Paul Rodden • Season: 2024 • Episode: 356
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Welcome to The Hydrogen Podcast!
Episode 356, In this episode, Paul discusses Schneider Electric’s insights on ensuring safety and profitability in hydrogen processing, as well as Saudi Arabia’s multibillion-dollar investment in hydrogen development. He explores how innovative technologies like digital twins and safety systems are shaping the future of hydrogen, alongside Saudi Arabia’s strategic push into green and blue hydrogen.
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Transcript:
Schneider Electric talks hydrogen profits and safety in hydrogen processing, and Saudi Arabia throws big money at hydrogen development. I’ll go over these topics and give my thoughts on today’s hydrogen podcast.
So the big questions in the energy industry today are, how is hydrogen the primary driving force behind the evolution of energy, where is capital being deployed for hydrogen projects globally, and where are the best investment opportunities for early adopters who recognize the importance hydrogen? I will address the critical issues and give you the information you need to deploy capital. Those are the questions that will unlock the potential of hydrogen, and this podcast will give you the answers. My name is Paul Rodden, and welcome to the hydrogen podcast.
In an article in hydrocarbon processing, Steve Elliott from Schneider Electric writes, unlocking the power of hydrogen processing ensuring safety and driving profits. Steve writes, In the quest for cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, hydrogen has emerged as a pivotal element. Hydrogen holds the promise of providing carbon-neutral energy, with zero emissions.
However, harnessing the potential of hydrogen for energy generation requires a deep understanding of the associated safety considerations. When it comes to hydrogen processing, it’s important to examine hydrogen’s unique challenges and the innovative approaches that business leaders can adopt to ensure safety while driving profitability in the hydrogen processing industry.
Safety considerations around hydrogen processing. Hydrogen processing presents a unique set of challenges that demand a heightened focus on process safety. According to a recent report from the International Energy Agency, the global demand for hydrogen is projected to increase significantly in the coming years, driven by its applications in sectors such as transportation, industry, and power generation.
As industries embrace the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, the need to prioritize safety measures becomes increasingly critical.
One of the key influencers in the realm of hydrogen processing safety is the surge in safety incidents. Despite a decrease in working hours, there has been a troubling rise in safety incidents and fatal accident rates, pointing to a pressing need for enhanced safety protocols.
Moreover, the introduction of new technologies in the chemical and energy sectors has reshaped the risk profile, introducing novel threats and complexities. With the digital transformation revolutionizing the workforce, organizations are grappling with a digital divide that demands a paradigm shift in safety expectations and approaches.
Navigating unique risks in hydrogen processing the safety considerations in hydrogen processing revolve around effectively managing the risks of fire, explosion, and electrocution. As organizations delve into hydrogen production, they are confronted with the challenge of mitigating these inherent risks. This necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the potential hazards and threats associated with hydrogen processing facilities, such as electrolyzers for hydrogen production and the balance of plant components, including batteries, cooling systems, water treatment and storage, and compression facilities.
Moreover, specific hazards intrinsic to the hydrogen processing process—such as high temperatures in membranes, elevated oxygen levels in hydrogen, and fluctuations in current and pressure in various components—demand meticulous risk mitigation strategies. Understanding these risks forms the foundational basis for developing more efficient safety measures that safeguard both personnel and assets in hydrogen processing facilities.
Harnessing innovative approaches for enhanced safety. In the pursuit of ensuring safety in hydrogen processing, organizations can leverage cutting-edge technologies and methodologies to fortify their risk management strategies. Embracing a systematic approach, such as process hazard analysis, enables organizations to meticulously identify and analyze the hazards inherent in handling highly hazardous materials like hydrogen. Additionally, the integration of cyber hazard and electrical system analyses into the risk assessment framework equips organizations to comprehensively address not only process-related risks but also cyber and electrical threats.
One of the transformative innovations in enhancing safety in hydrogen processing is the utilization of digital twins. By creating digital replicas of the processing and energy systems, organizations gain the capability to simulate various operational scenarios and deviations, thereby enabling a more rigorous and dynamic risk assessment. This empowers organizations to gain a deeper understanding of the interdependencies between process and energy systems, leading to the formulation of more effective risk mitigation strategies.
Elevating safety measures with layers of protection. To bolster safety measures in hydrogen processing, organizations can implement advanced layers of protection that surpass traditional barriers, ensuring a better defense in depth. An exemplary approach involves integrating the basic process control system with electrical systems, fostering operational efficiencies, and contributing to energy conservation—an imperative in the transition towards net-zero emissions.
Furthermore, the adoption of state-of-the-art safety instrumented systems, such as Tricon CX, for emergency shutdown and fire and gas applications, presents a comprehensive solution that optimizes space, engineering efforts, and support costs.
As industries embark on the journey towards harnessing the potential of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, prioritizing safety in hydrogen processing is paramount. By embracing innovative technologies, systematic risk assessment methodologies, and advanced safety instrumented systems, organizations can not only mitigate the inherent risks associated with hydrogen processing but also drive profitability and sustainability in this evolving landscape.
With a steadfast commitment to safety, organizations can unlock the transformative power of hydrogen processing, paving the way for a cleaner and more sustainable energy future.
Okay, so a great look into how the hydrogen industry needs a paradigm shift in terms of gas processing. Now, hydrogen processing can be much more complicated than traditional methane, with a completely different set of metrics depending on how the hydrogen is generated. But this article does discuss a point that I’ve covered a few times on this show, and that is the need to leverage digital twins in project development. The sheer amount of risk that is reduced by utilizing that technology is staggering, and reducing risk should be a primary consideration for anyone looking to produce or operate with hydrogen.
Next in an article in Bloomberg, Matthew Martin and Fahad Abuljadayel write, Saudi Arabia said to tee up multi billion dollar bet on hydrogen. Saudi Arabia is preparing to make a multibillion-dollar bet on hydrogen and will launch a new company to produce the much hyped low-carbon fuel, according to people familiar with the matter.
The kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, chaired by de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has created a company called Energy Solutions Co. to finance so-called green hydrogen power production, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private.
The Public Investment Fund expects the firm to invest at least $10 billion, the people said, though that number could grow significantly in years to come depending on demand for hydrogen and its investment pipeline. Some investments will be made with state oil producer Saudi Aramco, they said.
The newly created company, which is expected to be helmed by former Thyssenkrupp Uhde chief executive officer Cord Landsmann, could be formally announced as soon as this month, the people said. It would be controlled and funded by the Public Investment Fund, the powerful sovereign investor driving many of Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification efforts.
Representatives for the PIF declined to comment.
Saudi Arabia is aiming to become one of the world’s biggest producers of hydrogen — a fuel which burns without releasing carbon — as it looks to reduce its reliance on oil sales while remaining a global energy supplier.
The ‘green’ variety of the fuel is made from just water and renewable power and poses an attractive solution for countries wanting to reduce emissions from energy-intensive industries that can’t easily run on electricity, such as metals manufacturing and aviation.
But producing green hydrogen is enormously expensive and its detractors point to the huge costs and time required to build infrastructure in importing countries. It’s also tricky to transport safely. Few potential buyers are therefore willing to sign long-term contracts to receive the fuel and many planned projects have stalled as a result.
Saudi Arabia is home to one of the few large-scale green hydrogen projects in the world to start construction. One of the $8 billion project’s equity partners agreed to buy its full output, clearing a major hurdle for the plans. Aramco has said it wants to invest in making blue hydrogen, produced using fossil fuels with emissions from the process captured and stored to prevent them going into the atmosphere.
As governments and industries seek less-polluting alternatives to hydrocarbons, the world’s biggest crude exporter doesn’t want to cede the burgeoning hydrogen business to China, Europe or Australia and lose a potentially massive source of income.
Saudi Arabia wants to provide 15% of blue hydrogen production globally, in addition to investing in green hydrogen, PIF governor and Aramco chairman Yasir Al Rumayyan said in February.
Okay, so Saudi Arabia looking at investing several billion dollars into hydrogen development. Now, we knew they were already going big into green hydrogen with the Neom project. But now, according to the Aramco Chairman, we can also expect 15% of their total production to be blue. And I’m honestly surprised that it’s that low for a country primarily known for its hydrocarbon production. But then again, if Neom is taking the bulk of the green hydrogen and Aramco finds off take from. Or blue, I can foresee that percentage changing.
All right, that’s it for me, everyone. If you have a second, I would really appreciate it. If you could leave a good review on whatever platform it is that you listen to Apple podcasts, Spotify, Google, YouTube, whatever it is, that would be a tremendous help to the show. And as always, if you ever have any feedback, you’re welcome to email me directly at info@thehydrogenpodcast.com. So until next time, keep your eyes up and honor one another.
Hey, this is Paul. I hope you liked this podcast. If you did and want to hear more. I’d appreciate it if you would either subscribe to this channel on YouTube, or connect with your favorite platform through my website at www.thehydrogenpodcast.com. Thanks for listening. I very much appreciate it. Have a great day.
