f NATURALHY (The Potential of Existing Natural Gas Network for Hydrogen Delivery) Project Objectives and Some Results

The defining feature of global energy markets remains high and volatile prices, reflecting a tight balance of supply and demand. Renewable energy remains a small share of total global energy use, but most renewable sources experienced rapid growth in 2009. The use of hydrogen as an important energy carrier is an essential element for global sustainable development. However, there are many significant challenges for implementing all the components of a complete energy system based on hydrogen. Urgent progress towards the development of a full hydrogen system requires a practical strategy within the context of an existing, extensive natural gas system which has resulted from substantial capital investment over a long period of time. The NATURALHY project investigates the conditions under which hydrogen (pure or as a part of a hydrogen containing gas mixture) can be added to natural gas with acceptable consequences. The main objectives of the NATURALHY project are: • to define the conditions under which hydrogen can be added to natural gas in the existing natural gas system (transmission, distribution, end use, infrastructure and appliances) with regard to: § acceptable safety risks; § benefits; § impact on the integrity of the system; § consequences for gas quality management and for the end user. • to develop technical options (particularly membranes) to separate hydrogen from hydrogen/ natural gas mixtures; • to assess the socio-economic and life cycle aspects of the NATURALHY approach, thus illustrating the real value of the NATURALHY project. The project results show that existing natural gas grid has a potential for the transmission of hydrogen. However, there are also some technical limitations for delivery of hydrogen depending on the specific local situation of the natural gas network.