Researcher in Residence: Controlling the cost of green hydrogen
A new research project aims to make green hydrogen more economically viable by reducing its production costs through innovative control systems. Led by Adam Stock from Heriot-Watt University, the project will build on previous proof of concept work conducted in collaboration with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (OREC) and the Innovation Launchpad Network+.
Green hydrogen, produced through the electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources, is considered a key solution for decarbonising hard-to-electrify sectors. However, its widespread adoption requires cost-effective integration with renewable energy sources.
Speaking about the project, Adam said: “Green Hydrogen is essential if the world is going to transition to net-zero as there are many processes that are hard to electrify that can be powered through hydrogen. With the UK having some of the best wind resource in Europe it is natural to pair wind and Hydrogen, but doing so is not as simple as it may seem due to the wind’s intermittency and variability. I am excited to be working with OREC and project partners ITM, DNV and NREL, and I firmly believe that construction of suitable models and development of controllers can help make wind to hydrogen systems smarter, cheaper, and more reliable.”
The project will focus on developing and demonstrating novel control systems to optimise the production of green hydrogen, ultimately driving down its levelised cost. By intelligently operating assets and maximising the efficiency of hydrogen production, the vision is to reduce both capital and operational costs across the production system.
How will it work
Adam will combine and extend existent models of system components to create a baseline green hydrogen plant model capable of evaluating the role control can play in improving the performance.
Alongside this, he will look to create suitable controller architectures and controller design work-flows across the green hydrogen system in order to facilitate control implementation throughout the system and implement control methods throughout the system to demonstrate measurable improvement in levelised cost of hydrogen from green hydrogen systems.
With the UK setting ambitious targets for hydrogen production as part of its Net Zero ambitions, the project comes at a crucial time. It is part of a broader initiative to establish the UK as a world-leading centre for hydrogen innovation, complementing other initiatives such as the Centre for Hydrogen Innovation at Heriot-Watt University and the Levenmouth Community Energy Project.
By leveraging innovative control systems, Adam seeks to accelerate the transition to green hydrogen, making it a cost-effective and sustainable solution for meeting the UK’s energy needs while advancing its climate goals.
