Industry Update
HYFLEXPOWER power-to- X-to-power demonstrator successfully tested ENGIE Solutions , Siemens Energy , Centrax , ARTTIC , German Aerospace Center ( DLR ) and four European universities , together forming the Hyflexpower consortium , have announced the successful completion of the first stage of an innovative research project on renewable energy .
Located at the Smurfit Kappa Saillat Paper Mill in Saillat-sur-Vienne , France , the HYFLEXPOWER project aims to demonstrate that green hydrogen can serve as a flexible means of storing energy that can then be used to power an industrial turbine . The hydrogen is produced on-site with an electrolyzer and , mixed with 70 vol % of natural gas , used in a gas turbine for power generation .
The project marks the implementation of the world ’ s first industrial-scale power-to- X-to-power demonstration with an advanced turbine with high hydrogen content fuel . In 2023 , trials will continue to increase the hydrogen ratio up to 100 %.
While the large-scale availability of green hydrogen is still some way off , the members of the consortium are focused on looking beyond 2030 and trialing new technology today . This project will allow the partners to understand the technical feasibility of using hydrogen while retaining much of the existing energy infrastructure .
Vopak and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies to form LOHC Logistix Vopak and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies have revealed plans to incorporate an equally shared joint venture , named LOHC Logistix , for hydrogen storage , transport and supply based on Hydrogenious ’ s Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier ( LOHC ) technology .
The LOHC pioneer from Germany uses the thermal oil benzyl toluene as liquid organic hydrogen carrier , which is already well established in the industry as a heat transfer medium and has ideal properties for safe handling in ports . Due to its characteristics as a flame retardant and nonexplosive carrier with a high volumetric energy density , benzyl toluene can be handled like a fossil liquid fuel within existing infrastructure , tankers and vehicles at ambient pressure and temperature , making it a natural fit with current port infrastructure and fleet of vessels , railcars , and tank trucks . After the release of hydrogen ( dehydrogenation ), the LOHC can be reused to bind hydrogen many hundreds of times .
LOHC Logistix will support both parties to facilitate their efforts to supply green hydrogen to off-takers , using LOHC-based transportation via ship , train , tanker , etc . The incorporation of the joint venture is subject to customary closing conditions . For transportation and supply , it will purchase hydrogenation as well as dehydrogenation services from / at the respective LOHC plant-operating companies and organize transport .
4 Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 8 | February 2023