Renewable Gas

Two important energy vectors are electricity and natural gas and, on an energy basis, the provincial natural gas and electrical demands are equivalent. Electricity and natural gas are both delivered via networks of long-life infrastructure, each with distinct characteristics and value. Electricity systems depend on wires, and natural gas is served by its own pipe network. Large-scale and long-term storage of electrical energy is difficult, whereas gas systems store large quantities of energy in underground caverns, as liquid, and in the pipeline network itself. Decarbonizing gas systems can be more challenging than electricity.

Given the benefits of electrical and chemical fuels, there are opportunities to integrate production and supply chains. While variable electricity supplies are decreasing in terms of cost of energy, back-up capacity is required and electrical energy is difficult to store. RNG supplies are limited, but there is pervasive infrastructure with storage. Coupling electrical and gas infrastructure can solve these problems through the production of hydrogen and renewable gas (RG). Renewable gas is a mixture of clean methane and hydrogen where the concentration ratio may vary from 0 % H₂ (near-term) to potentially 100% H₂ (long-term) or some fraction in between.

Hydrogen Systems

There is no single preferred way to produce, distribute, store or use hydrogen. Instead, systemic characteristics such as spatial structure, supply and demand, and cost determine the value of a hydrogen system. Reducing cost of hydrogen technologies is essential. Technoeconomic assessments identify where value can be maximized.

Hydrogen Storage

Hydrogen is a material that can be generated relatively easily, reacted with oxygen to produce work, and is an energy currency that can be decoupled from fossil fuels. In an energy system, the production of hydrogen is usually separated from its utilisation by time and space. The bridge between these processes is a means of storing hydrogen. Currently the focus is on liquid hydrogen, metal hydrides, and compressed cryogenic storage (cryofuel).