The fuel of the future? Some players are already betting heavily on hydrogen for that purpose. Thanks to fuel cell technology, it can be used completely emission-free. Although many companies are cautiously waiting to see what new developments bring, projects involving hydrogen gensets are attracting a lot of attention. In the Netherlands, transmission system operator TenneT drilled a tunnel for a high-voltage cable using energy from said devices. Its contractor A.Hak rented these from Genpower. The gensets were equipped with a Calculus monitoring system.
Hydrogen gensets have only been actively used in specific projects for a year or two. In Belgium, their use is still almost non-existent, but mainly in France they are already being used. Due to a strict nitrogen policy, the first steps are now being taken with hydrogen gensets in the Netherlands as well. For TenneT's project, this was in fact an ideal solution. After all, the works were in danger of grinding to a complete halt: due to a nearby Natura 2000 area, a permit was only available if the planned drilling was carried out without emissions.
World premiere for setting up hydrogen gensets
TenneT's project is a forerunner in the specific set-up that was used as a power supply. Three hydrogen gensets from EODev were used for the drilling in the Netherlands, in combination with a battery pack.
That setup relied on thorough preparation. From September through November, using Vello Keen distribution boxes, coupled with Calculus software, we measured how much energy similar projects consumed and how that consumption was distributed. By analyzing that data in other boreholes, TenneT's project could be sized as precisely as possible. This guaranteed sufficient power - even at peak times - and any surplus energy generated could be stored for later use.
All three generators could be easily monitored remotely thanks to our gateways. We linked these to the machines' control system: DEIF brand controllers. This made it possible to consult the available quantity of hydrogen, the power provided by the gensets, maintenance data and much more. It was also possible to control a few simple actions via our portal.
How sustainable is hydrogen?
The use of hydrogen in a project of this magnitude represents another breakthrough in new ways of supplying energy. Especially since Genpower is opting for gensets that work with fuel cell technology, emissions from the machines are reduced to zero. In the case of hydrogen gensets using an internal combustion engine, a small amount of nitrogen is still released.
Cargo transport was also kept to a minimum. After all, the hydrogen being delivered can be transported compactly thanks to pressurized cylinders.
Generation of hydrogen for gensets
What is important, however, is how the hydrogen is generated, because that in turn also requires energy. "For this drilling we are using green hydrogen," states the press release TenneT published about its project. That means, for example, that the hydrogen used was generated using green energy, via solar panels and wind turbines.
However, in addition to that green hydrogen, gray hydrogen also exists. It is still produced with natural gas. Blue hydrogen is produced in the same way, but in the production process the CO2 released is stored in the ground instead of in the air.
Hydrogen energy in the future
At Calculus, we are closely following the further development of this energy technology. After all, we believe it will reshape the playing field for rental companies and their customers. In the meantime, collected data continually brings insights that can help us on our way to sustainability and efficiency.
