Past Event - Hydrogen Turbines

Speaker:

Simon Batt - Hawkins and Associates - Bio attached.

Presentation Synopsis:

Simon’s presentation discusses “the possibilities and viability of hydrogen”.

It considers the risks when depending upon renewables as the primary resource for generating electrical power and the potential shortfall in capacity whenever the weather and seasons change.

Simon explains how today any shortfalls in renewable capacity are mitigated with the deployment of dispatchable generating capacity from gas turbines, and that this can continue to perform future demand by converting them to use carbon free or net zero fuels, specifically hydrogen. 

However, hydrogen brings with it a number of challenges requiring the investment in establishing a viable supply chain and infrastructure for the manufacture of hydrogen, its transportation and distribution, as well as strategic storage in sufficiently large quantities to ensure there is available power at all times.

For the UK to be reliant upon renewable power as its primary source of power by 2050 it will be dependent upon establishing a hydrogen economy that is successful, commercially viable and safe.  Simon’s presentation discusses some of the challenges, risks and mitigations, forming an overall view on the possible direction of a future hydrogen economy.

Presentation and video (TBC) from this meeting are now available on the OPERA Members area of the website.