Hydrogen production decentralized

For the first decades, all roadmaps show a focus on fossil-based hydrogen production options, mainly onsite and decentral steam methane reformers (SMR), electro-lysers and hydrogen as a by-product from the chemical industry. In some regions, hydrogen is also produced to a certain extend by nuclear, electrolysis, biomass and waste gasification. Later on, with a significant increase of hydrogen, the production... 

Centralized versus Decentralized Hydrogen Production Options... 

Figure 1.2. Centralized versus decentralized hydrogen production.

A Decentralized Approach to Hydrogen Production for the United States... 

The two options for hydrogen production at the station level are reformation of natural gas or electrolysis. Doubters of the decentralized approach will note the concern about natural gas availability and electricity generation capacity. Confronting those doubts requires understanding the potential increase in demand for natural gas that would be associated with the move to a hydrogen future. 

The SMR is by far the most important and widely used process for the industrial manufacture of hydrogen, amounting to about 40% of the total world production [7]. The technology is well developed and commercially available at a wide capacity range, from <1 t/h H2 for small decentralized units to about 100 t/h H2 for large ammonia manufacturing plants [8]. 

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