HYDROGEN-ENRICHED NATURAL GAS BRIDGE TO AN ULTRA-LOW CARBON WORLD

摘要

Hydrogen-enriched natural gas, or HENG, addresses two dominant energy and environmental issues: decarbonization and improved energy management. As a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas, HENG widens our efforts to build a bridge to an ultra-low carbon world. Yet combining hydrogen and natural gas can also be seen as going "back to the future." For about 150 years, we relied on 10 per cent to SO per cent hydrogen in manufactured gas, or "town gas," for lighting, heating and cooking, before converting to natural gas. With HENG, it is now possible to reduce emissions, improve the efficiency of end-use equipment, and lower the overall carbon intensity of natural gas in the years to come.HENG leverages existing natural gas pipelines and local delivery systems, and takes advantage of the growing recoverable gas reserves in North America and LNG supplies globally. HENG can be produced without generating carbon dioxide (CO_2), using abundant and low-cost off-peak power. The carbon from HENG production avoids emissions associated with conventional carbon black production and has potential in a number of energy management applications, including absorbed natural gas storage, batteries, ultra capacitors and high voltage cables for infrastructure renewal and expansions.From wellhead to burner tip, HENG has many potential applications and could reduce CO_2 emissions in the United States by over 111 million tonnes per year. This is equivalent to the emissions from 20 million passenger vehicles or 10 million homes per year. In addition, HENG can be highly cost-competitive with many energy-related CO_2-reduction strategies under consideration. On the basis of cost per tonne of CO_2 abated, HENG costs an estimated $ 12 per tonne, which is less than most projections for carbon capture and storage technologies.Experience with the use of a gaseous fuel containing hydrogen and methane in places such as Hong Kong and Hawaii indicates that there are no insurmountable technical or safety barriers to delivering HENG. The key to introducing it is government policy and regulation.The following policy developments are urgently required:1. Regulatory frameworks to provide incentives and to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the gas utilities and local distribution companies;2. Continued support for R&D in low-carbon technologies, and extending funding for capturing carbon from natural gas before combustion;3. Commercial incentives that level the playing field between HENG and renewable technologies, and that are sufficient to allow the utilities that will own and operate HENG plants to recover their costs; and4. Consistent and clear rules for materials, system requirements, safety measures and test procedures for hydrogen in natural gas.