The Fraunhofer research institution looked into numerous mixing possibilities. Only 7% of CO2 emissions from gas consumption are saved in the most severe case, where 20% hydrogen is added to the gas.
This is due to the fact that hydrogen molecules have less energy than natural gas molecules. As a result, a cubic meter of hydrogen generates less than a cubic meter of natural gas, limiting the climatic benefits.
The researchers write that using hydrogen without regret is substantially more efficient. In industry, green hydrogen is being used to replace gray hydrogen. Steel, shipping, and aircraft all benefit from green hydrogen. There are no viable long-term alternatives to it. These are frequently accessible for natural gas from pipes; consider heat pumps or induction hobs for residential usage.
The Germans are far from the first to realize that blending in is a bad idea. According to Wattis, the hazards were also recognized by the British Imperial College and the Pan-European Joint Research Center.
Nonetheless, for many governments, blending in is a viable greening choice. Building a new hydrogen network is prohibitively costly, whereas mixing is quite simple. The Fraunhofer warns, however, that the technological changes required to combine hydrogen with gas in sufficient amounts are also costly. As a result, citizens’ energy expenses will climb.
Finally, the scarcity of green hydrogen is a major issue. In the future decades, green hydrogen will be in short supply. After all, creating hydrogen necessitates the construction of new sustainable power plants, which takes time and money. Where there are no other options, the hydrogen that is available must be used. If you use admixture instead, the most polluting business will take longer to get green. Furthermore, there is a potential of a ‘lock-in effect,’ in which natural gas is used for longer than required.
Marijke Kellner, energy system manager and system integration specialist at Gasunie, is likewise concerned about the lock-in impact. “It’s possible that you just require a bridge if the infrastructure isn’t yet ready.” However, you must use extreme caution to avoid becoming locked in.” This, according to Kellner, is the major danger of banking on mixing.
There is a subsidy in the Netherlands for combining hydrogen with natural gas. This is covered by the energy investment deduction and subsidizes the modifications required to make facilities (such as pipes) hydrogen-friendly. It’s unknown whether or if money has already been allocated to these sorts of initiatives, and if so, how much.
According to Kellner, the Netherlands can prevent mixing in any circumstance. Here, the gas network is frequently parallel. “On many routes, we have two, three, or even seven pipes close to each other. Because Groningen is becoming less and less utilized, more and more of these pipelines will be accessible for hydrogen usage.” The main issue is that there is only one pipeline at the neighborhood level. The transition from gas to hydrogen would therefore have to happen all at once. In Hogeveen and Goeree-Overflakkee, trials are taking place.
