Optimal Design and Operation of Heat Networks Utilising Hydrogen as an Energy Carrier

Abstract Renewable hydrogen has been receiving much attention as a clean energy vector. This paper presents an mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model that was used to explore scenarios for decarbonising domestic heat demands in Great Britain (GB) using a network of hydrogen storage (underground and pressurised vessels); hydrogen pipelines and electricity transmission lines; (onshore and offshore) wind farms, electrolysers, fuel cells and hydrogen-fired boilers and combined heat and power (CHP) plants. GB is divided into 16 zones where different sizes of technologies were considered. The model determines the number, capacity and location of conversion and storage technologies as well as the structure and capacity of the hydrogen and electricity transmission networks, in order to maximise profit subject to the maximum available land area for onshore wind farms and maximum number of offshore wind turbines that can be installed in each zone. The model simultaneously determines the hourly operation of the whole network. Within the technologies and infrastructure considered in the case studies, which are all assumed to be new investments (i.e. existing assets are not considered), results indicate that the cost of avoided CO2 emissions by replacing natural gas with renewable hydrogen as the energy carrier to satisfy heat demands is £795/tCO2.