Hydrogen from Natural Gas

Natural gas is by far the preferred source of hydrogen. It has been cheap, and its use is more energy efficient than that of other hydrocarbons. The reforming process that is used to produce hydrogen from natural gas is highly developed, environmental controls are simple, and the capital investment is lower than that for any other method. Comparisons of the total energy consumption (fuel and synthesis gas), based on advanced technologies, have been discussed elsewhere (102). 

Ogden, J.M., T. Kreutz, S. Kartha and L. Iwan, Assessment of Technologies for Producing Hydrogen from Natural Gas at Small Scale, Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, University of California, Davis, CA, Draft Report, November 26,1996. 

Honda has built a solar-powered hydrogen station to refuel its FCX fuel cell fleet. Honda has also been testing a Home Energy Station that extracts hydrogen from natural gas, while generating electricity and hot water for home use. But, natural gas jumped from about 5/thousand cubic feet in 1999 to almost 12 in 2006. 

The delivered cost of hydrogen from natural gas would need to become competitive with the delivered cost of gasoline. The infrastructure costs must be managed over time with total estimates reaching a trillion dollars or more. 

Hydrogen from natural gas with COj removed and stored underground 6.9... 

By 2010, reduce the cost of distributed production of hydrogen from natural gas and/or liquid fuels to 1.50/kg (delivered, untaxed) at the pump (without carbon sequestration). 

Intensive R D is underway on the production of hydrogen from natural gas and biomass. 

Hydrogen production. Intensive R D is underway on the production of hydrogen from natural gas and biomass. Concerning biological hydrogen, a national co-operative platform has been formed with 11 institutes and universities. In addition, thermal (pyrolysis) and hydrothermal processes are being studied at multiple places. Other research areas include various thermal and hydrothermal processes (BTC, TNO, ECN), and hydrogen from electricity produce by renewables (solar, wind, and tidal power). 

These conclusions do not mean that we cannot start generating hydrogen from natural gas—most U.S. hydrogen currendy comes from natural gas. They do show that it would be unwise to build hundreds, let alone thousands, of local fueling stations based on smr (or based on any technology not easily adaptable to delivery of zero-carbon hydrogen). 

Therefore, it is not surprising that currently about 70% of the world ammonia capacity is based on obtaining hydrogen from natural gas reforming. Of course, the economic analysis of various raw materials used for ammonia production is not complete without considering their relative price and availability which could ultimately dictate the choice for a particular feed. 

Fig. 7.13. The catalytic synthesis of hydrogen from natural gas for ammonia synthesis using hydrodesulfurization, steam reforming, partial oxidation, water gas shift, methanation, and C02 scrubbing.

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