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nature, as described in Chap. 6. It is not easy to regenerate a completely weakened
industry, the whole country should tackle the problem of forestry revitalization as
an approach to simultaneously solving both resource and environmental problems.
4.1.8 Hydrogen as a Partner of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy sources such as sunlight, hydropower, and biomass are mostly
converted into electricity and used for daily living and monozukuri. Although electricity is not an energy resource, it is a form of energy that is easy for human beings
to use and will become increasingly important in the future.
Hydrogen is not an energy resource just as electricity, but it can be used as a CO 2 -
free energy medium. For example, picture the following image: in combination with
a power generation method that has fluctuations in the amount of power generated
such as solar power, hydrogen is produced by electrolysis when the amount of
power generated is large (i.e., in bright conditions) then electrical energy is stored
in the form of hydrogen like a storage battery.
Gas cylinders containing hydrogen are not as heavy as storage batteries, and can
be transported and stored. Therefore, it does not matter if the place where electricity
is generated (the place where hydrogen is produced) and the place where it is used
are separated. Hydrogen can be used directly as a CO 2 -free energy medium for fuel
cells and thermal power generation. Attempts have recently been made to reform
lignite, which is an unused fossil fuel resource, into hydrogen. Lignite is carbonized
plants from tens of millions to 100 million years ago. Because coal is formed from
plants from 300 million years ago, lignite can be considered as young coal. However,
lignite is not as user-friendly as coal, it is heavy and has high moisture content, so it
is not suitable for shipping because of the high cost. Moreover, its physical properties are unstable, and it will ignite spontaneously when dried (Fig. 4.4).
Therefore, a method has been devised in which hydrogen can be extracted from
lignite using a chemical reaction (gasification process) near the mining site. Since
gas containing CO 2 is generated in this process, it is collected and combined with
CO 2 Capture and Storage (CCS) for underground storage. Kawasaki Heavy
Industries is promoting a project to transport lignite-derived hydrogen from Latrobe
Valley, Victoria, Australia. There is a withering gas field in the vicinity of the mining
site, which can be used for CCS. The concept is that hydrogen can be obtained from
low grade coal without CO 2 emissions.
At the same time as this project, Kawasaki Heavy Industries is also working on
the development of hydrogen-dedicated gas turbine thermal power generation facilities. Since only water is generated by burning hydrogen, zero emissions can be
practically achieved through a series of supply chains, beginning with lignite.
4.1 Future Image of Renewable Energy
nature, as described in Chap. 6. It is not easy to regenerate a completely weakened
industry, the whole country should tackle the problem of forestry revitalization as
an approach to simultaneously solving both resource and environmental problems.
4.1.8 Hydrogen as a Partner of Renewable Energy
Renewable energy sources such as sunlight, hydropower, and biomass are mostly
converted into electricity and used for daily living and monozukuri. Although electricity is not an energy resource, it is a form of energy that is easy for human beings
to use and will become increasingly important in the future.
Hydrogen is not an energy resource just as electricity, but it can be used as a CO 2 -
free energy medium. For example, picture the following image: in combination with
a power generation method that has fluctuations in the amount of power generated
such as solar power, hydrogen is produced by electrolysis when the amount of
power generated is large (i.e., in bright conditions) then electrical energy is stored
in the form of hydrogen like a storage battery.
Gas cylinders containing hydrogen are not as heavy as storage batteries, and can
be transported and stored. Therefore, it does not matter if the place where electricity
is generated (the place where hydrogen is produced) and the place where it is used
are separated. Hydrogen can be used directly as a CO 2 -free energy medium for fuel
cells and thermal power generation. Attempts have recently been made to reform
lignite, which is an unused fossil fuel resource, into hydrogen. Lignite is carbonized
plants from tens of millions to 100 million years ago. Because coal is formed from
plants from 300 million years ago, lignite can be considered as young coal. However,
lignite is not as user-friendly as coal, it is heavy and has high moisture content, so it
is not suitable for shipping because of the high cost. Moreover, its physical properties are unstable, and it will ignite spontaneously when dried (Fig. 4.4).
Therefore, a method has been devised in which hydrogen can be extracted from
lignite using a chemical reaction (gasification process) near the mining site. Since
gas containing CO 2 is generated in this process, it is collected and combined with
CO 2 Capture and Storage (CCS) for underground storage. Kawasaki Heavy
Industries is promoting a project to transport lignite-derived hydrogen from Latrobe
Valley, Victoria, Australia. There is a withering gas field in the vicinity of the mining
site, which can be used for CCS. The concept is that hydrogen can be obtained from
low grade coal without CO 2 emissions.
At the same time as this project, Kawasaki Heavy Industries is also working on
the development of hydrogen-dedicated gas turbine thermal power generation facilities. Since only water is generated by burning hydrogen, zero emissions can be
practically achieved through a series of supply chains, beginning with lignite.
4.1 Future Image of Renewable Energy