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A world first in Lochem, Gelderland. As part of a pilot project, Energiecoöperatie LochemEnergie is heating monumental homes in the Berkeloord neighborhood using hydrogen. The hydrogen flows into the homes via the existing gas network.
In making homes more sustainable, much attention is being paid to (hybrid) heat pumps and heat networks, among other things. Since both heating methods are low-temperature systems, good home insulation is an important requirement. However, adequate insulation for heating using low-temperature systems is not always possible. Especially in older homes, options are often limited and such systems are not suitable.
Interesting alternative
Hydrogen can be an interesting alternative for older homes. "Hydrogen is a high-temperature system and can be a sustainable alternative. During the pilot in Lochem we are gaining experience with hydrogen through the existing natural gas grid as well as with the new technology of hydrogen boilers in preparation for a natural gas-free future," Alliander writes on its website. Alliander is leading the three-year pilot project.
The demand for a green alternative to natural gas came from residents themselves and was shared through Energiecoöperatie LochemEnergie. A large group of interested people signed up. From this, an initial cluster of twelve homes was selected.
Technical Review
LochemEnergie and Remeha subjected these homes to a technical inspection. This included identifying current gas consumption, heat loss and concrete insulation options. It was also analyzed whether Remeha's hydrogen boilers could meet the expected heat demand. Based on the results, a dozen homes were definitively selected for the pilot project.
The hydrogen used by the homes comes from the Stijgoord Industrial Park, just outside the neighborhood. This is where tubetrailers deliver the hydrogen. The parties then transport the hydrogen from the industrial park via the existing natural gas grid to the twelve homes.
Green hydrogen as a starting point
The starting point here is green hydrogen manufactured from renewable energy. However, there is currently not enough of that available. The project therefore runs on gray hydrogen.
In preparation for the pilot project, Alliander and Kiwa realized a demonstration house in Lochem. This Hydrogen Experience Center forms a test environment for various components. In addition, the location serves as a training site for both mechanics and troubleshooting engineers.
In addition to Alliander, LochemEnergie and Remeha, the project also involves Belangenvereniging Beschermd Stadsgezicht Berkeloord (BBSB), Kimenai Installatiebeheer and Westfalen Gassen Nederland.
Many hydrogen developments
There have been many developments in the field of hydrogen in recent years. For example, technology multinational Wilo, manufacturer of pumps and pumping systems, in October inaugurated a hydrogen plant at its headquarters in Dortmund, Germany. Wilo sees hydrogen as one of the key technologies for achieving the Paris climate goals.
However, consider also Bosch, which announced an investment of up to $500 million in the development of electrolyser components and part of its Mobility Solutions division. The company is thus betting on the production of green hydrogen. Bosch is investing specifically in the development of components for electrolysers. These devices separate water into hydrogen and oxygen.
Large-scale import and storage facilities
Also in October, Hydrogenious, a pioneer in the field of liquid organic hydrogen (LOHC), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with tank storage company Evos and Port of Amsterdam. In it, the parties state their intention to jointly establish large-scale hydrogen import and storage facilities at the Port of Amsterdam. These facilities consist of a large-scale disconnection plant for LOHC (dehydrogenation process) and associated infrastructure. In time, this should lead to a production capacity of some 100 to 500 tons of hydrogen per day.
TNO is also advancing in the field of hydrogen. Also in October, TNO researchers presented a new method for hydrogen production that requires 200 times less iridium, while achieving 25 to 46% of the performance of the current generation of electrolysers. Important, since iridium is a scarce material.
Author:Wouter Hoeffnagel
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