: Can store power over long period of time, systems are
compact, no moving parts, no pollution
• Drawbacks: Cost and durability of materials, efficiency...?