Synergies of Green Hydrogen and Biobased Value Chains Deployment – Synthesis Report

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), fuels in the form of hydrogen, hydrogen- based fuels, and bioenergy will have to meet 24% of global final energy demand in 2070 in the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS), particularly in the areas where direct electrification is difficult (IEA, 2020). The statistics show that all these fuels need to ramp up quickly to meet the targets. While most of the hydrogen is produced from natural gas today, the demand for renewable hydrogen is increasing. The main interest has so far been in electrolytic hydrogen from wind and solar electricity (IEA, 2021).

In addition to electrolytic hydrogen, there are also great opportunities to convert biomass to renewable hydrogen, so-called biomass-based hydrogen or biohydrogen. This option is currently a rather overlooked opportunity for providing renewable hydrogen and there is a need to make information and data available on biohydrogen production and utilization options. Furthermore, there are many biobased processes either in demand for renewable hydrogen (e.g. synthetic renewable fuels, biorefining) or that could benefit from renewable hydrogen integration for improving the quality of products (e.g. boosting biomethane production). In addition to process level synergies between hydrogen and biobased value chains, system level synergies and services are expected to take place, such as increased flexibility, use of joint infrastructure and provision of long-term storage options. Different synergies could benefit the economic deployment of both bioenergy and renewable hydrogen-based fuels, and the overall energy system demands.

Biohydrogen and renewable hydrogen in biobased processes

Biomass-based hydrogen or biohydrogen pathways should be considered as an important complement to water electrolysis as many of the biogenic pathways may provide great benefits such as:

• Non-intermittent, fossil-free, large-scale hydrogen production, i.e. 24/7.
• Mitigation of the demand for fossil-free power.
• Process integration opportunities to reach more energy efficient production
• Co-production of other value-added commodities such as biocarbon, biochar, biomethane etc.
• Carbon dioxide removal if CCS is applied or biochar produced.

Adding renewable hydrogen to biobased value chains represents another strong link between hydrogen and biomass/bioenergy. In principle, renewable hydrogen integration into biobased value chains can be done to 1) replace conventional, fossil hydrogen use, 2) upgrade the quality of products, or 3) produce (additional) products and by-products.

To investigate the synergies of green hydrogen and biobased value chains, IEA Bioenergy set up a dedicated, strategic project, involving almost all its working groups (so-called strategic inter-task project).

The objective of the strategic project was to identify and assess technologies for producing hydrogen from biomass as well as synergies in the deployment of renewable hydrogen and biobased value chains that can enhance the use of biobased value chains in the energy system.

The descriptions of technologies and concepts – including 1) technology readiness and economic fundamentals and 2) climate effects and role in the energy system – are done through case studies. This serves to increase the visibility of the topic area of biomass and hydrogen as well as to share the state-of-the-art knowledge of promising application

The project’s focus is on the value chains directly linked to bioenergy, i.e., biomass as a source of hydrogen production (biohydrogen) and biobased processes utilizing renewable hydrogen. Representative examples are showcased to describe the potential role of biobased value chains linked to the hydrogen economy, and to create a clearer overall picture of the promising value chains and their potential for future applications.

In this report, we summarize and synthesize the work done in the strategic project for different case studies either reflecting on the production of hydrogen from biomass or the renewable hydrogen uptake in biobased processes. Thereby, primary describing and analysing climate effects and the current role in the energy system (modelling). Three cases, each with two or three different routes have been analysed:

• Advanced HTL biocrude fuel (based on process simulations)
• Biomethanol (based on Torrgas gasification technology)
• Biohydrogen production

Addressing the following questions on comparative environmental performance:

1. Which biofuel systems or process-level synergies most effectively enhance the sustainable production of biofuels and biohydrogen?
2. How do the biofuels compare to fossil/conventional alternatives (biocrude vs diesel, biomethanol vs natural gas-methanol, biohydrogen vs natural gas-hydrogen / PEM electrolytic hydrogen)?
3. How do the biofuel systems perform under different geographical electricity mix scenarios (i.e., carbon profiles)?

Download the full report “Synergies of green hydrogen and biobased value chains deployment”

Key messages:

Biohydrogen pathways and renewable hydrogen to biobased value chains reveal the following opportunities, shortcomings and trade-offs:

• Biohydrogen is a clean energy carrier that can add flexibility to the energy system
• Process integration opportunities to reach more energy efficient production and product multi systems
• Co-production of other value-added commodities such as biocarbon, biochar, biomethane etc.
• Opportunities Carbon dioxide removal (negative CO₂-emissions) if CCS is applied or biochar produced
• Renewable hydrogen uptake in biomass conversion processes could be beneficial for the process efficiency and also improves the quality of the products
• There is a close link between the hydrogen economy and biobased processes demanding hydrogen
• Energy system models consider mainly renewable hydrogen provision via electrolysis. Biohydrogen as form of renewable hydrogen is used in some energy system models
• Biohydrogen pathways in energy system models are mainly based on the gasification technology
• Also, bioenergy carbon capture and storage pathways in energy system modelling are based on gasification and do not present a wider range of bioenergy technologies with carbon capture yet
• Need for a broader set of bioenergy technology pathways for hydrogen production in energy system modelling and also for carbon capture in energy system modelling
• Bioenergy pathways for biohydrogen and for providing carbon dioxide removal (BECCS), however, might be in competition for the limited available biomass resources