Hydrogen production for a net zero refinery
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Program
Sustainable energy systems (MPSES), MSc
Publicerad
2023
Författare
Ahlström, Erik
Hult, Oscar
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
In this thesis, a techno-economic cost-optimization model is applied to evaluate the interaction of
a blue hydrogen system, which incorporates a steam methane reformer (SMR), carbon capture and
storage (CCS), and a green hydrogen system. The green hydrogen system comprises an electrolyzer,
hydrogen storage, battery storage, and an offshore wind farm with a power purchase agreement
(PPA). The assessment focuses on achieving a net zero refinery in the year 2035. The model
minimizes the total cost of investments and operation of CCS, and all technologies comprising the
green system while meeting a continuous hydrogen demand. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to
answer the two following questions; (i) What flexibility measures can reduce hydrogen production
costs; and (ii) how do sensitive parameters affect the system composition and sizing of components?
The results reveal that flexibility measures can be found in the electrolyzer, energy storage, and
partly the SMR to manage wind variability. Furthermore, the model and its system composition
are sensitive to the operational cost of the SMR. The resulting green hydrogen system consists of
a 263 MWH2 electrolyzer, 469 MW offshore wind farm, 14 GWh hydrogen storage, and 2.3 MWh
battery energy storage. It does together with a 297 MW SMR, employed with a 90 % capture rate
CCS, meet a continuous hydrogen demand of 377 MW.
Higlights
• A resilient continuous hydrogen production system can be constituted of a blue and green
hydrogen system.
• The green hydrogen is resilient to PPA prices but sensitive to OPEX of SMR.
• Employment of hydrogen storage is crucial for mitigating total system cost.
• Variability of different years has a small impact on the model’s system composition.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
green hydrogen , flexibility , variability , power-purchase-agreement , net zero refinery