(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
Deepak John | The Peninsula
Hydrogen is gaining prominence as a key tool to combat climate change and meet decarbonisation targets. LNG is the fastest growing fossil fuel and is forecasted to grow in 10 to 15 years despite the pandemic, said an expert during a webinar.
The event was organised by the European Union Delegation to State of Kuwait and the State of Qatar, the EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network, and the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF). The webinar titled ‘Hydrogen, the energy carrier of the future’ and the technical session on ‘Strategies and road maps for green and blue hydrogen production was addressed by Omran Al Kuwari, CEO, Qatar Foundation International- Qatar Foundation and doctoral researcher – UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources.
Omran Al Kuwari discussed about hydrogen and opportunities for the LNG industry’. He shed light on what impact will hydrogen development have on Liquified Natural Gas (LNG).
He said, ''Hydrogen is a topic discussed not only in energy research as well as technology investment but also policy development and it has ability to build many sectors at the same time. In 2000s and last couple years with climate change and focus on carbonization and improvement technology we know hydrogen is here to stay.” According to International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) hydrogen is the ‘missing link” in the energy transformation.
He highlighted LNG’s role in a hydrogen economy. The main option to hydrogen demand today is via natural gas. Going forward the main options to meet low-carbon hydrogen demand are natural gas-based hydrogen combined with Carbon capture & storage (CCS) and Renewable Energy Sourced (RES) hydrogen (green hydrogen). In a decarbonising world, long-term LNG could feature in gas fired power generation (with CCS) or in the future hydrogen supply chain, he said.
''As hydrogen pathways develop it may become more cost and CO2 effective to ship LNG as a feedstock for reforming (with CCS) into blue hydrogen at the import destination, compared to alternative methods to transmit hydrogen by pipeline, by shipping liquified hydrogen, or as ammonia, he added.”
According to recent reports examining decarbonisation pathways for the global energy all predict growing importance of low-carbon hydrogen as an alternative energy carrier, with a substantial market for the commodity developing by 2050.
He noted that technical, commercial, and operational links exist between the LNG and hydrogen industries. As the fastest growing segment within natural gas, LNG could play a key role in delivering natural gas to markets that can then be used to produce hydrogen. The LNG industry is forecasted to have a positive future in terms of demand growth in the coming decades. The industry’s commercial and operational flexibility, supported by technological developments such as floating regasification, positions it uniquely to support regional energy transitions.
''Low-carbon hydrogen has potential to become a significant consumer/user of natural gas by 2040 and support the LNG market. Depending on how the global low-carbon hydrogen supply technology mix and the associated market structure develop, there are different but significant implications for the LNG industry and is well positioned to take advantage of natural gas-based low-carbon hydrogen demand.
Jorgo Chatzimakakis, Secretary General, Hydrogen Europe delivered an overview of European hydrogen strategies/legislation around hydrogen/lifecycle Carbon content of hydrogen. The session was moderated by Dr. Mustapha Taoumi, Clean Energy Key Expert, EU GCC Clean Energy Technology Network.
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