Modern technologies for the hydrogen use in the production of electricity and the reduction of CO2 emissions

The Romanian Member Committee of World Energy Council together with Siemens Energy Romania organized on August 19, 2020 the online conference "Modern technologies for the hydrogen use in the production of electricity and the reduction of CO2 emissions".

Hydrogen is considered an essential fuel for the future decarbonization of the energy systems and is of great interest worldwide, especially in Europe, for achieving the objectives of the "Green Deal" program.

The event aimed to provide the framework for assessing the current state of use of hydrogen-based technologies, to present the main ways to use these technologies in order to ensure clean, safe and accessible energy. The problems that still need to be solved to allow the efficient production of the hydrogen would be the way of transport, storage and safe use in energy production and industrial applications. Also important, are the legislative aspects that must underpin the promotion of this new technology.

Mr. Lásló BORBÉLY, State Counselor at the Prime Minister's Office, opened the discussions by presenting in detail the importance of developing hydrogen-based applications for the sustainable development of Romania.

The importance of the investments in the energy field, which should include hydrogen-based technologies, was brought to the attention of the participants by Mr. Nicolae HAVRILEŢ, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Economy, Energy and Business Environment.

Siemens specialists conducted detailed presentations that offered us important details about hydrogen technologies that are currently developed. Among the technologies for hydrogen production, that is considered to be future reliable, is the water electrolysis but it implies both the existence of an available source of electricity, electrolysers for obtaining hydrogen, filtration and storage systems. A particular problem is the cost of producing the hydrogen, which is largely determined by the price of electricity needed in the production process.

Particularly relevant results were obtained by the use of the hydrogen in the construction of high-power gas turbines (hundreds of MW), in which the hydrogen can reach up to 100% of the composition of the gas used, by 2023.

The problems related to the use of hydrogen-based technologies in the energy industry, but also in other fields of activity, are also important topics addressed in the studies of the Romanian specialists as well. Thus, the National Research-Development Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic Technologies Râmnicu Vâlcea (ICSI), has a rich experience and many achievements in the field of hydrogen generation, use and develops technologies that can be applied industrially.

At IFM Romania (National Institute of Materials Physics) are underway extensive studies related to the use of hydrogen, establishing the characteristics of metal hydrides (MH), the costs of liquid hydrogen, practical possibilities for hydrogen storage and also they already have results of current applications that uses hydrogen-based technology.

All the speakers agreed that hydrogen will play an important role in the current transition phase in the energy filed, but more studies are needed on the production, storage and transport of hydrogen. Hydrogen-based technologies obtained by water electrolysis will play an important role in the decarbonization of the energy industry, but also of other branches of industry, especially the steel production industry.

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