Overview

Governments across the world are looking to hydrogen to play a significant role, both in industrial decarbonisation and as an energy transfer / storage / system balancing vector working alongside electricity in future energy systems. Indeed, there are a number of projects in their engineering phase at present.

With its low weight / high energy density and its potential to rapidly contribute towards net zero by utilising existing pipeline infrastructure hydrogen has advantages, but there are worries around its operating efficiency relative to the direct use of electricity. Regulating authorities and potential customers need trustworthy information on how the carbon and ecological footprints of hydrogen-based and electricity-based systems, will stack up against each other in the real world.

IChemE’s Clean Energy Special Interest Group (CESIG), in support of the institutions role to advance chemical engineering’s worldwide benefit to society, and the Energy Institute (EI), who convene expertise and advice to inform energy decision-making, have come together seeing a common goal - to present how Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) could yield a universally credible assessment of hydrogen vs alternatives in the Energy Institute’s Hy2003 Project.

This webinar will set out:

• hydrogen’s potential roles and IChemE CESIG and EI activities thus far
• the aim, current status, future plans and industry support needs of the Hy2003 project
• what life cycle analysis is and how it could be used in the Hy2003 project to create both short-term operational and long-term cumulative views of ecological and carbon budget impact, whilst also identifying ‘hot spots’ on which to focus technology improvements.

Speakers

Mike Keast, Independent Chemical Engineering Consultant

Mike combines Chemical Engineering and environmental assessment skills. After rising to Chief Process Engineer at Foster Wheeler, Mike decided to specialise in accounting for the environment in engineering and business and extended his skills with an MBA.

Mike provided techno-economics to the Environment Agency to support PPC, Landfill Directive and Producer Responsibility regulation, then applied his combined engineering / environmental skills (including LCA) to develop clean technology as Technology and Engineering Manager at CPI, Associate Director / Process Manager at Stopford, and as Technical Director of Recycling Technologies. He now continues this service as an independent consultant.

Vinesh Vegad, Sustainability Engineer, Frazer-Nash Consultancy

Vinesh is a Sustainability Engineer at Frazer-Nash Consultancy. He provides sustainability and decarbonisation advisory support to clients across multiple sectors and industries. He graduated with a MEng in Chemical Engineering from Aston University and is an active member of the Midlands IEMA Steering Group. Vinesh enjoys supporting clients with their journey to a low carbon economy and beyond.

Dr Katie Chong, Senior Lecturer Chemical Engineering, Aston University

Katie is a Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering and EBRI Director of Research Outputs at Aston University. Katie has 20 years’ experience in the commercial and academic sectors working on bioenergy and process optimisation.

Katie has a particular interest in the thermochemical conversion of biomass and wastes, biorefinery process synthesis and techno-economic environmental evaluation. In particular, Katie likes to make techno-economic and environmental assessment data more accessible for the non-expert.

Time

09:00–10:30 BST.

Software

The presentation will be delivered via GoToWebinar®. Check system requirements.

You are advised to join the webinar at least ten minutes before the scheduled start time, to allow for your computer to connect.

Webinar archive

This webinar is free of charge and open to all to attend, but if you wish to access the slides and a recording to replay on demand then you will need to be a member of the Clean Energy Special Interest Group.