Environmental Impacts of Hydrogen Production by Hydrothermal Gasification of a Real Biowaste

Hydrogen technology is becoming ever more relevant because hydrogen use can help in containing greenhouse gas emission if CO2 capture and storage technologies are implemented in the hydrogen production pathway (when hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels). This work aims at carrying out a comparative analysis of possible energy scenarios in urban districts. A medium-small Italian city is considered as a reference case, and its energy consumption both for domestic and industrial use is evaluated. The current situation in which conventional technologies meet the energy needs is compared with a hypothetical scenario where hydrogen is largely used. Two options of hydrogen production from commercially ready technologies are investigated: coal gasification and steam methane reforming, as well as hydrogen use in advanced energy systems for transports and for thermal and electric energy generations. Also, the environmental impacts are evaluated. This study is particularly focused on greenhouse gas emissions with specific reference to carbon dioxide. The final goal is to define an alternative scenario, quantifying the energy needs and the relative environmental impacts in order to obtain quantitative information on the environmental benefits of the hydrogen scenario, as well as to identify its possible structural and functional criticalities.

Download Full-text

Hydrogen as Fuel for Urban Transportation Environmental Footprint of Different Hydrogen Production Routes and the Influence on the Total Life Cycle of FC Powered Transportation Systems: An LCA Case Study within CUTE

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-0895-g02-02 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 895 ◽

Author(s):

Marc Binder ◽

Michael Faltenbacher ◽

Matthias Fischer

Keyword(s):

Fuel Cells ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Fuel Cell ◽

Hydrogen Production ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Transportation Systems ◽

Hydrogen Fuel ◽

Environmental Footprint ◽

European Cities ◽

Total Life

AbstractFuel cells have the potential to offer an alternative propulsion system to convential internal combustion engines used in transportation at the present time. As a result fuel cells may provide consumers a cleaner and more efficient technology. Fuel cells are powered with hydrogen fuel which can be produced from various energy sources, which include renewable sources of energy or conventional fossil fuel. Thus, the emerging hydrogen infrastructure needs to be addressed carefully.A consortium of industries, research institutes and several European cities launched the EU-project CUTE (Clean Urban Transport in Europe), whose aim is not only to develop and demonstrate 30 fuel cell busses and the accompanying infrastructure in 10 European cities, but also assess the environmental impacts. Within the project scope the potential of fuel cell powered transport systems for reducing environmental influences such as greenhouse effect, improving the quality of the atmosphere and conserving fossil resources is assessed. This first large scale test run of fuel cell transportation systems is the best possible information base to give real life numbers about environmental impacts of a fuel cell system including hydrogen used as fuel.Meanwhile the use of hydrogen fuel is mostly considered as environmental friendly. However a statement about the actual environmental impacts is only possible by regarding the entire Life Cycle of the hydrogen, which include its production and use. Within CUTE different routes of the hydrogen production have been assessed: hydrogen production via electrolysis and steam reforming, considering different boundary conditions, e.g. country specific energy production/ supply, different ways for electricity production (e.g. wind power, geothermal energy etc.) etc.This presentation will show the environmental footprint of these routes (Life Cycle Assessment results), which enable the comparison of the environmental impacts of the different hydrogen production routes and the transportation system considering the total life cycle (production of FC bus, operation and end of life) along with diesel and natural gas as “conventional” fuels for bus operation.

Download Full-text

Life Cycle Assessment of Hydrogen Production Using Nuclear Energy: An Application Based on Thermochemical Water Splitting

ASME 2008 2nd International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Volume 1 ◽

10.1115/es2008-54329 ◽

2008 ◽

Author(s):

Luthfi L. Lubis ◽

Ibrahim Dincer ◽

Marc A. Rosen

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Hydrogen Production ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Water Splitting ◽

Nuclear Energy ◽

Nuclear Plant ◽

Production Plant ◽

Thermochemical Cycle ◽

Hydrogen Plant

A life cycle assessment (LCA) of nuclear-based hydrogen production using thermochemical water splitting is conducted. The copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle is considered, and the environmental impacts of the nuclear and thermochemical plants are assessed. Environmental impacts are investigated using CML-2001 impact categories. The nuclear plant and the construction of the hydrogen plant contribute significantly to the total environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of operating the hydrogen production plant contribute much less. Changes in the inventory of materials or chemicals needed in the thermochemical plant do not affect significantly the total impacts. Improvement analysis suggests the development of more sustainable processes, particularly in the nuclear plant and construction of the hydrogen production plant.

Download Full-text

Life Cycle Assessment of Hydrogen Production Using Nuclear Energy: An Application Based on Thermochemical Water Splitting

Journal of Energy Resources Technology ◽

10.1115/1.4001603 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 132 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

L. L. Lubis ◽

I. Dincer ◽

M. A. Rosen

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Hydrogen Production ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Water Splitting ◽

Nuclear Energy ◽

Nuclear Plant ◽

Production Plant ◽

Thermochemical Cycle ◽

Hydrogen Plant

A life cycle assessment of nuclear-based hydrogen production using thermochemical water splitting is conducted. The copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle is considered, and the environmental impacts of the nuclear and thermochemical plants are assessed. Environmental impacts are investigated using CML-2001 impact categories. The nuclear plant and the construction of the hydrogen plant contribute significantly to the total environmental impacts. The environmental impacts of operating the hydrogen production plant contribute much less. Changes in the inventory of materials or chemicals needed in the thermochemical plant do not affect significantly the total impacts. Improvement analysis suggests the development of more sustainable processes, particularly in the nuclear plant and construction of the hydrogen production plant.

Download Full-text