The problem of large-scale hydrogen transportation in natural gas pipeline network has been solved

On March 22, the outcome conference of the Feasibility Study Report on Hydrogen Transportation and Terminal Utilization of Natural Gas Pipelines (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") was held in Beijing.

The report pointed out that the current natural gas hydrogen blending technology can make full use of the existing mature natural gas pipeline network infrastructure, which is conducive to the realization of long-distance, low-cost transportation and large-scale storage of hydrogen energy, and alleviate the pressure on natural gas supply. At the same time, it is conducive to reducing the terminal carbon emission intensity and realizing the introduction of hydrogen into 10,000 households. "The decline in the price of green hydrogen is an inevitable requirement for the large-scale development of hydrogen-doped natural gas in the future." In the optimistic scenario, it will enter the commercial introduction phase around 2026 and the commercial application phase in 2042."

"In terms of technical feasibility, the hydrogen mixing ratio can reach 10% after evaluation at this stage, and it can be further increased to 20%-30% after partial renovation, while higher hydrogen mixing ratio needs experimental verification and analysis, and there is a lack of systematic evaluation methods and data." Beijing gas thermal Engineering Design Institute Co., Ltd. Dao Shi Research Institute chief engineer Wang Hongjian analysis.

Liu Heming, chairman of the China City Gas Association, said that China's natural gas hydrogen blending industry has broad prospects for development, but it is still necessary to strengthen the research and layout of natural gas hydrogen blending demonstration projects under the principle of government guidance, enterprise-led, multi-participation and benefit sharing, in order to promote the large-scale development of natural gas hydrogen blending industry.

■■ Solve the mismatch between consumption and supply and demand

Hydrogen blending technology of natural gas can not only achieve large-scale storage of hydrogen energy, but also deliver hydrogen efficiently and at low cost, which is an effective way to reduce carbon emission intensity in the process of natural gas utilization and ensure the safety of gas supply. Under the "double carbon" goal, the demand for natural gas as a low-carbon fossil energy source is still gradually increasing. "The construction of natural gas pipelines will be vigorously developed, and the possibility of providing development space for hydrogen energy storage and transportation has become the consensus of the participants."

The development of natural gas hydrogen blending technology can also achieve large-scale hydrogen energy storage and effectively solve the problem of large-scale renewable energy consumption.

The report pointed out that according to China's current natural gas consumption calculation, when the proportion of natural gas hydrogen is 10%, it has more than 3 million tons/year of hydrogen consumption capacity, and consumes more than 170 billion degrees of green electricity, so as to further improve the penetration rate of renewable energy in the energy production structure. In addition, hydrogen mixing in natural gas pipelines also has the ability to cross-season and cross-regional long-term energy storage, and it is expected that by 2030, the scale of hydrogen mixing in natural gas pipelines will reach 1/5 of pumped storage.

Peng Shiyao, a hydrogen energy technical expert of the General Institute of Science and Technology Research of the National Pipeline Network Group, pointed out that the natural gas pipeline network and gas storage are very large "peak regulating plants", which can be used as a demonstration of hydrogen peak regulating. "Making full use of the advantages of the national pipeline network is the best solution to the large-scale application of hydrogen energy." Hydrogen-doped and pure hydrogen pipeline transportation will become a new business growth point, and it is expected that the pipeline hydrogen transport volume will account for 20%, about 300 billion standard square, which can solve the problem of resource mismatch and peak regulation demand."

Yu Wentao, deputy director of the carbon neutral Research Center of the National Power Investment Group Science and Technology Research Institute Co., LTD., said that hydrogen mixing in natural gas pipelines also plays an important role in green electricity conversion, and natural gas hydrogen mixing technology can transport the "green hydrogen" produced by renewable energy to the user terminal through the natural gas pipeline network, and natural gas pipeline transportation can greatly reduce the cost of hydrogen transportation. Solve the industrial plugging point of hydrogen transport cost in green electricity conversion. "At present, China's natural gas pipeline network system framework has been formed, the main natural gas pipeline is 110,000 kilometers long, and the gas transmission capacity is strong. The use of mature natural gas pipeline facilities to transport hydrogen-doped natural gas can strengthen the deep integration of the 'grid and gas network' to achieve large-scale, long-distance and low-cost hydrogen energy transportation."