Electricity can be stored in chemical products such as hydrogen and methane. These production facilities can adjust their consumption of power to imbalances between consumption and production in the power grid, the goal being to produce hydrogen or methane in a sustainable manner. Their electricity consumption is therefore tailored to renewable resources and has to be able to adapt quickly and frequently with a large capacity. The facilities uses this ability to provide frequency balancing, adequacy and, in some cases, congestion management. This type of chemical storage is also a method of storing renewable energy. The hydrogen or methane can participate with balancing the power grid directly by powering a gas plant or indirectly by powering hydrogen cars instead of electric vehicles (EVs).
Components & enablers
PEM electrolysis to produce hydrogen. Important to enable rapid change in consumption, especially to offer frequency balancing.
State of the art in application and research
Micro gas turbines especially designed for chemicals.
Technology Readiness Level
TRL 7 - Demonstration
The response time and capacity for adjusting the production in the factories is continuously improving. PEM electrolysis has significant potential and research in this area might increase the efficiency of hydrogen production.
EASE TRL is 6-7
Current focus of R&D and research gaps
Investigating ways to use CO2 to create, e.g. methanol or methane.
References
[1] H2Future [Link]
[2] HyBalance [Link]
[3] Underground Sun Storage. [Link]
[4] MefCO2. [Link]
[5] InteGRIDy [Link]
[6] STORE & GO [Link]