Old but gold: gas infrastructure can play a key role in fast-tracking low-carbon gas deployment, including hydrogen.
In the early phases of market development, hydrogen blending can be transitionary solution to kick start hydrogen transport and trading, especially if supported with blend certificates/guarantees of origins.
Blending grew by sevenfold since 2013, but it is still a drop in the ocean: 3.5 kt in 2020, against over 50 Mt foreseen in our Net Zero by 2050 roadmap.
In the longer term, gas pipeline repurposing to hydrogen service could bring substantial cost benefits when compared to newbuilt hydrogen pipeline systems.
Ultimately, this would translate into lower transport tariffs, improving the cost-competitiveness of hydrogen. we estimate that the total length of hydrogen pipelines will quadruple by 2030 up to 20000 km, with pipeline repurposing set to play a key role in that.
What is your view? Can gas pipelines and storages contribute to the scale-up of low-carbon gases? What are the challenges ahead?
Source: Greg Molnar (LinkedIn)
