One of the big problems with many forms of renewable energy is storage.  What do we do when the sun isn’t shining?  When the wind isn’t blowing?

Battery storage is one answer- but we really haven’t perfected those batteries yet.  That’s why AES, one of the largest energy power companies around, hooked up 1.3 million batteries to its 61 wind turbines generating power in West Virginia.  Why so many batteries?  Because those batteries are similar to our D cells (you know, the kind we used to put inside of flashlights) and are very reliable.  But, that array cost some $ 25 million.  (It’s rumored AES is still hoping someone will produce a modern battery that will serve their needs better.)

Or, there’s the concept that Dominion Power uses in Virginia.  There, in the Bath Power Works, Dominion pumps water up a mountain during the nighttime when power requirements are lower.  Then, during the day, when power requirements are at their peak, the water flows down the mountain, with the hydropower augmenting the plant that was designed for slightly-above average needs.  This sort of storage also uses lots of acreage, needs a mountain, but does cut down the inefficiencies that occur when a plant must “gear up” for peak needs. Or the capital investment required to build a larger plant for peak needs.

But, there may be an even better idea!

BP, the oil giant that is converting its systems away from fossil fuels (oil and gas production is to be cut by 40% under their new plan), is betting that a new partnership with Orsted A/S can solve their storage problems– and reduce its carbon footprint immensely.  What’s the deal?

BP is examining the concept to harness wind energy from Orsted’s North Sea Wind farm to produce hydrogen for energy storage and distribution.  BP’s Lingen refinery (Northwest Germany) will add on 50 MW electrolysis unit (powered by the wind) that will split water (H₂O) into hydrogen and oxygen.  No carbon emissions.  BP hopes to garner 10% of the worldwide hydrogen market.  The go/no-go decision on the plant is projected to be effected by early 2022; assuming the decision is a go, the plant will be on line by 2024.

There is a problem, though.  This hydrogen production is far more expensive than fossil fuels.  Moreover, producing hydrogen from renewable energy is projected to be more expensive to produce than natural-gas-based hydrogen; this plant will help find ways to reduce the differential between natural gas and renewable power hydrogen production.  And, BP is banking on the fact that governments are going to subsidize hydrogen- at least in the short term.  (Right now, the plan is to suck funds from the European Union Innovation Fund, a program seeking methods to reduce energy carbon emissions.)

Right now, Linde/Air Liquide (a new merged entity within the EU states) and Air Products (US based) are the big players in hydrogen.  Each of these firms generate about $ 2 billion in hydrogen sales.  They, like BP, anticipate hydrogen should grow by a decade over the next 30 years.  The intended uses are for commercial transport (many buses around the world are so powered already), heavy industry, and, of course, energy storage.

Linde has a joint venture with ITM Power to use PEM- polymer electrolyte membrane- electrolysis.  This means there is a solid polymer electrolyte that conducts protons and separates the two gases (oxygen and hydrogen).  Air Products (in concert with ACWA Power) is building a $ 5 billion hydrogen production system in Saudi Arabia (Neom, a new megacity, on the Gulf of Aqaba across from the Sinai Peninsula [Egypt] and near to Eilat [Israel] and Aqaba [Jordan]), the world’s largest, employing 4 GW of electricity, yielding some 650 tons of hydrogen daily (enough for 20,000 hydrogen-fueled buses) by 2025.  (Actually, Air Products intends to convert the hydrogen to ammonia to make shipping safer and more economical; it’s a breeze to convert the ammonia back to hydrogen and nitrogen.)

Looks like hydrogen production is about to mushroom.

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