Hydrogen produced by reactors could support repurposing of existing gas network
Nuclear consultancy Equilibrion has been appointed to lead a major study into how nuclear-enabled clean hydrogen could contribute to innovative solutions to the UK’s net zero energy challenge.
Equilibrion, based in Northampton, central England, said the study, known as SHyNE, will look at how deployment of nuclear-enabled hydrogen production could support the repurposing of the UK’s existing extensive gas network for clean hydrogen.
The study has been commissioned by Northern Gas Networks, the gas distributor for the north of England, and Wales & West Utilities, a gas and gas pipeline service. It is being supported by the not-for-profit Energy Innovation Centre.
Hydrogen is being considered as a greener alternative to natural gas for industrial, domestic and transport customers. Nuclear-enabled hydrogen – which uses the heat and electricity from nuclear reactors to generate hydrogen – is recognised by the UK’s low-carbon hydrogen standard, a government standard which defines what is meant by “low-carbon” hydrogen, also known as clean or green hydrogen.
Equilibrion said previous studies show that nuclear-enabled hydrogen can reduce cost for consumers and provide resilience in production.
The SHyNE project will develop a deployment roadmap, looking at estimated production rates, potential nuclear new-build sites, customer demand centres and a techno-economic analysis.
According to Equilibrion, advancements in nuclear technology, particularly with small modular reactors and advanced modular reactors offer flexibility and scalable deployment options that support “a robust and resilient clean energy strategy” in the UK.
SHyNE will build on these developments by assessing how improved siting flexibility and financing methods for reactors can accelerate nuclear deployment to support an energy transition and reduce costs for consumers.
The project will also assess how a nuclear power station, twinned with electrolytic hydrogen production, can provide flexible electricity output to help balance the grid.
Background: Nuclear-Generated Clean Hydrogen
A number of initiatives have begun in different countries to transmit electricity produced by a nuclear plant – or another low-carbon energy facility such as solar – to electrolysers, which would produce clean hydrogen for industry, transport and home heating, at the sites where the hydrogen is needed.
The technology is reasonably mature, but remains expensive. Proponents say it can be commercialised for large-scale consumer use – possibly within years – to help bring about the transition to a zero-carbon hydrogen-based economy without the need for fossil fuels.
According to the International Energy Agency, annual global dedicated hydrogen production stands at around 70 million tonnes. The US Department of Energy says a single 1,000-MW nuclear reactor could produce more than 200,000 tonnes of hydrogen each year. Ten nuclear reactors could produce about two million tonnes annually or one-fifth of the current hydrogen used in the US.
The International Energy Agency has said there are encouraging signs that clean hydrogen production is on the cusp of significant cost declines and widespread global growth. But it called for governments to move faster and more decisively on policy measures to enable hydrogen to fulfil its potential to help the world reach net zero emissions while supporting energy security.
