Electrical and gas networks coupling through hydrogen blending under increasing distributed photovoltaic generation

Marco Cavana, Andrea Mazza, Gianfranco Chicco and Pierluigi Leone

Applied Energy, 2021, vol. 290, issue C, No S0306261921002713

Abstract: Electricity and gas infrastructure coupling has the twofold effect of solving production-consumption mismatches and decarbonizing the natural gas system through power-to-gas technologies producing hydrogen to be injected within the gas network. However, little is known on how this may impact the gas network operation, especially at a local level. This paper aims to fill this gap by presenting a methodology for modeling the interactions between electricity and gas distribution networks through the implementation of their physical models. A scenario of increasing penetration of distributed photovoltaic production is considered for a sample urban area. Whenever photovoltaic production exceeds the urban area consumption, hydrogen is produced and injected into the gas network. 24 injection scenarios were examined and compared to evaluate their impacts on fluid-dynamics and the quality of gas blends. Results show possible bottlenecks against hydrogen injection caused by the gas network. During summertime operations and in the cases of injection following directly the solar over-production, the hydrogen share peaks 20–30% already in the scenario of 40% solar penetration, generating unacceptable blends. These gas quality perturbations are considerably reduced when hydrogen is injected constantly throughout the day. The choice of the injection node also contributes to perturbation reduction. Sector coupling through hydrogen blending results in a complex interplay between renewable energy excess and local gas network availability which can be enhanced by buffer storage solutions and proper choice of injection node. In the framework of integrated and multi-gas systems, combined simulation tools are necessary to evaluate sector-coupling opportunities case-by-case.

Keywords: Renewable gas; Gas network; Power-to-gas; Hydrogen blending; Electricity distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261921002713
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:290:y:2021:i:c:s0306261921002713

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 405891/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.116764

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Energy is currently edited by J. Yan

More articles in Applied Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().