Niger’s first hydrogen power plant will produce clean, pure green hydrogen. It will also create 6,000 jobs directly. The plant’s massive industrial zone in Boegoebaai will feature seven key facilities: an electrolyzer park, a green ammonia production plant, a desalination plant, a storage facility, a solar, wind, and battery park, a gigafactory, and a supplier park. When completed, the hub will create a total of 6,000 direct jobs and enable South Africa to become a mass exporter of green hydrogen.
Niger’s first hydrogen power plant will produce pure green hydrogen
A German company, Emerging Energy Corporation, has signed an agreement to build Niger’s first hydrogen power plant to produce pure green hydrogen. The company plans to export the hydrogen to Europe and America. It has been in contact with the Nigerian government since 2021. The project will cost around $9 billion.
The company will manufacture and operate the EUR170m plant. Meridiam, Societe Anonyme de la Raffinerie des Antilles and HDF Energy are the shareholders. The plant will be in a remote part of northwestern French Guiana. Electricity generated at the facility will feed into the local grid under a capacity agreement with EDF. The plant’s development gets support from the European Investment Bank, which provided a EUR25 million loan.
Green hydrogen costs will drop below that of gray hydrogen. This means that green hydrogen could be the cheapest energy source on the planet sooner rather than later. This could happen as soon as 2030, and Walmart recently signed an agreement to secure its supply of green hydrogen before the ‘green hydrogen gold rush’ takes off. If that happens, it will likely send alternative energy stocks soaring.
The plant uses the latest combined cycle technology and will enter commercial operation in the second half of this year. The plant will produce both green and blue hydrogen. It is designed to operate without fossil fuels and is zero-carbon. The plant uses high-efficiency turbine technology.
The demand for green hydrogen will continue to rise in the coming decades. As a result, the heavy industry and transportation sectors will reduce their carbon footprints.
Storage of hydrogen in salt caverns is a cheaper solution
The Netherlands has many salt deposits that we can use for hydrogen storage. This type of storage can store a large amount of hydrogen for an extremely low price. The Netherlands is one of the few countries in Europe with this kind of storage capacity, and it is one of the most cost-efficient. However, there is no even distribution of salt deposits across the continent. Because of this, most hydrogen projects will occur in European countries with large deposits. These countries include Germany, Poland, France, and the Netherlands. In addition, the United Kingdom has several small salt deposits.
Salt caverns can store up to 150,000 MWh of hydrogen generated by wind turbines. One such project in Germany, HYPOS, plans to build a salt cavern in Saxony-Anhalt that could store up to 1.2 TWh of hydrogen. In addition to its hydrogen storage facility, the consortium aims to develop an industrial-scale green hydrogen production and distribution network.
Salt caverns are a great option because they provide an environmentally sound solution for hydrogen storage. These geological formations have a very high impermeability and a large storage capacity. In addition to storing hydrogen, they can also store other fuels. They are a relatively cheaper alternative to other options, such as aquifers and depleted oil and gas reservoirs.
Consolidating hydrogen in salt caverns may be cheaper than using the European natural gas infrastructure. Combining hydrogen and green electricity makes it possible to create a cost-effective solution. However, there are still several hurdles to overcome. First, the electricity grid will need to be modernized and expanded. Second, there will need to be enough capacitor capacity for short-term storage. Finally, hydrogen is a cheaper solution for daily and weekly storage, and we can store it in salt caverns.
Cost-effectiveness of green hydrogen as an energy carrier
Green hydrogen can also help to reduce electricity costs. However, it is essential to realize that green hydrogen production does not access feed-in tariffs or additionality rules. Therefore, we can produce green hydrogen as an alternative energy carrier using excess renewable energy. However, this will need tracking in a future certification scheme. To make hydrogen cheaper, dedicated support is needed. This support can include tax breaks on electrolyzers and low electricity rates.
Green hydrogen can be produced in electrolyzers using renewable electricity. The fuel can then reach consumers using the natural gas grid. Storage facilities can be built underground or in salt caverns. However, underground storage would be seasonal and would not provide long-term storage. Line-packing flexibility would be necessary to provide short-term storage. In addition, blue hydrogen could play a crucial role in intermediate storage.
Europe has already developed its natural gas infrastructure. Therefore, a hybrid energy system that includes hydrogen and green electricity can be a cost-effective alternative to natural gas.
Potential of blue hydrogen as a climate-friendly energy carrier
People say blue hydrogen is a clean, low-carbon fuel that can power cars and trucks and even heat buildings. However, a recent Stanford and Cornell University study found that blue hydrogen is not significantly better than fossil natural gas, which we use to heat 85% of UK homes and more than half of US homes.
The process of converting CO2 into blue hydrogen requires a process called steam methane reforming. The process involves splitting water using electric current to liberate hydrogen and leave oxygen as a by-product. This process has numerous applications, including producing electricity from renewable sources.
Although hydrogen is lighter than gasoline, it has similar flammability potential to other fuels. However, hydrogen is 57 times lighter than gasoline fumes and can disperse easily into the atmosphere. Therefore, it is an ideal climate-friendly energy carrier, and its use could play a crucial role in decarbonization efforts. Using hydrogen as a fuel ingredient and carrier could help address more than 30 percent of global GHG emissions, including those from the energy sector. Furthermore, hydrogen has the potential to meet 15 to 20 percent of energy needs.
The hydrogen fuel cell is a simple way to generate electricity without emissions. In a fuel cell, hydrogen is fed to the anode, while oxygen feeds the cathode. The catalyst separates the hydrogen from the oxygen while the negatively charged electrons remain in the anode. In turn, electrons are released into the outside air, traveling through an external circuit.
In the coming years, clean hydrogen will cost around $1 per kilogram, influencing the pace of decarbonization. Meanwhile, power producers must continue running fossil fleets to cope with the increased demand. Furthermore, the uncertainty of financing is hindering scale-up and capital formation. And finally, integrating climate technologies into existing infrastructure will be a challenge.
Potential of green hydrogen as a reliable and cost-effective solution
Africa has lagged in developing its hydrogen infrastructure. A significant constraint is a lack of regulatory and legal frameworks. Governments should put incentives in place to promote the uptake of green hydrogen and lower production costs. In addition to incentives, the continent should promote regional cooperation.
Green hydrogen is produced via electrolysis using renewable electric power to break water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules. The process produces no harmful by-products and is a more cost-effective option than grey hydrogen. It also represents the best opportunity for using variable renewable energy and is most likely to reach previously un-electrolyzed sectors. Developing countries in Africa have tremendous potential for green hydrogen production. In addition to South Africa, Namibia and Mauritania are planning large-scale hydrogen projects.
Green hydrogen has many uses and can be essential in industry and transportation. For example, one can convert it into ammonia, a zero-carbon fuel ideal for shipping. It can also be used in fuel cells to power anything. And unlike battery-powered cars, hydrogen fuel cells do not need a recharge and never run out of hydrogen fuel.
Renewable energy is an essential tool for Africa’s future. The continent has ample wind and solar resources. The energy generated could meet the energy demand in urban and rural areas. Additionally, it can help stabilize economies and reduce economic migration. With the potential to use green hydrogen, Africa’s first hydrogen power plant can become a key part of a continent’s green economy.
