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Integrating Hydrogen with Renewable Power - Aug 22


This course is a time-efficient and accessible examination of the factors that need to be considered when connecting hydrogen production to renewable power generation.

It addresses questions around capacity sizing, the value (or not) of flexible operation, electricity and hydrogen costs, and project deployment viability. While focusing on the direct integration of hydrogen production with dedicated renewable power, it will also assess how this option stacks up against ‘virtual’ integration (buying renewable power through the grid).

Over three sessions, the course will explain the crucial technical, economic and market context considerations, illustrating key concepts with both market trend data and simple, Excel-based calculations and models (which will be provided to attendees).

Unlike many hydrogen-focused courses, this one will approach the subject very much from the renewable power producer’s perspective too; asking why, when and how it might make sense to consider integrating hydrogen production into new or existing renewable power projects.


Over three days you will…

  • Understand how issues such as renewable power ‘variability’ impact hydrogen production 

  • Compare and contrast different renewable power sources in the context of hydrogen integration

  • Assess how dedicated renewable power integration stacks up against ‘virtual’ options

  • Analyse key metrics and economic calculations, including sensitivities

  • Understand how the value of renewable power is changing, and how this impacts the opportunities for integration with hydrogen

  • Learn which factors are key to determining relative capacity choices (e.g. renewable output vs. hydrogen production)

  • Assess the practical project deployment and financial risk factors which developers will need to consider

  • Analyse the market context for integrating hydrogen with renewable power: why is it needed and what market value does it offer?


Course Outline

Session 1: Understanding the nature of renewable power as an input into hydrogen production

Session 2: The economics of renewable power & hydrogen production

Session 3: Opportunities and challenges in growing integrated renewable power & hydrogen projects


Agenda

Session 1:  Understanding the nature of renewable power as an input into hydrogen production

Reviewing the characteristics and operation of electrolysers

  • Efficiency and other metrics: how much hydrogen from how much electricity?

  • Electrolysers, flexibility and ‘variable’ electricity supply

  • Comparing and contrasting current electrolysis technologies (alkaline, PEM, AEM, solid oxide)

  • Balance of system components and hydrogen plant footprint

  • Where is the produced hydrogen going next?

Assessing renewable power as an electrical input

  • Assessing the various sources of renewable power and how they differ

  • Quantifying ‘variability’: how much, how quickly and how often?

  • Direct integration considerations (connection points, components and the grid)

  • The pros and cons of direct vs. ‘virtual’ integration

  • Examples of current and announced renewable hydrogen projects

Session 2:  The economics of renewable power & hydrogen production

Costs (and prices) of renewable power

  • How much does renewable power cost? (Reviewing trends, records and realities)

  • Limitations to levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) as a metric

  • Power through the grid: price duration curves, peak prices and ‘surplus’ renewable power

  • New revenue opportunities (and opportunity costs) for renewable power plants

  • Local market conditions, regulatory environments and the value of electricity

Examining the cost of produced hydrogen

  • Quantifying the costs of green hydrogen production

  • Sensitivity analysis: which variables are most important for green hydrogen costs?

  • Electrolyser load factor: what is the optimum?

  • The pros and cons of flexible operation

  • Grid and other costs (and the downsides of ‘virtual’ integration)

Session 3: Opportunities and challenges in growing integrated renewable power & hydrogen projects

Project development considerations

  • Factors in electrolyser and renewable power capacity sizing

  • Technology selection criteria: what are the key considerations?

  • Project planning and permitting factors and barriers

  • Risk and investment influences (from a renewable power perspective)

  • Which are the key business uncertainties?

The market and policy landscape

  • Green hydrogen today, including the nature and scale of projects, plus near term trends

  • Electrificiation vs. Power-to-X: does using renewable power to produce hydrogen make any sense?

  • The growth in demand for ‘dispatchable’ and flexible renewable power

  • The role of renewable/hydrogen integration in transporting energy (e.g. pipelines vs. the grid

  • Policy, certification schemes and direct renewable power/hydrogen integration


Course Benefits:

  • It's Interactive: Q&A with your course leaders and a chance to network with other attendees

  • Slides and Recordings: Receive all recordings and slides to learn at your own pace

  • No Travel: All workshops are delivered online, ideal for your new WFH office

  • Certificate: All attendees will receive a certificate once they've completed the programme


Meet the trainer

Dr John Massey is Managing Director of Grey Cells Energy Ltd., where he conducts independent market assessment and opportunity/risk analysis for clean energy technologies. He delivers market briefings, oneto- one coaching and training courses worldwide, both online and in-person, along with strategy and business plan consulting to help companies (particularly SMEs) position themselves to best grasp new low-carbon market opportunities.

In addition to delivering training globally under his “Grey Cells Energy” brand, John is a co-founder of Astute New Energy, helping firms to navigate the changing power sector through business, strategy and stakeholder communication advisory work.


What Attendees Are Saying

The best part of the training was the level of engagement from the trainer; he was very clear in his explanations and was taking the time to answer all queries from trainees.
— Engineering Project Manager, SBM Offshore
Slides were informative, good delivery from the trainer, and technology worked well. Good idea to space it out over three days as it was less disruptive.
— Managing Director, Low Carbon
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