Technology

Global hydrogen demand reached 97Mt in 2023, an increase of 2.5% compared to 2022. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), while investment and projects in low-emissions hydrogen are increasing, policies to stimulate demand in key sectors are required to accelerate deployment

These are the findings published in the organisation’s Global Hydrogen Review 2024, an annual publication that tracks production and demand worldwide in a bid to inform energy stakeholders on the status and future prospects of low-emissions hydrogen.

The research shows that a wave of new projects indicates the growing momentum around low-emissions hydrogen despite challenges such as regulatory uncertainties, persistent cost pressures, and a lack of incentives to accelerate demand from potential consumers. In the last 12 months, the number of projects that have reached final investment decision has doubled – this would increase today’s global production of low-emissions hydrogen fivefold by 2030. The total electrolyser capacity has reached final investment decision now stands at 20GW globally.

However, the IEA reports hesitancy from developers due to a lack of clarity on government support before making investments. As a result, most potential projects are still in planning or early-stage development, and some larger projects face delays or cancellations.

“The growth in new projects suggests strong investor interest in developing low-emissions hydrogen production, which could play a critical role in reducing emissions from industrial sectors such as steel, refining and chemicals,” remarked IEA executive director Fatih Birol. “But for these projects to be a success, low-emissions hydrogen producers need buyers. Policymakers and developers must look carefully at the tools for supporting demand creation while also reducing costs and ensuring clear regulations are in place that will support further investment in the sector.”

Hydrogen demand against production

Further key findings from the report include a notable gap between government goals for production and demand. According to the research, production targets set by governments add up to as much as 43mn tonnes per year by 2030, but demand targets only total 11mn tonnes by 2030. While some government policies are already in place to stimulate demand, the progress made in the hydrogen sector so far is not sufficient to meet climate goals.

Moreover, as a nascent sector, low-emissions hydrogen still faces technology and production cost pressures, with electrolysers in particular slipping back on some of their past progress due to higher prices and tight supply chains. A continuation of cost reductions relies on technology development, but also optimising deployment processes and moving to mass manufacturing to achieve economies of scale.
Cost reductions will benefit all projects, but the impact on the competitiveness of individual projects will vary. Industrial hubs – where low-emissions hydrogen could replace the existing large demand for hydrogen that is currently met by production from unabated fossil fuels – remain an important untapped opportunity by governments to stimulate demand, according to the IEA.

Hydrogen potential in emerging markets

Regarding emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs), the report notes that such regions (particularly Africa and Latin America) hold significant potential for low-cost, low-emissions hydrogen production.

To unlock this potential, the IEA advises, governments of advanced economies and multilateral development banks should look to provide targeted support such as grants and concessional financing in order to address key challenges that are inhibiting project developers in these countries – most notably, around financing. Developing these projects, the research reports, can help cover domestic needs, reduce import dependencies and potentially enable the export of hydrogen or hydrogen-based products.

Liebherr and BGG join forces to explore green ammonia fuel, advancing low-emission technologies and accelerating the shift toward net-zero mining. (Image source: Liebherr)

Liebherr has revealed that its mining and components divisions will collaborate with Bruno Generators Group (BGG) to explore low-emission power generation using green ammonia as fuel

Having already explored the potential of ammonia for dual-fuel internal combustion engines, Liebherr will now join forces with BGG, a company known for its expertise in the design, development, and production of power generators, battery energy storage systems, and mobile energy solutions.

“We’re thrilled to be working with BGG in this incredibly exciting project. Their innovative mindset and proven track record in delivering low-emission solutions are a perfect match for us as we work towards our zero emissions targets,” said Oliver Weiss, executive vice-president of R&D, engineering, and production at Liebherr-Mining Equipment SAS. “Our combustion engines business unit saw promising results from ammonia as a low and zero-emission power source after several test bench runs, and we’re eager to capitalise on this to provide even more zero-emission options for our customers.”

Sustainable solutions

Renato Bruno, CEO of BGG, expressed, “We are very proud to partner and join forces with Liebherr Mining on this project. Together, we share a common vision with an unwavering commitment to sustainability, and we aim to lead the industry in responsible practices.

“This partnership is a significant milestone in our pursuit of sustainable solutions for the benefit of our customers in the mining sector. By combining and blending our expertise, we will further enhance our innovation mindset and accelerate our journey toward a net-zero future.”

The wireless steam trap monitoring device. (Image source: Yokogawa)

Yokogawa Electric Corporation has launched a new ATEX-compliant wireless steam trap monitoring device for steam trap status monitoring in steam piping equipment

Developed with thermal utility engineering firm Armstrong International, the new product is part of its Sushi Sensor range in the OpreX Asset Management and Integrity family.

Steam traps are installed on steam distribution pipes, heat exchangers, humidifiers, sterilisers, tracers, and other equipment to remove condensate and ensure efficient heat transfer. Losses from failures in steam traps can reach tens of thousands to millions of US dollars annually. Currently, in most instances, workers are responsible for inspecting and monitoring steam traps wherever they have been installed. While the installation of an automatic monitoring system is an effective way to reduce this inspection workload, the cost of installing such systems has been cost prohibitive. In addition, there is the need to monitor not only the status of steam traps, but also a wide range of related equipment.

By facilitating the timely detection of failures in steam traps, the new product can significantly reduce energy loss. When used in combination with the other wireless pressure sensors, wireless temperature sensors, and wireless vibration sensors in the Sushi Sensor lineup, this device enables the monitoring of a wide range of equipment. Features include:

1. Automatic detection of steam trap status

This device utilises a high-quality temperature sensor and an acoustic sensor to detect the status of steam traps. It can be used in environments with a maximum steam temperature of 440°C.

2. Lower wireless network construction costs

The use of long-range wireless LoRaWAN communication gives this device the ability to communicate at distances of up to around 1km, enabling the monitoring of equipment over a wide area. These monitoring devices can thus be easily installed wherever steam traps are located, and can be connected to a single gateway, thereby holding down network construction costs.

3. Better consistency in inspection quality and less time spent on on-site inspections

The use of Yokogawa’s on-premise GA10 data logging software or other similar cloud-based software will enable the centralised monitoring of steam traps and other equipment wherever they are installed around a plant. Not only will this make for greater consistency in inspection quality, it will mean that on-site inspections do not need to be carried out as frequently.

Hiroshi Tanoguchi, a Yokogawa Electric vice president and executive officer, and head of the Yokogawa Products Headquarters, said, “With this release, we have enriched the Sushi Sensor family of solutions and made it possible to construct networks efficiently and at a lower cost. In the future, we intend to provide this as an energy monitoring solution. Based on steam trap status, this will enable the calculation of projected energy losses in monetary terms and facilitate the creation of maintenance plans, with the priority on high-risk equipment. Through the provision of such highly convenient solutions, Yokogawa is helping its customers reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases and hit their ESG management targets.”

This new product is available in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Saudi Arabia. It will be later released in the USA, Europe and India in compliance with IECEx, FM, and other explosion-protected standards.

SLB will work with NVIDIA to optimise models to the specific needs of the data-intensive energy industry. (Image source: SLB)

The energy sector is in for a ride as industry pioneers SLB and NVIDIA is cultivating its long-standing collaboration to develop generative artificial intelligence solutions 

The collaboration accelerates the development and deployment of industry-specific generative AI foundation models across SLB’s global platforms, including its Delfi digital platform and Lumi data and AI platform, by leveraging NVIDIA NeMo, part of the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform, to develop custom generative AI that can be run in the data centre, in any cloud or at the edge. 

In Nigeria, NNPC Energy Services Limited is in a technical partnership with SLB to boost upstream operations.

SLB will work with NVIDIA to build and optimise models to the specific needs and requirements of the data-intensive energy industry, including subsurface exploration, production operations and data management. This will help unlock the full potential of generative AI for energy domain experts including researchers, scientists and engineers―enabling them to interact with complex technical processes in new ways to drive higher value and lower carbon outcomes.

Energy optimisation

"As we navigate the delicate balance between energy production and decarbonisation, generative AI is emerging as a crucial catalyst for change," said Olivier Le Peuch, chief executive officer, SLB. "Our collaboration with NVIDIA will accelerate the creation of tailored generative AI solutions, enabling our customers to optimise operations, enhance efficiency and minimise their overall footprint." 

The Kaminho Deepwater Project in Angola, where TotalEnergies has onboarded SLB OneSubsea for the delivery of a 13-well subsea production system scope, promises 'greater efficiencies and long-term value', as the partners have also sealed a 10-year deal to leverage next-generation digital solutions. 

“AI offers the energy industry an extraordinary tool for sustainably providing the resource that powers life across our planet,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “Custom models created by SLB leveraging NVIDIA NeMo will provide the industry’s scientists and engineers unprecedented insight to speed their work in optimising the energy supplies today and unlocking the clean energy innovations of tomorrow.”